Ebenezer Farnsworth Biography

Ebenezer Farnsworth

Ebenezer Benjamin Farnsworth was born in September 1842.123 He was the son of Erastus J. Farnsworth and Almira (Seeley) Farnsworth. He grew up in the towns of Nunda and West Sparta, in Livingston County, New York.124
He married Sarah Maria (Wescott) Farnsworth (b.1850-d.1926) and had 4 children: Burt Byron Farnsworth (b.1868-d.1956), Rufus Farnsworth (b.1870-d.1907), Carria Farnsworth (b. 1874), and Mabel (Farnsworth) MacDonald (b.1878).125
By 1875, he had moved to Oakfield, New York. For decades, he made a living as a farmer in Oakfield.126 Ebenezer Farnsworth and his wife were active members of the Oakfield Community. Both were actively involved with the Oakfield Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1886, Ebenezer joined a newly formed local chapter of the Good Templars (A fraternal society for supporters of temperance). His wife was involved with the local W.C.T.U. in Oakfield.127 Farnsworth participated in discussions hosted at the Oakfield Grange about agricultural and economic issues. 128
Ebenezer B. Farnsworth was an active member of the Prohibition Party. In 1886, he ran as the Prohibition Party candidate for highway Commissioner in Oakfield.129 In 1887, he ran for and was elected an excise commissioner in Oakfield.130 By 1889, the Oakfield excise commission consisted of two pro-license commissioners and Farnsworth, as the lone no-license commissioner. While Farnsworth opposed the granting of liquor licenses, he was outvoted by the other two commissioners, and at least 4 licenses were granted.131 In 1890, Farnworth ran for reelection. He lost to the pro-license candidate, Matthew McGuire.132
After leaving office, Farnsworth continued to be involved with the Prohibition Party. In 1892, Farnsworth attended the Genesee County Convention and was selected as an alternate delegate for the 1892 Prohibition Party state convention.133 In the same year, he attended the Prohibition Party congressional district convention for the 30th congressional district, as a delegate. They selected A.J. Rumsey of Batavia as their congressional candidate.134 In 1895, he acted as a district worker for the Genesee County Prohibition Party in Oakfield.135 In 1906, he was a member of the Genesee County Prohibition Party Committee, representing Oakfield.136 And in 1912, he was a member of the Genesee County Prohibition Party Committee, representing Oakfield.137 Overall, he was involved with the Prohibition Party in one way or another over at least 27 years.138
After completing his term as excise commissioner, Farnsworth continued to move on with his personal life. He continued to work as a farmer until at least 1920.139 By 1899, he had begun making money through owning and renting properties.140 In 1893, he filed a patent for a cultivator farming tool he had invented.141 In 1907, he was appointed by the town highway commissioner to be one of the town’s pathmasters.142 By 1922, he was involved in the real estate business and advertised in newspapers, encouraging people to buy properties in the town of Oakfield.143
He raised 4 children. His son Burt became General Secretary of the 23rd Street YMCA in New York City.144 His daughter Mabel became a high school teacher in Olean, New York.145 In 1914, his son Burt, Burt’s wife, and daughter Mabel took a trip to Germany and ended up being there when World War I started. They walked to Switzerland, made arrangements to get to France, and traveled by ship back to the U.S.146
Towards the end of his life, Ebenezer B. Farnsworth was a family man, farmer, real estate businessman, and active community member. Farnsworth died in 1924 and was buried in Cary Cemetery, Oakfield, Genesee County, New York.147

-- Contributed by Jonathan Makeley

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