Orange

FARNHAM, Roswell

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 134-136

Roswell FARNHAM, of Bradford [Orange County, Vermont], was born 23 July 1827 
in Boston [Suffolk County], Massachusetts, son of Roswell and Nancy (BIXBY) 
FARNHAM. Governor FARNHAM is of the eighth generation in line of direct 
descent from Ralph FARNHAM, who emigrated from England to America and settled 
in Andover [Essex County], Massachusetts. His maternal grandfather, Capt. 
David BIXBY, was a distinguished soldier in the Revolution, and was present 
in the actions at Lexington and Bunker Hill, afterwards doing excellent 
service in Rhode Island; he was also at the battle of Stillwater, and later 
went to sea on board a privateer, and returned home in possession of 
considerable prize money at the end of his first cruise. The second venture 
was not so fortunate. His vessel was captured by a British frigate, when but 
a short distance out of port. He himself was conveyed to England, lodged in 
Dartmoor prison, and there, in common with other American captives, suffered 
great privations for seventeen months. The father of Roswell FARNHAM was in 
business on Court Street, Boston [Suffolk County, Massachusetts]. He removed 
to Haverhill [Essex County], Massachusetts, where he began the manufacture of 
boots and shoes for the southern market. In 1839 the great financial deluge 
which swept so many fortunes away ruined him. In 1840 Roswell FARNHAM, Sr., 
removed his family to Bradford. There he purchased a farm on the Connecticut 
River, upon which he resided until within two years of his [Roswell FARNHAM 
Sr.'s] death, on 20 December 1860.

The subject of this sketch prepared for college in the academy at Bradford, 
and while thus engaged assisted in the cultivation of his father's farm. 
Lacking the means requisite to enter college when fully prepared, he pursued 
the studies of the freshman and sophomore classes at the same academy, and in 
September 1847 he joined the junior class at the University of Vermont, from 
which he graduated in August 1849, and received the degree of A. M. in 1852. 
Immediately after graduation he entered upon active duty as a teacher at 
Dunham, Lower Canada, now Province of Quebec. From Dunham Mr. FARNHAM 
removed to Franklin [Franklin County, Vermont], where he took charge of the 
Franklin Academical Institution, and later he taught the Bradford Academy in 
[Orange County] Vermont, but he did not intend to devote his life to 
teaching, and therefore relinquished charge of the seminary. During this 
period he found leisure for the study of law, and made such progress that he 
was admitted to practice at the Orange County bar in January 1857. He began 
his professional career as the partner of Robert McK. ORMSBY. In 1859 he 
commenced practice independently, soon acquired a remunerative business, and 
had the satisfaction of witnessing its gradual increase. During the same 
year he was elected state's attorney for Orange County by the Republican 
party, and was subsequently re-elected twice by the same organization.

As second lieutenant of the Bradford Guards, Mr. FARNHAM accompanied the 
first regiment of the Vermont Volunteers to the scene of action, and was 
stationed for the greater part of its three months service at Fortress Monroe 
and at Newport News, Virginia. When the Twelfth Vermont Volunteer Regiment 
was formed out of militia companies of the state, the Governor detailed the 
Bradford Guards as one of the companies of that organization. Lieutenant 
FARNHAM was elected their captain, but before the regiment came to 
Brattleboro, its place of rendezvous, Captain FARNHAM was appointed and 
commissioned as lieutenant colonel. For nearly half of the term of his new 
service, he was in command of the regiment, the colonel being in command of 
the brigade. At the expiration of the second term of service, Lieutenant 
Colonel FARNHAM returned to the practice of law in Bradford, where he has 
since resided. Shortly after he was the Republican candidate for 
representative of the town of Bradford, but was defeated by a Democratic 
majority.

In 1868 and 1869 Mr. FARNHAM was elected by the Republicans to the state 
Senate, and served creditably in that body throughout both terms. He was 
chairman of three important committees and a member of two others. In 1876 
he was a delegate to the national Republican convention which nominated Gen. 
R. B. HAYES for the presidency; was also one of the presidential electors in 
the same year; and for three years was a member of the State Board of 
Education. He is and has been one of the elective trustees of the University 
of Vermont and State Agricultural College. In 1880 he was nominated as 
candidate for Governor of Vermont, and was elected by a majority of 25,012 
votes, the number of political supporters indicated by this ballot larger 
than any previous candidate had enjoyed.

On 25 December 1849 Governor [Roswell] FARNHAM was married to Mary Elizabeth, 
eldest daughter of Captain Ezekiel and Nancy (ROGERS) JOHNSON, of Bradford 
[Orange County, Vermont]. Three living children are the fruit of their 
union: Charles Cyrus, Florence Mary, and William Mills. In religious 
matters he [Roswell FARNHAM Jr.] as might be anticipated from what has been 
said of his ancestry and education, a member of the Congregational church. 
His two years of office as Governor were extremely busy ones, yet he attended 
faithfully and efficiently to the duties of his position, and to the neglect 
of his personal affairs. His administration was as grateful and profitable 
to the people as it was honorable to himself.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly