View Full Version : David Farr
David Kirkby Farr is born 1852 in Wales to Henry Farr and his wife Elizabeth Naylor Farr, née Ariel.
I have him on census. 1883 he comes to Australia unassisted. His age is written as 18 on Ancestry, but FMP has two people same name same ship, different ages. Might be a mistake. Might be a lie. lol
Also in 1883 he is admitted to the bar in Sydney as a solicitor (his father was a solicitor as well).
In 1889, he asked to have his name struck off as he wasn’t working as a solicitor.
In 1900 USA census, he is in California, and married to Elizabeth. He gives his birth as Sept 1854, and he’s been married 20 years. Now you’d think a solicitor would know his birth date, surely. ???
By 1910 census, he is still with Elizabeth, but they’ve only been married 26 years. Even I know it should be 30 if the 1900 census is correct.
Elizabeth, his wife, says she was born in England.
In 1881 UK census, he is single.
He dies in California in 1916.
Can anyone find a marriage for him please.
The NSW site is down at the moment as well, sorry.
ElizabethHerts
27-09-20, 12:45
No help with his later life, but his Articles of Clerkship are available on Ancestry:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/2380/images/40180_626640_1350-00404?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=2cb3e392c99241e52e1c35c36c3f07f8&usePUB=true&_phsrc=BOW17197&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=44815
Thanks, I hadn’t seen that.
LAW EXAMINATION.—Mr. David Kirkby Farr, who served his articles with Messrs. Parr and Wade, of this town, has passed the final examination recently held at...
11 July 1879 - Monmouthshire Merlin - Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
kiterunner
27-09-20, 13:42
Have you seen this, Libby?
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/229744455?searchTerm=david%20farr
The Australian Star, 30 Dec 1887
THE CHARGE OF FORGERY AGAINST A SOLICITOR
At the Water Police Court this morning, David Kirby Farr, a solicitor, charged on remand with forging a deed of mortgage, was remanded for a week. The bench refused bail at the request of the police.
kiterunner
27-09-20, 13:49
Follow-up:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13673630?searchTerm=david%20farr
Sydney Morning Herald 21 Jan 1888:
David Kirby Farr, on remand, charged with forging a certain deed, to wit, a mortgage, with intent to defraud, was ordered to be discharged from custody, as the prosecutor declined to proceed in the case.
kiterunner
27-09-20, 13:52
There is a lot more here about his application to have his name removed from the roll:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13716074?searchTerm=david%20farr
kiterunner
27-09-20, 13:59
On the 1900 US census, Elizabeth is the mother of 1 child, who is not still living, but on the 1910 census she has never had any children.
This appears to show Mr and Mrs DK Farr. She has an age given of 32, he 36, in 1885.
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=ANZ%2FVCPL%2F101504728%2F00906&parentid=ANZ%2FVCPL%2F0807515
kiterunner
27-09-20, 14:14
The US censuses say he was naturalised as a US citizen. If we could find his naturalisation papers, they might give more details of his wife. But not all are online yet.
The US censuses say he was naturalised as a US citizen. If we could find his naturalisation papers, they might give more details of his wife. But not all are online yet.
Very frustrating. There are pieces of his naturalization on FamilySearch but very sketchy. I thought if I clicked forward I might find more pages of his papers, but it's a new person. Nothing about his wife that I can see.
David Kirkby Farr - FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?q.givenName=david%20kirkby&q.givenName.exact=on&q.surname=farr&q.surname.exact=on&count=20&offset=0&m.defaultFacets=on&m.queryRequireDefault=on&m.facetNestCollectionInCategory=on)
kiterunner
27-09-20, 14:39
Okay, his naturalisation papers are on FamilySearch:
Declaration of Intention 1892:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T3-BT5P?cc=2125028&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQGG3-TRFN
and acceptance of his application in 1896:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T3-Y9QX-7?cc=2125028&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQGG3-FC1Z
But not a form with his full details, including spouse, on, which I was hoping for.
Edit - snap, Janet!
According to the 1900 census, Elizabeth was not naturalised and had arrived in the US 10 years earlier, a year before David.
Interesting that she is shown as head, before the natural order is asserted.
