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Hiram Putnam Farnham
2 December 1838–25 December 1915 |
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| Hiram Putnam Farnham was born in Andover, Mass, Dec 02, 1838. He was the youngest child in a family of five of John and Almira Farnham, and his father died when he was but a child of two years. At the age of ten years he went to live with William Hamlet, a butcher by trade, who gave him a fathers kindly care for seven years.
When he reached the age of seventeen he, with his widowed mother, two sisters and two brothers, moved to what was then the territory of Minnesota where they lived for six years. In 1861 they moved to Jones County, Iowa. In the past fifty and more years he has spent his live in this immediate neighborhood. He was joined in marriage to Mary Catherine Richtstine January 22, 1863, with whom he lived in fellowship and delightful companionship for nearly 53 years. Six children were born in this family. The children are as follows: David A., who died in 1899; James O., who resides near Morley; Mamie Ella, who also passed on before to the eternal world in 1878; Barbara M., now Mrs. Sylvester Miller, living nearby in Greenfield township; and Esther A., now Mrs. David Boots of Elk River, Minnesota. He leaves to mourn his departure his bereft wife, four children and eight grandchildren, and one sister, Mrs. T. H. Dunn, of Anamosa.
His family was so situated that they could be with him in his last illness, excepting Esther, the youngest daughter, whose home is in Minnesota. His last illness was very painful and lasted through a period of nearly twelve weeks, but was borne with great fortitude and without complaint and with constant expressions of the appreciation for the kind and loving care bestowed upon him by his life companion and the family. After his long and severe suffering he closed his eyes in death at the home of his daughter on Christmas day at 4:30 PM. He had reached the age of 77 years and 23 days. He fell asleep in Jesus in whom he had trusted and sought to serve faithfully through many years. Forty-five years ago he united with the Methodist Episcopal church and he has been a faithful working member through all these years. At the time of his death he was class leader and recording steward. During all his illness he had noticed the ringing of the church bell and felt that it was a call for him to worship his God. He was always in his place in church unless on account of unavoidable circumstances. The integrity and beauty of his character is known by all who were acquainted with him. He was true to his faith and firm in his ways if he felt they were right, almost to the extreme. He was an intelligent reader of the bible and his Christian paper and good literature. He was a man who had gained a good deal of general information and to the last months his faculties were clear and he was a interesting man with whom to converse on almost any topic.
He has gone to his reward. He will be missed from his home, by his church, and in this community. Today we can say, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord". "In thy presence is fullness of joy and on thy right hand are pleasures for evermore." Some sweet day God will privilege us to meet again in that upper and better kingdom through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Submitted by: Dave Bock
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