James Farmer—

Pioneer merchant of Sherburne, Minnesota, was born in Redfield, Oswego County, New York. At the age of 12, he and his family moved back to Jefferson County, New York where he remained at home with his parents until the outbreak of the Civil War. He enlisted from Adams, New York in August 24, 1861, in company B, 59th New York Volunteer Infantry. He mustered in Sept. 2, 1861 for three years in New York. Company B descriptive book gives age 23, height 5’ 6 1/2” tall, complexion light, eyes blue; hair dark; occupation farmer. He was actively engaged in the battles of South Mountain, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, and Antietam. He was wounded Sept 17th, 1862 at Antietam in the left hand by a ball, the second finger being lost. This necessitated his doing hospital service for a time, and on 24 January 1863, he received an honorable discharge and mustered out from the hospital at Baltimore, MD, and returned to his New York home. The following August he enlisted in company F, 1st New York Veteran Cavalry, and began service immediately in Maryland and the Shenendoah Valley. Among the many engagements in which he participated before the close of the was were the battles of Piedmont and Winchester. He was finally mustered out of the service at Charleston, West Virginia and discharged at Rochester, New York in August 1865.

The war over, he visited home again for a short time and in January 1866, in company with an old army friend, W. B. Stedman, set out for the West. Reaching Owatonna, Steele County, Minnesota, they stopped and worked for wages until the following April. It should be noted that his first cousins, Samuel W. Farmer and Amasa Farmer and D’Esting Farmer, sons of his uncle Phillip, were already living in Owatonna and he likely stayed with them during this time. James then moved west to Teneassen, Martin County, Minnesota and with his friend opened a small store. Two years later he purchased his partner’s interest and continued merchandising there till 1871. The following year he moved his business to Owatonna, but returned a year later to Teneassen and continued to do business until 1879, when he moved to Sherburne and opened the first store there.

On June 21, 1869, he married Miss Clestine Bailey, daughter of Henry Bailey of Jefferson County, New York. While at Teneassen, James served as Postmaster for ten years and was later the first Postmaster of Sherburne. He was a republican and attended the Congregational Church.

Obituary
James P. Farmer, aged 78, passed away Tuesday evening, May 8, at his home, 274 Obispo Avenue, Long Beach, Cal. Surviving members of the family are the widow and two daughters, Mrs. Harry Elliott of Los Angeles and Mrs. Myrtle Collins of Long Beach. He came to California seventeen months ago from Sherburne, Minnesota, where he went as a pioneer after the Civil War, and where he served nearly four years, enlisting in May, 1861, in Co. B, 59th Volunteer Infantry, and later in Co. F, 1st New York Veteran Cavalry.
He was married to Miss Celestine M. Bailey on June 21, 1869

(This Bio courtesy of Raymond Jackson of Bedford Pa) Submitted by Floyd Farrar Sec/Treas/Historian, Sons of Union Veterans, Sedgwick-Granger Camp 17, Santa Ana/Tustin CA

Pension Application File card record for James P Farmer, who was survived by his widow, Celestine Farmer.