John Taylor Farr 1859

Azuba’s gift to her husband on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 1859 was the birth of their son John Taylor Farr. He was born at home on their farm in Fulton County, Illinois near the small farming town of Ipava. John was the seventh child of Azuba and William Farr, a hard working farmer and his equally hard working wife. John was a toddler when the Civil War broke out, none of his siblings were old enough to fight in the conflict. He was raised on the farm learning to help the family by doing much needed chores like carrying firewood, feeding animals, carrying water to the house, repairing a fence or working in the garden. On March 8, 1888, John married Eva James, a girl he had know most of his life, she also grew up in Fulton County. He was 29 and she was 19. Initially, John continued farming in Fulton County, but later he and Eva moved to Waterloo, Iowa where John worked at the Waterloo, Cedar Falls & Northern Railway (WCF&N Railway) as a shop helper. His job was to maintain and repair the rail cars. The Railway had four baggage coaches and three deluxe parlor-buffet-observation cars. The interior of the cars were incredibly luxurious for an interurban rail line with ornamental brass railings, scalloped awnings draped from the roof overhangs, washrooms, hot water heaters, oak paneling, leather-upholstered wicker armchairs, and an illuminated “Cedar Valley Road” drumhead on the rear platform. (American-Rails.com)

During their married life John and Eva lived in Ipava, Lamoine Township, Macomb (McDonough County), Kirksville, Missouri and finally Waterloo, Iowa. John and Eva had nine children: Fred Harry Farr born 1889; Elza Farr born 1890; Luella Farr born 1892; Grace Farr born 1895; Glen Farr born 1897; Ray Farr born 1899; Myrtle Farr born 1901; Harold Farr born 1907 and Lester Farr born 1909. John Farr died on November 13, 1930 and was buried in Waterloo, Iowa. He was 71 years old.