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<\/a>Henry Farnam<\/p><\/div>\n
During this time, he married Ann Sophia Whitman on December 1, 1839, in Farmington, Connecticut. Their young family grew with the birth of their children: George Bronson (1841), William Whitman (1844), Charles Henry (1846), Sarah Sheffield (1850), and Henry Walcott (1853).<\/p>\n
In 1850, his work led him to travel to Illinois with his business partner Joseph E. Sheffield, an eastern financier. During this period, residents of the Tri-Cities began to succumb to railroad fever that was sweeping the nation.<\/p>\n
In June 1845, a group of notable men from Davenport, Rock Island, and Moline met at Colonel George Davenport’s home to discuss the future of railroads and their cities. Their first hope was to establish a rail line from Rock Island to LaSalle. Unfortunately, they encountered challenges in raising funds which inevitably slowed their plans. After the funds were secured, Mr. James Grant, a Davenport attorney and former member of the Iowa Legislature, read of the work of Henry Farnam. The group set up a meeting with Mr. Farnam to discuss their plans.<\/p>\n
Farnam and his partner endeavored to build the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad, a direct railway line from Chicago to Rock Island. Later this line would be known as “The Rock.” They successfully raised the funds and local support for this project. Not only was this rail line going to provide a route from Rock Island to Chicago, but it was also going to span the wide Mississippi River.<\/p>\n
He visited Rock Island on February 22, 1854, to attend a gala dinner celebrating the completion of the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad. Farnam announced, “‘Today we witness the nuptials of the Atlantic with the Father of Waters. Tomorrow the people of Rock Island can go to New York'” entirely by railroad in a span of 42 hours (Willard, John. “Henry Farnam Builds a Railroad”). Farnam was the president of this organization from 1854-1863.<\/p>\n
Another momentous celebration of the bridge to the Mississippi occurred on June 5-10, 1854. This event is known as the Grand Excursion. More than 1,200 citizens, including politicians, artists, reporters, writers, and business leaders traveled from Chicago to Rock Island by railroad and traveled by a small fleet of steamboats up to St. Paul, the capital of the Minnesota Territory. On Saturday, June 10th when the excursion ended, Mr. Farnam young son, Henry Walcott was present with a golden cup to commemorate this event.<\/p>\n
A selection of historical poetry featuring Mr. Farnam and the railroad by Dick Stahl, poet laureate of the Quad Cities from 2001-2003.<\/p>\n
“Judge James Grant Recalls Catching Railroad Fever”<\/strong><\/p>\n People around here call me Judge Grant. Caught with railroad fever Elected first president That’s when I heard Henry Farnam, So another circuit starts. “George Bancroft Toasts Henry Farnam”<\/strong><\/p>\n I’m writing my History of the United States<\/em> “Henry Walcott Farnam Honor His Father” <\/strong><\/p>\n I, Henry W. Farnam, being young in years, and wholly unaccustomed to public speaking, feel incompetent to discharge in suitable terms the duty imposed upon me on this interesting occasion. When I came on board this boat, it was farthest from my expectation to make a speech. All my wants may be confined within this little cup which you propose to give me. Its contents are a baby’s world-his universe. I give you my best smile of thanks for your kindness.<\/p>\n – Professor Alexander Twining’s words on behalf of Henry Walcott Farnam, awarded a golden cup.<\/p>\n Only my infant heart remembers The first time I saw the cup When you handed it to me, This cup large as a bowl I raise my glass to you, father, As his time in Illinois neared an end, he and his family applied for U.S. Passports to travel and live abroad. They lived in Europe for 5 years and during that time they visited the Holy Lands. They returned settling in New Haven, Connecticut. Farnam and his wife, Ann, live there for the rest of their lives contributing their time and wealth to Yale University.<\/p>\n Mr. Farnam left a lasting impression on the Quad Cities. His forward thinking helped to encourage travel and entrepreneurial growth in the West.<\/p>\n Join us in celebrating the work of Henry Farnam at the 16th Annual Farnam Dinner<\/a> on March 28th at the Radisson Hotel at 5 p.m.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bibliography<\/p>\n Wilson, James Grant and John Fiske. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American<\/i> Biography.<\/i> Volume: Vol. II <\/i> New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1887, 410.<\/p>\n Beydler, John. “The Railroad Come to Town.”Archive.Today<\/em>. accessed 18 March 2019.<\/p>\n Seeley, Mark. W. “The Grand Excursion of 1854.” Minnesota History<\/em> (2004): 36-38.<\/p>\n Stahl, Dick. Mr. Farnam’s Guests<\/em>. Midwest Writing Center, 2004.<\/p>\n U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925. Roll 116: 08 May 1863-17 Jun 1863, 1-4.<\/p>\n Willard, John. “All Aboard for Railroad History.” Quad-City<\/em> Times. <\/em>January 27, 2004.<\/p>\n Willard, John. “Henry Farnam Builds a Railroad.” Quad-City Times<\/em>. January 27, 2004. page B1.<\/p>\n (posted by Kathryn)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The name Henry Farnam is not unheard of in this area. Mr. Farnam’s legacy and his influence was felt in the world of railroads, particularly the ever-growing network of railway lines spreading from the East. He was born in Scipio, … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n
\nBorn on a plantation
\nnear Enfield, Halifax County, North Carolina.
