Robert Farquharson, was born on Sept. 14, 1814 to William and Martha Farquharson, in Banff, Scotland. In 1827, when he was still a boy, his family immigrated to Davidson County, TN and then to Fayetteville three years later, where he resided until his death.
His first employment was as Merchant’s Clerk in the House of William Akin and Co., after which he became a merchant for several years. He was baptized in October 1838 at the first Presbyterian church in Fayetteville.
He was successively elected Major, Colonel, and Major General in the TN State Militia, a position in which he conducted my duties with great pride. He served several terms in both the State House and Senate, representing Lincoln, Giles, and Franklin Counties, and successfully advocated for the extension of the railroad into Fayetteville. In 1846, He served for 12 months in the Mexican War leading the 1st and 2nd Tennessee, rising to the rank of Major before he was severely wounded at Cerro Gordo and sent home the following year to recover from both wounds and disease. In 1852 while serving in the Tennessee state legislature his colleagues voted to give me a presentation sword for his service during the war with Mexico.
He was elected Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court of Fayetteville. Robert was among a group of about fifty "49ers" from Lincoln County who went to California during the gold rush days. They left by wagon to Memphis, took the steamer Pontiac as far as Fort Smith, Arkansas where one of the party, J.E. Clark, died of the Cholera. They made their way through New Mexico and reached Hangtown, CA nine months later. They wintered near Placeville, CA in 1951-52.
After returning to Fayetteville, President Pierce appointed him Secretary of the Washington Territory, although he declined the position. In June of 1858 he was elected Treasurer of the I. O. G. T., the Independent Order of Good Templars who was part of the temperance movement; he married Sarah Adeline Burke in September of 1858, we had three children. We lived in a brick house on Elk Avenue. Sadly, the house was torn down sometime later to make room for the Pope Hotel and then a physician’s office. In April of 1859 he was Chairman of the River Bridge construction which was to become the famous Stone Bridge.
In 1861, he enlisted as a private in the 41st TN Infantry and rose to the rank of Colonel. Unfortunately, the majority of the company, himself included, were captured at Fort Donelson and sent to the northern prison camps at Johnson’s Island and Camp Morton. He was Colonel with Co. C 41st Tennessee Regiment and later being promoted to the rank of general. The 41st was also known as the "Old Bloody Forty-One." and as the "Wild Hog Company" as fifty one percent of the company was killed in their first battle. Less than a year later, we were exchanged and reorganized. In 1864, he served as Colonel of the Invalid Corps until the end of the war. While he was away during the war, Union General Sherman used his house at his headquarters while occupying Fayetteville. Upon my return to Fayetteville, he resumed my position as Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court and served as an alderman and mayor of Fayetteville, Justice of the Peace, and Chairman of the County Court.
He passed away on September 26, 1869 at the age of 55, his youngest son James Charles died two months later of the whooping cough. His middle son Frank died two years later of the Scarlet fever while staying in Alabama with Roberts’s widow. His oldest son Robert Jr. died of typhoid at 31 years of age in 1891 while visiting New York on a business trip. For a time his son Frank’s and his remains resided in a tomb prepared and cared for by fellow Masons and were moved here to Rose Hill in 1871. His wife Adeline died in 1923 at the age of 89.
His first employment was as Merchant’s Clerk in the House of William Akin and Co., after which he became a merchant for several years. He was baptized in October 1838 at the first Presbyterian church in Fayetteville.
He was successively elected Major, Colonel, and Major General in the TN State Militia, a position in which he conducted my duties with great pride. He served several terms in both the State House and Senate, representing Lincoln, Giles, and Franklin Counties, and successfully advocated for the extension of the railroad into Fayetteville. In 1846, He served for 12 months in the Mexican War leading the 1st and 2nd Tennessee, rising to the rank of Major before he was severely wounded at Cerro Gordo and sent home the following year to recover from both wounds and disease. In 1852 while serving in the Tennessee state legislature his colleagues voted to give me a presentation sword for his service during the war with Mexico.
He was elected Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court of Fayetteville. Robert was among a group of about fifty "49ers" from Lincoln County who went to California during the gold rush days. They left by wagon to Memphis, took the steamer Pontiac as far as Fort Smith, Arkansas where one of the party, J.E. Clark, died of the Cholera. They made their way through New Mexico and reached Hangtown, CA nine months later. They wintered near Placeville, CA in 1951-52.
After returning to Fayetteville, President Pierce appointed him Secretary of the Washington Territory, although he declined the position. In June of 1858 he was elected Treasurer of the I. O. G. T., the Independent Order of Good Templars who was part of the temperance movement; he married Sarah Adeline Burke in September of 1858, we had three children. We lived in a brick house on Elk Avenue. Sadly, the house was torn down sometime later to make room for the Pope Hotel and then a physician’s office. In April of 1859 he was Chairman of the River Bridge construction which was to become the famous Stone Bridge.
In 1861, he enlisted as a private in the 41st TN Infantry and rose to the rank of Colonel. Unfortunately, the majority of the company, himself included, were captured at Fort Donelson and sent to the northern prison camps at Johnson’s Island and Camp Morton. He was Colonel with Co. C 41st Tennessee Regiment and later being promoted to the rank of general. The 41st was also known as the "Old Bloody Forty-One." and as the "Wild Hog Company" as fifty one percent of the company was killed in their first battle. Less than a year later, we were exchanged and reorganized. In 1864, he served as Colonel of the Invalid Corps until the end of the war. While he was away during the war, Union General Sherman used his house at his headquarters while occupying Fayetteville. Upon my return to Fayetteville, he resumed my position as Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court and served as an alderman and mayor of Fayetteville, Justice of the Peace, and Chairman of the County Court.
He passed away on September 26, 1869 at the age of 55, his youngest son James Charles died two months later of the whooping cough. His middle son Frank died two years later of the Scarlet fever while staying in Alabama with Roberts’s widow. His oldest son Robert Jr. died of typhoid at 31 years of age in 1891 while visiting New York on a business trip. For a time his son Frank’s and his remains resided in a tomb prepared and cared for by fellow Masons and were moved here to Rose Hill in 1871. His wife Adeline died in 1923 at the age of 89.