William Farley Family Collection

Collection

Identifier: SC 181

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This contains a letter, reminiscence of Mrs. Farley entitled "At 85, an old Irish lassie's heart still longs for the old country; Mrs. Farley recalls her life" (5 leaves) by Ina E. Cook, and a typed copy of a newspaper clipping on the Farley's silver wedding anniversary. Reminiscence covers Mrs. Farley's leaving Ireland and her marriage to William Farley, their farm near Spiritwood, N.D., and their milk and butter contract with the Jamestown State Hospital. In 2021, a photograph of Grace and her husband John Goodwin from Photo Small Collection 181 was incorporated into this collection

Dates

1909, 1928, 1945, 1954

Creator

Farley, William, 1859-1932. (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection is held by the NDSU Archives

Biographical / Historical

William Farley was born April 1859 in Belfast, Northern Ireland to Thomas and Eliza (Black) Farley. His parents were farmers and between school in Northern Ireland, he helped around the farm. William left Ireland at the age of twenty, arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on December 12, 1879. From there he traveled south and eventually came into the United States, working in Jackson county Michigan. He finally came to Fargo, North Dakota on April 14, 1881. From there he made his way to Valley City, to Jamestown, and eventually to Spiritwood, North Dakota, where he filed his homestead claim. There he farmed mainly wheat but he also had a meat business and had cattle.

William married Mary Agnes McCann in 1883. They had thirteen children, Mary, Maud, Margarette, Grace, Walter, Ruby, William, Beatrice, Chester, Edith, Thomas, Syble, and Hazel.

William Farley died in 1932 in Spiritwood, North Dakota and is buried in Jamestown, North Dakota. Mary Agnes, will live for another twenty years and died in 1952 and is buried in Jamestown, North Dakota.

Extent

3 Items (4 items, including typed and handwritten items, as well as one photograph.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Overview

This collection is a look at the reminiscences of Mrs. Farley including typed and handwritten writings, newsclippings, and a photograph of her daughter.