WILLIAM C. FARNSWORTH

   William C. Farnsworth was born December 21, 1828, in Brooke county, Virginia and is a son of Seba and Hulda (Shaw) Farnsworth.  The ancestral history of this family can be traced back to a very early epoch in the settlement of America.  On both sides he is of English lineage. In 1628 two brothers of the name Farnsworth left their home in England and on one of the primitive sailing vessels of that early day crossed the broad Atlantic to the new world, there to found families whose representatives are now living in many states of the Union.  One of the brothers located in Boston, where he engaged in merchandising; the other took up his abode in New Hampshire.  It is from the latter that our subject is descended.

      Calvin Farnsworth, the paternal grandfather, was born in New England, whence he moved to Virginia in 1812.  From that state he went to New Orleans, where he died of cholera, when about thirty-five years of age.  He married Lydia Haskett, who died in Virginia, at the age of sixty-seven years.  Seba Farnsworth, the father of our subject, was born in New Hampshire, and in 1812 accompanied his parents on their removal to Virginia, where he learned the trade of manufacturing woolen goods.  He also followed that pursuit in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and after a time began business on his own account in the Old Dominion, where he remained until about 1832, when he removed with his family to Ohio.  He was married to Miss Hulda Shaw, also a native of New Hampshire, and a daughter of William and Elizabeth Shaw, who were residents of New England, whence they removed to Steuben, Ohio, dying in the Buckeye state. The former was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and also in the French and Indian War and went with Wolfe to Quebec, taking part in the capitulation of that city.  He died when more than sixty years of age and his wife passed away after reaching the ninetieth mile-stone on life's journey. Seba Farnsworth continued his residence in Ohio for a time, but subsequently went to West Virginia, and in 1852, accompanied by his wife and five children, started to California, making the journey across the arid plains of the west.  On the way one of the children was drowned.  Eventually reaching the Golden state a location was made in Eldorado county, where for some time Mr. Farnsworth conducted an old fashioned tavern.  About 1870 he removed to Sacramento, where he spent the last days of his life, dying at the age of seventy-three years.  His wife was called to her final rest when living in Eldorado county at the age of sixty-five years.

      William C Farnsworth, whose name introduces this review, spent his childhood days under the parental roof, remaining at home until 1849, when, attracted by the discovery of gold in California, he came to the Pacific slope.  This was three years before the emigration of the family.  With a party of seven men he started from West Virginia and after a long and tedious journey of six months reached Eldorado County.  There he engaged in mining through the first winter and in the spring of 1850 went to Placer county, where he devoted his energies to mining for two years.  At the expiration of that period he met his parents and aided them in establishing a home.  With the mining interests of the state he was connected until the fall of 1860, when he removed to Sacramento, where he learned the carpenter's trade of his brother-in-law, following that pursuit through the twelve successive years.  He became an expert workman and in 1869 removed to Portland, Oregon, being identified with the building interests of that town until 1872.   On his return to Sacramento county in the latter year he became connected with the dairy business in Richland, but after a year came to the city of Sacramento, where he has since made his home.  Through the past twenty-two years he has been connected with the improvement of the cemetery grounds and is now in charge of many plots in the city of the dead.  He served as sexton from 1877 until 1884 and again from 1888 until 1892.

       On the 5th of May, 1868, Mr Farnsworth was united in marriage to Miss Mercy Baker, who was born in Iowa, and by her marriage she became the mother of seven children, three of whom are yet living, namely:  Mercy, at home; Percy E., of Sacramento, who is married and has one son; and Grace E. One of the family died at the age of three years and three of the children died in infancy.  The living children have all been provided with excellent educational privileges, and Mercy has been a student in the normal (school) at San Jose and in the Leland Stanford University.  The family attend the Congregational church.  Mr. Farnsworth is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workman.  In politics he was a Whig until 1852, and his first vote was cast for the governor of California.  He is now a Democrat on national issues, but has never been an office-seeker, preferring to devote his time and energies to his business interests, in which he has met with creditable success.  He has gained for himself a comfortable competence and is now practically living retired.