Just to make life harder, do you suppose that M2 by Elizabeth's name indicates that she married David as a widow?
kiterunner
27-09-20, 15:16
I don't think a wife would normally fill in the naturalisation column, though, Phoenix, because they would normally be included in their husband's naturalisation.
Anyway, the 1900 census shows her arriving a year after David, not before.
kiterunner
27-09-20, 15:17
Just to make life harder, do you suppose that M2 by Elizabeth's name indicates that she married David as a widow?
Oh yes, well spotted. It would mean as a widow or a divorcee. But maybe they didn't actually marry at all because she was already married?
kiterunner
27-09-20, 15:22
Here is David listed as an "attorney at law" in the 1891 San Francisco city directory:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/2469/images/41199_1220706242_3985-00479?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=dNx64904&_phstart=successSource&pId=1388933453
Unfortunately not one of those which shows the spouse's name.
In many subsequent years you find them each listed separately with the same residential address. She is running a lodging house, as you see on the 1900 census if you scroll down. That's why she initially got listed as head, I guess.
EDIT:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/categories/37/?name=Elizabeth_Farr&event=_san+francisco-san+francisco-california-usa_69183&count=50&name_x=1_1&record_f=1900-1999_2599
The Elizabeth M. Farr at 928 Folsom is, I believe, the widow of William Farr. I think maybe those are other people entirely?
The 1906 earthquake must have knocked Elizabeth out of the business of lodging.
Thank you all. I do have most of that. Not all so thanks for the extras. It seems as though David and Elizabeth are living together, but apart sort of......lol
In a letter David writes to his sister in England just after the earthquake of 1906, he called himself Kirkby and mentions “ Bessie” quite bit. Presumed that was Elizabeth. But in one part of the letter it seems they are living apart, although on friendly terms.
Janet, you may be able to decipher the letter better than I can, and tell me I’m wrong.
I can find no official mention of a wife on any paperwork, except the two US census of 1900 and 1910 and as you can see they are different.
Also I suppose it’s possible for him to practice law in US after being struck off in Australia?
Just as an aside, his sister, Agnes Elizabeth, who marries John Wright is also in the US. She also seems to like to travel without her husband. Had one child in Australia and one in US, but John doesn’t seem to feature on a few of her shipping records. I must look for her on the census.
In his above mentioned letter, he is writing to his sister Theo. This is Theodosia Harriett Farr. Just for fun, she seems to have an aunt of the same name....lol
Also........the address he gives on the letter he writes is Jackson St, San Francisco. Of course that doesn’t exist now and is the backyard of theSprekels Mansion.
This lot are always doing devious things. My convicts are so much easier......lol
Now that I've typed that letter and taken it in properly, I see that the Jackson St. address is a place where the two of them (Kirkby and Bessie) stayed during the unfolding of the earthquake with its many aftershocks. They were taken in by a friend of a friend, so that address won't help I don't think. The city directories are potentially more useful.
This, however, is interesting. Did you have this, Libby?
28 November 1896 Mrs. D.K. Farr arrives NYC from Southampton en route to SF "intending protracted sojourn". She's in 2nd Cabin heavily laden with 6 pieces of luggage (all but 2 others on the page have 1 to 5 pieces; those other 2 are a valet and a physician).
Line 21:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/7488/images/NYM237_668-0860
Mrs. D K Farr 28/11/1896 1851 45 Female Southampton, England St Paul New York, New York, USA
This appears to show Mr and Mrs DK Farr. She has an age given of 32, he 36, in 1885.
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=ANZ%2FVCPL%2F101504728%2F00906&parentid=ANZ%2FVCPL%2F0807515
She is married, he is single.
kiterunner
30-09-20, 09:32
This isn't the same letter that I typed out for you a few years ago, is it, Libby?!
This isn't the same letter that I typed out for you a few years ago, is it, Libby?!
I apologise if it is Kate. I could not find it anywhere but had a feeling someone had done it before. I could not remember.
Since then, I’ve had sepsis and cancer and my memory is absolutely stupid.
I did search through here and my emails as I was sure it had been deciphered previously, but couldn’t find it.