\nChapel Hill University graduate.
\nSchool teacher. At twenty-one,
\nI moved west with a restless country
\nto Chicago. As a circuit judge
\nfor the sixth district of Illinois,
\nI rode on horseback
\nabout three thousand miles a year.
\nThen I moved to a farm near Davenport, Iowa,
\nin Scott County, and rode a circuit.
\nThe law’s my life;
\nthe bench and bar, my first love.
\nI’m mayor of the city-
\nDemocrat in politics.
\nSettlers are moving in-
\nhouses going up faster
\nthan I can count
\nmy growing library of law books.<\/p>\n
\nwith Ebenezer Cook, lawyer and banker,
\nand with those other luminaries
\nwho gathered at Colonel George Davenport’s house
\nin early June 1845 to weigh
\nthe idea of a railroad.<\/p>\n
\nof the Rock Island and La Salle Railroad,
\nheard a lot of arguments about construction,
\ngrumblings from stockholders for results,
\nmoanings about merely linking the Mississippi
\nwith the Illinois River.<\/p>\n
\nrailroad builder from New Haven, Connecticut,
\nwas in Chicago. Wanted to build
\nanother railroad, they said.
\nWe urged him to make a horseback survey
\nof our line. He came back
\nlike a circle, eager to connect Joseph E. Sheffield,
\nhis partner, in the project
\nand proposed a new charter for a direct line
\nfrom Chicago to Rock Island.<\/p>\n
\nI saw the first spade turned
\non October 1, 1851, at Twenty-Second Street,
\nthe south limits of Chicago,
\nfor the working
\nChicago and Rock Island Rail-Road. (Stahl 6-7)<\/p>\n
\nwithout having seen much
\nof this country beyond the Atlantic coast;
\nnow I’m exploring
\nthe New West. No prince or potentate
\never hosted a thousand guests
\nover three thousand miles
\nof land and water
\nwith such gracious splendor
\nas Henry Farnam. He is my American Aeneas;
\nhis Grand Excursion, my epic
\nof adventure. The man inspires the soul
\nof a company, the chapter
\nof an age. I honor
\nhis western thinking, straight as his run
\nof iron track. He rides on line
\nwith his Rocket
\nto Rock Island, steaming
\na course, like the sun.
\nHe spreads warm hospitality
\nwith every word. His energy splashes
\nlike water cascading
\nthe paddle wheel around Winona
\nand Wabasha and Red Wing.
\nHis spirit is wide as Lake Pepin, his flair
\nfor friendship close
\nas four steamboats lashed together,
\ntheir bands rising on the same high notes.
\nHe and his family step together
\nacross the platform
\nfrom one boat
\nto another. My pen’s as excited
\nas my new American spirit.
\nSo here’s my toast
\nto you, Mr. Henry Farnam,
\na master soul, one
\nwho stands alone
\nin the history of excursions.
\nI’m writing history;
\nyou’re making it. (Stahl 91-92)<\/p>\n
\nthe tenor of his words
\non the GOLDEN ERA.<\/p>\n
\nsitting on your mantle in this library
\nI thought it was yours, but when you read
\nthe engraving, I heard my voice
\non the Grand Excursion.<\/p>\n
\nI could hardly hold it. I whispered
\nmy own name, and I’ve heard
\nits soft echo grow
\nthese many years.<\/p>\n
\nholds a link to the past
\nand the future for our family.
\nIt celebrates a golden time
\nfor mother and you and my brother George.
\nLet it be passed down
\nas a remembrance.<\/p>\n
\nand offer my best smile
\nas a toast. Here’s to
\nthe master spirit of the Grand Excursion
\nand to the family Shakespeare.
\nWhether you’re building railroads
\nor reading poetry, you’re always ready
\nwith all the right lines. (Stahl 97-98)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n