I Farnham

"Joel Farnham is also to be mentioned among the pioneers of Tioga, and in some respects he was one of the most useful of the early settlers. He was born at Windham, Conn., Jan. 3, 1774, and emigrated from his native state to the Wyoming valley in company with his mother and other settlers who sought to better their condition in that, new and then little known country. In 1792 young Farnham left old "Forty Fort," and with his mother and others came up the Susquehanna in a "dug-out," and made a brief stop at the little settlement of Owego. However, they soon started up Owego creek, travelled about two miles and on the west side of that stream Mr. Farnham found lands suited to his purposes. He bought several hundred acres in this beautiful valley, and to the honor of his descendants it may be said they are still its owners. Pioneer Farnham was a wheelwright and cabinet maker, a native Yankee who possessed all the ingenuity of his people, and it was not long before he had built a dam across the creek and erected mills for the manufacture of spinning wheels and other domestic articles then much used by the settlers. His business was successful and he sent wagons loaded with his wares all over the region. Several of his inventions Mr. Farnham caused to be patented, and among them one of the most remarkable was a horseless carriage propelled by the use of strong springs. It worked well and one day Mr. Farnham took his wife to Owego, but on returning a neighbor's team became frightened and ran away, whereupon the inventor destroyed his vehicle. Mr. Farnham was also a surveyor, but his wool carding, cloth dressing and finishing mills were of the greatest practical benefit to the settlers. He also invented a cider mill, and a turning lathe for making wooden utensils. In 1797 Mr. Farnham was married with Ruth, the daughter of Enoch and Sarah Slosson, of Newark Valley. The children of this marriage were Sylvester, Fidelia, Ann Maria, Joel, Jr., Charles, Caroline, George, Sarah Catherine, Enoch, and Frederick Augustus Farnham. Joel Farnham, the pioneer, died August 15, 1853. His wife died August 30, 1862.