Obituaries
WILLIAM FARR
Another Pioneer Gone
Martinsville Republican: 26 January 1889
William FARR, an early settler, well and favorably known in and around Martinsville, Ind., died Jan 16th, 1889, near the close of his 84th year. He was born in North Carolina, February 10th, 1805, where he grew to manhood on his father's farm, and at 11 years began to follow the plow, and followed it more or less to the close of life. On the 24th of Oct., 1826, he was married to Nancy VAN HOY, an estimable young woman, three years his junior. The glowing accounts of the Northwest, particularily of Indiana, shaped the course of his afterlife. Sometime in February or March, 1827, having dully determined to settle in this State, he and his young wife gathered up their little stock of household goods, consisting of little more than bed and bedding, cooking utensils, chopping ax and gun, a man and a woman's saddle, and started in a two horse wagon. After many days travel through rain and mud, with the ordinary bother and mishaps, met with and overcome, they came to Sugar Creek, this State, where they were stopped by high water and bad roads. Not having yet determined whether they would settle in Shelby or Morgan county, they concluded to take a look at Martinsville, and unhitching and swimming the horses over by the side of a canoe, he mounted his wife on one, himself the other, and headed for Martinsville, arriving here sometime early in April, 1827. A few days after this having determined to make this their future home, he went back and drove the wagon through the almost unbroken forest. He procured an empty cabin about 1 1/2 miles east of Martinsville, near where Mr. David L. HINE now lives, and "set up housekeeping," after the manner of a "new comer," as they were then called. The furniture probably consisted of a "continental bedstead," three three-legged stools and a puncheon table. The newness of the settlement and some idea of surrounding conditions will be best understood by stating that, one morning soon after his location, he was strolling up "Skinner's Ridge," a little east of Mr. John HAMMONS' house, and looking in the head of a hollow he saw 14 deer in one gang. So short a time had passed since the coming of the first settler that these timid creatures were comparatively plentiful.
Although Mr. FAIR was a fair hunter and fisherman, and delighted in such sport, it was by "working with his own hands" that he excelled all other men in the kind and quality of his work, as well as in the enormous amount of manual labor he performed. We doubt if another man can be found in Indiana who had plowed as long a furrow, mowed as long a swath, or cradled as many sheaves of grain, or hewed as many feet of timber, or made as many flat-boat oars, as Billy FAIR. And he was equally good in the pork-house or on the flat boat, or at the log rolling or house raising. As a boatman he had made 23 trips to the mouth of White river, two to Vicksburg and one memorable above all, to New Orleans, when the cholera draped it in mourning. He was there when the death rate ran from 450 to 500 per day and the ghastly corpses were hauled off in drays and carts, and burned without shroud or coffin. He never shrunk from duty because of danger. He was like Lord Nelson in this if nothing else, he did not know what fear was. In short, he possessed all the elements of a true pioneer in a most emminent degree - a large open heart guiding an open hand, a strong body, an untiring industry, always a true friend, a good neighbor and a man of peace. He believed in God and good will to men. He looked to others more than to his own good. Hence he could never have been rich. He helped with might and main to grub and clear, and roll the logs around the streets of Martinsville for years, and plow and plant and saw, and to make a wilderness bloom like a rose, yet few were the roses which fell on his path. He once owned a modest little farm with the usual pioneer improvements - but let it slip, and spent his last 25 years in a very humble home belonging to a friend. December 30, 1858, his first wife died, having been in feeble health for many years. To them were born two sons and five daughters. Two daughters only survive the father. Mrs. FAIR will be remembered by some old friends as a most cheerful and patient invalid, devoted wife and mother, and exemplary Christian. Dec. 22, 1860, he married Mrs. Malinda HENDRICKS GARRETT, widow of Joel GARRETT, and sister of the late Thompson HENDRICKS. She has been a most faithful and true helpmate in his declining years. Sharing his reverses and misfortunes without a murmur or complaint and keeping the house full of good cheer. To them was born one daughter, who with two step-daughters (one long since dead) comprised the second family. There are many grand and some great-grand children here and scattered abroad. He had been a member of the Christian church the last half of his life, and when able to do so was a very regular attendant. In politics, he was first a Whig, then a Republican, stepping aside one time only to vote for Gen. Jackson. He cast his first vote at Martinsville on the first Monday in Aug., 1827, his last the first Tuesday in Nov., 1888. He had voted at every intervening election there, save one (at Centerton). And by this, had voted at sixteen consecurtive Presidential elections at Martinsville, which we think no other man living or dead has done or is likely to do.
While he was a man of positive character and strong convictions, he had little of the modern self-conceit and political intolerance of the partisan, and though poor and oftentimes needy indeed, there never was money enough put in the hand of "that enemy of all righteousness, the briber," to haveswerved him from his duty to his country. He gave his two sons to the service of the war for the Union in his declining years, - the youngest when but a boy; and was always the tried and true friend of the soldier. His country owed him a debt which he could never collect. He had literally worn his life out at hard work for its development, and gave all his sons for its defense, and never a cent had he received except a very little "temporary" relief, while others were checked for their hundreds who were not worthy to unlatch his shoes. But probably it would be difficult to enact pension laws, which would meet all needy conditions that merited attention or foil all of the attempts of the treasury leeches. That distinguished class of citizens, (for so they appear to me), the pioneers, have nearly all gone. One by one they are gathered home, after the most heroic struggles on the battle field between savage and civil life. The world has grown away from them and the few that remain seem forlorn. The last will soon pass from earth; and of them the busy world will think no more. No marble shaft, pointing skyward, will call to memory their "humble greatness". They may have little space in the corner of some page of history. That is all. Not one in a hundred thousand of all who have lived on earth are recognized by the historian. God, and he only, keeps the words and works of all. But to return to our old brother's last hour. The last battle between life and death was short and sharp. That strong frame which had walked the rugged path for nearly 84 years, stoutly resisted the first shock, but the end was near. After 7 days suffering - at times dreadful - there came a lull of 30 minutes or so and calling little Clyde to the bedside, and asking for a sup of water, he took her little hand in his saying "God bless you, grandpa is going to rest." In one minute that great big heart which never ceased to beat for nearly 84 years, was stilled in death, and the spirit left its tenement of clay, to enter the House not made with hands.
Posted by Debbie Jennings