FARNSWORTH, William Holden
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 504-505

William Holden FARNSWORTH, a farmer, resident of the township of Dunn, Dane 
County, WI, was born on the farm where he now resides, 08 Jun 1853, and his 
father, Calvin C. FARNSWORTH, was one of the first settlers of the town, born 
08 Dec 1817, and the grandfather of our subject is thought to have been born 
in Rupert, Bennington County, VT, his father having come there among the first 
settlers of the county from CT, probably even before the Revolutionary War. 
His [the great grandfather's] death occurred at Burlington, [Chittenden 
County, VT], and his wife, a member of the KELLOGG family, passed away there 
also.

Holden FARNSWORTH, the grandfather of our subject, was reared on a farm and 
always followed that occupation. At one time he owned a farm but was 
unfortunate in giving security for a friend and thus lost his farm. Holden 
FARNSWORTH died at Winook Falls, [Ontario, Canada?], in 1826. The name of 
his wife was Susanna COBB, born, it is thought, in Bennington [Bennington 
County], VT. She survived her husband many years and died at the home of her 
daughter, Mrs. FARWELL, in Rutland [Township], Dane County, WI, in 1858.

Calvin C. FARNSWORTH, the father of our subject, was eight years of age when 
his father died, and he then went to live with his aunt, Polly GRAY, of 
Dorset, Bennington County, VT, where he was reared and educated. He was 
reared on the farm and remained with that good woman until his 21st year, and 
then started out in the world for himself. One year's employment in farm 
work brought him $120, and he continued to work in both Bennington and 
Rutland Counties until 1846, when he emigrated to the Territory of WI. He 
started from Granville, Washington County, VT, with a team, accompanied by 
his bride, and drove as far as Fort Ann, and there took the Champlain and 
later the Erie Canals to Buffalo, Erie County, NY, going by lake to 
Milwaukee, WI. At his place Calvin C. FARNSWORTH hired a team to take them 
to Dane County, WI. The country was but sparsely settled and game was still 
abundant. The brother of Mrs. FARNSWORTH had traded 600 acres of land in 
what is now the town of Dunn, Dane County, WI, and Calvin C. FARNSWORTH 
bought 140 acres of land from him, and they located on section 28. Norman 
FARWELL and his wife had accompanied Mr. FARNSWORTH, and they moved into a 
log house with another family until they could build a cabin of their own. 
Here Calvin C. FARNSWORTH long lived and added to his real estate until he 
had 256 acres.

Calvin C. FARNSWORTH was first married to Mary CRAMER, of Granville, 
Washington County, NY, 21 Sept 1846, and she was a daughter of Charles 
CRAMER, who was born in Germany, of German and American parents. Charles 
CRAMER learned the trade of potter and followed that trade in the town of 
Granville until his death; the maiden name of his wife was Mary RUGG, who was 
a native of NY. She survived her husband many years and died at the home of 
her daughter in Dane County, WI, in 1868. Mary (CRAMER) FARNSWORTH died in 
1856, and in 1857 Calvin C. FARNSWORTH married her sister, Delia A. CRAMER. 
Calvin C. and Mary (CRAMER) FARNSWORTH had three children: Susan A., who 
married William AUL; Ann Elizabeth, who married L. S. CHANDLER [see also the 
Dane County, WI, biography of Luzerne Stephen CHANDLER, who married Ann 
Elizabeth FARNSWORTH]; and our subject. By his second wife, Calvin C. 
FARNSWORTH had one son, Reuben Calvin. [p 505]

William Holden FARNSWORTH received his early education in the district 
school, which was advanced by attendance at Albion and the high school at 
Oregon, WI, and this good foundation was supplemented by first class business 
education at Madison managed by Professor HARRINGTON. Our subject has always 
followed farming and now owns and operates 109 acres of the old home farm. 
On 13 Dec 1881, William Holden FARNSWORTH married Miss Lena C. CRIDDLE, who 
was born in the town of Dunn, Dane County, WI. Her father, James CRIDDLE, 
was born in Somersetshire, England, and his father, the grandfather of Mrs. 
W. H. FARNSWORTH, was born in the same shire, and was the son of James and 
Grace (SAGE) CRIDDLE. He came from England to America, but remained in this 
country but a short time and died in his own land. Eight of his children 
came to America, Mrs. Farnsworth’s father coming in 1849, sailing from 
Bristol in Mar 1849 in the sailing vessel "Casma," and landed in NY five 
weeks later. He came directly to WI via the Hudson River, then to Buffalo 
and on the lakes to Milwaukee and then by team to Rock County, WI, for 
several years, when he removed to Mitchell County, IA, and one year later 
moved to the town of Dunn, Dane County, WI, where he purchased a farm and 
still owns and occupies it. The maiden name of the mother of Mrs. W. H. 
FARNSWORTH was Susanna CARVER, born in NY, a daughter of David and Nancy 
(DURFER) CARVER, and her father was a lineal descendant of Governor CARVER. 
William Holden and Lena C. (CRIDDLE) FARNSWORTH have three children.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly