History of Whittemore, (Kossuth County) Iowa United States of America

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The virtues of the Irish people, that race so many members of which were driven from their native soil by the oppressions which sent at one time 450,000 of the flower of its youth to fight in the armies of every country in Europe, are marked in the descendants who have contributed so much to the defense and development of this land of liberty.

James M. Farley, of Whittemore, is of the vigorous and liberty-loving Irish stock which volunteered its services to preserve the republic that was given birth in the bloody ground of Sedan. There were Farleys among those who faced the mobs in the streets of Paris and stood resolutely and fearlessly for the dignity and perpetuation of the infant government, and again in our own country they have left their stamp on the enduring pages of military glory. Michael Farley and Mary Dolan Farley, the parents of this subject, were born and reared on the little green isle, but came to the United States and Wisconsin in an early day. It was there James M. Farley was born May 19, 1844, in Lyons township, Walworth county. His early education was received in the common schools of his native state. He worked on the farm until 1878, when he removed to Iowa and located in the now prosperous little city of Whittemore. At that time the place contained but one dwelling house, two warehouses and the railroad depot. The depot was a two-story building, the upper part being occupied by the family of the agent, with whom Mr. Farley boarded. For a place to sleep he was obliged to make the best of the accommodations offered by the waiting room. With $1,000, which he had saved from his labors on the farm, he erected a store building and embarked in the hardware business. Although it was his first business venture it proved a quite successful one, and there were added, in time, coal, lumber and live stock. The country has made wonderful progress during the time that Mr. Farley has lived there, and he has kept step with the advancement. The town now has more than 600 people, solid brick business blocks, churches, a model and modern schoolhouse and scores of handsome residences. During the time his section has been undergoing the transformation from a bleak prairie settlement to a well improved and prosperous town, Mr. Farley has, through good management, tireless endeavor and honorable dealings with his patrons, earned for himself a comfortable competence. In politics he is a republican, as was his father before him. In 1872, however, he supported Horace Greeley, and in the late campaign was on the side of William Jennings Bryan. He represented his district in the Twenty-seventh General Assembly. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the Knights of Pythias and order of the Modern Woodmen. He is not connected with any religious denomination. He was married in October, 1873, to Miss Tressa J. Dutcher. They have three children, two girls and one boy. Frances E., the oldest, was born in Wisconsin; Mary A. and Guy E. were born in the Hawkeye state.

SOURCE: Biographies and Portraits of the Progressive Men of Iowa published by Conway and Shaw, Des Moines: 1899.

History of Whittemore, (Kossuth County) Iowa

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