Farwell, John bio

History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co., Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 949, Woodland Township
John Farwell - In our history of Woodland Township and life sketches of men who have made it we speak of Mr. F. He is a native of New Hampshire, where he was born June 5, 1807; in his 21st year he directed his footsteps to the State of Mass. As early as 1830 he came to Ohio. In 1837 Mr. F. came by way of the canal and Illinois river and made his way to Illinois, landing at Sharpe's Landing; during the fall he went to Bernadotte, remaining two years; at the expiration of this time he moved to Woodland Twp. Mr. F. erected a cabin 12 x 14, and for 2 or 3 years he kept bachelor's hall; in the meantime he set about clearing away for a home. In 1841 he was united in marriage to Miss Calista Curless, a daugher of Asher Curless, by whom he had one child, William. Mrs. F. Died in June, 1843. Nov 1844 he united his fortunes to Mrs. Susan Severns, who did not long survive. In Oct 24, 1849 Mr. F. was married to Mrs. Julia Blandin, a daughter of John Blandin. Five children were born to them: 4 are living, - Louisa, Alice, Granville and Hattie. Mr. F. is owner of nearly 1,000 acres of valuable land
submitted by Sara Hemp

Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Fulton County, 1908, page 869
John Farwell - That Fulton County ranks high among the agricultural regions of the Central West is largely due to the exertions of such strong and forceful personalities as John Farwell, a pioneer of 1837, who, in the isolation and loneliness of his little cabin, drew the horoscope of his surroundings and planned and built and labored unceasingly to make his dream come true. Mr. Farwell had more than the average of discernment and more than average determination. Few of the pioneers have amassed so much from small beginnings as did this shrewd and conscientious farmer and real estate dealer, who paid taxes on 2,000 acres of land and whose available assets were rated at from $200,000 to $225,000. The legitimate accumulation of almost a quarter of a million dollars argues the possession of worth-while business qualities, and no other conclusion can be drawn regarding this prince of agrarian promoters than that he embodied the best of brain and heart produced by the experiences of the frontier.
The Farwell family has stood for thrift, energy, integrity and liberality almost from the dawn of American history. It has been represented in the commercial, industrial, political and military life of the land, and its members have buckled on their accountrements in practically all of its wars. A certain Samuel Farwell came from England and settled in Marblehead, Mass., and reared a family of several daughters and three sons - Absalom, Richard and John - the last of whom settled in Packersfield, N. H., in 1772. He owned a corner lot in the south part of the town. Packersfield in 1814 received the name of Nelson and in 1870 was christened Harrisville. John Farwell married Sarah Pickett, who died March 3, 1807, in her sixty-sixth year, his decease occurring November 21, 1820, in his eighty-first year. They had seven children.
On the old homestead In New Hampshire, which now boasts a mansion costing $150,000, John Farwell was born June 15, 1807, the son of Samuel and Eunice (Stoddard) Farwell, the former born September 27, 1769, and the latter born August 22, 1773, the daughter of Richard and Rachel (Hill) Stoddard, of Packersfleld, N. H. Samuel Stoddard died March 12, 1839, and his wife September 7, 1854. Of his immediate family the subject of this sketch seems to have been most resourceful, although he had a brother who was prominent in ecclesiastical and civil affairs, who served In the New Hampshire Legislature during 1861-62, and who was a Sunday school teacher for a quarter of a century. In 1828, at the age of twenty-one years, Mr. Farwell fared forth to Massachusetts, and in 1830, hearing the call of the wilds, journeyed to Coshocton County, Ohio, seven years later coming by way of the canal and Illinois River to Sharp's Landing, Schuyler County. The following autumn he located in Bernadotte Township, but not liking his location moved two years later to Woodland Township, where he entered 160 acres of land in Section 25. In a clearing he erected a cabin twelve by fourteen feet and bravely faced the hardships which were the inevitable accompaniment of his mission. He was all alone and he lived thus for two years. Around him were wild deer and other game, but for the most part that deep, all pervading silence of the prairie, to which we of a later day are absolute strangers. He proved a powerful master of circumstances, forcing the latent fertility of the soil into channels of infinite use to man, and marketing his products with the skill and forethought of the born merchant. Animated by that primal instinct of man for a home and children, he married, in 1841, Calista Ann Curless, who was born December 25, 1815, and who died June 24, 1848. He then married Mrs. Susan Severus, who died soon after, and October 24, 1849, he took to wife Julia Blandin, a native of Ohio, born November 24, 1831. Of this last union were born the following named children: Louise, wife of James Chaddick; Alice, a resident of Woodland Township and widow of George Welker; Granville, a farmer in Oklahoma, and Hattie, wife of John Curless.
As time developed his ambitions Mr. Farwell kept adding to his land holdings, and he also invested on a large scale and sold to marked advantage both country and town properties. It is estimated that he gave each of his children at least $20,000, in addition to large tracts of land. He gave much to humanitarian projects, and helped many less fortunate than himself to a right understanding and use of their powers and opportunities. He was a disciple of peace, and at a time when local conditions and laws were unstable, invariably encouraged the settlement of difficulties out of court. In politics he was a Republican, but he had no official aspirations, and though he held at different periods most of the township offices, he did so under protest. Mr. Farwell was a direct product of the place in which his destiny was developed. He had the courage, independence, integrity, charity and general helpfulness which the wilderness demanded of those who linked their fate with it, and of no man can it be more truly said than of him that he knew how to recognize and use the opportunities afforded by his environment.
submitted by Sara Hemp