I’ve been off my drugs for the past month and getting my brain back together. Unfortunately the oncologist wants me back on them next week so trying to consolidate my research prior to being stupid again.
She is married, he is single.
I do wonder if she is married and he is not. Unfortunately I have no idea of her maiden name or any other info on her.
I was just pointing out they were claiming different marital statuses. Also they were not recorded one after the other which is unusual for couples and families.
I was just pointing out they were claiming different marital statuses. Also they were not recorded one after the other which is unusual for couples and families.
I cannot find a marriage, and David came from Sydney to US. Also they say on 1900 census they are married 20 years. In 1910, it’s 26 years.
Also David puts a wrong date of birth on the census.
Given he is a lawyer I'd guess they aren't married. Maybe she was married and divorce wasn't a thing around the time they may have started their relationship so they just made up a date each census.
Given the Ariel blood they are not going to make things easy or they may have just burned down the church where they did marry lol
You aren’t wrong there Toni. lol
I looked everywhere I could think for a marriage, without success. Not knowing her maiden name, or former married name if such be the case, we're a little hamstrung.
I wonder if you all across the pond and down under can get into our Libary of Congress digitized newspapers. I found it a much better way of accessing the SF Chronicle and other American newspapers. Her name is all over the San Francisco "women's pages" in her capacities in various offices of the New Woman's Club.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1895-07-21/ed-1/seq-12/#date1=1789&index=0&rows=20&words=D+Farr+K&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=California&date2=1963&proxtext=%22D.+K.+Farr%22&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
I also found newspaper coverage of the sudden death of a young woman at a dinner who was traveling alone. Mrs. D. K. Farr was one of those involved in mobilizing her women's club to attend a service for her, and I'm not sure but what she traveled to England to straighten out the dead woman's affairs. Does this tie in with her return trip on 28 November 1896 from Southampton to NYC?
EDIT: I originally said this was an event in Australia. I was wrong. It's in 1896 in San Francisco.
I had a lot more but it must be on another computer. I will try to look tomorrow. Right now not feeling very good, which is why I dropped out of sight. Sorry!
I wonder if you all across the pond and down under can get into our Libary of Congress digitized newspapers. I found it a much better way of accessing the SF Chronicle and other American newspapers. Her name is all over the San Francisco "women's pages" in her capacities in various offices of the New Woman's Club.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1895-07-21/ed-1/seq-12/#date1=1789&index=0&rows=20&words=D+Farr+K&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=California&date2=1963&proxtext=%22D.+K.+Farr%22&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
I can access the paper you have linked. Libby might want to search further for her people.
I hope you feel better soon Janet. xx
Here is the 1896 clipping.
San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco, California
10 Jun 1896, Wed • Page 16
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60272127/mrs-dk-farr-present-at-the-funeral/
"One of Miss Worrall's fellow passengers, Mrs. Earnest Williams, and Mrs. D. K. Farr of the Daughters of St. George will start for England within a few days, and they will take to the relatives of the young woman there the cards that came with the floral offerings."
In 1894 he is still in Sydney, and practicing.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60272453/mr-dk-farr-representing-one-party-in/
The Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
08 Mar 1884, Sat • Page 9
In 1914 she is still making her mark in San Francisco. See paragraph following the subhead "Women to Give Blankets."
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60272940/
Mrs. D. K. Farr is among the Californians in NYC hotels on 30 November 1896, as reported in the SF Call the next day.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1896-12-01/ed-1/seq-6/#date1=1789&index=9&rows=20&words=D+Farr+K+Mrs&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1963&proxtext=Mrs.+D.+K.+Farr&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
Ah, here we are. I knew I had seen him somewhere. This is the SF Call of 14 February 1906, barely more than two months before the massive earthquake. See second-last column, under the headline "Wants More Rat Poison Spread."
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1906-02-14/ed-1/seq-16/#date1=1789&index=15&rows=20&words=D+Farr+K&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1963&proxtext=D.+K.+Farr&y=8&x=12&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
Janet.....you are brilliant. You’ll never believe this, or maybe you will.
As you know, D K Farr is from Lawrie’s Ariel side, and Archie Bell, who he was representing in that Australian article is one of mine......lol.
Oh that's funny, Libby. Yes, I would believe it!
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