| JESSE P. FARLEY, who died May 8,
1894, was President of the Farley & Loetscher Manufacturing
Company, and was long a prominent citizen of Dubuque. He was held in
the highest regard throughout the community and left to his family
the priceless heritage of an untarnished name. A native of
Tennessee, he was born April 2, 1813, and four years later was taken
by his parents to St. Louis. At the age of fourteen he started for
Galena, Ill., on the steamboat "Indiana," and when he had arrived at
his destination he began working in the mines as a smelter, being
thus employed until 1833. That year witnessed his arrival in
Dubuque. He sought and obtained employment in the grocery and
general store belonging to John Johnson, with whom he remained for
several years. The business career of Mr. Farley was one of
success. he started out in life with no capital save a pair of
willing hands and a young man's bright hope of the future. His
sterling worth and strict integrity soon won him the confidence and
esteem of all with whom he was brought in contact and he became one
of the leading merchants of the city. he first opened a grocery
store and his trade so rapidly increased that after a few years he
was at the head of the wholesale dry-goods firm of Farley, Norris &
Co. He also embarked in other enterprises as his financial resources
increased and was connected with many leading industries of the
city. He was a member of the wholesale grocery firm of Farley, James
& Co., and of Farley & Christman, wholesale dealers in hardware, and
Farley, Rouse & Co., dealers in heavy machinery. He established all
these enterprises a few years after locating in Dubuque and all
proved most profitable, so that Mr. Farley became one of the wealthy
citizens of the community.
In 1850 he established a line of steamboats between St. Paul and
St. Louis, and thereby Dubuque
became the most important city on the Mississippi between those
places. He was also prominently
connected with railroad interests, wishing to provide better
shipping facilities. In the financial panic of 1857 he lost much of
his property, but, undaunted, set to work to retrieve his lost
possessions. After being interested in railroads for a time he
returned to Dubuque and organized the mammoth sash and door
manufacturing concern of Farley, Loetscher & Co., of which he was
the heaviest stockholder and president until his death.
Mr. Farley was married in Galena in 1833 to Miss Mary P. Johnson,
daughter of his first partner in Dubuque. She died in 1844 leaving
four children, Charles W., John P., George W. and Francis A. In 1845
he wedded Mary L. Johnson a niece of his first wife, and their
children are Harry G., Edwin B., Jesse K., Fred H. and Warren C.
Mr. Farley was a public-spirited and progressive citizen and did
all in his power to advance the best interests of this community. On
several occasions he served as City Alderman and was also Mayor for
three terms, but he never sought political preferment, and desired
rather to give his entire time and attention to his business
interests and the enjoyment of the home circle. He was one of the
most faithful and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal
Church; he gave the lot on which the church was built and long
served as Trustee of the church.
His life was honorable and upright in every way and he did much
for the uplifting of humanity. He was a strong advocate of
temperance principles, and vice in every form was unknown to him.
The poor and needy found in him a benefactor, and those who worked
for him found him a just and honorable employer. To his friends he
was ever faithful and true, and to his family he was a loving and
tender husband and father. In his death Dubuque lost one of its best
citizens, for a noble life was thus ended. He became a Republican on
the organization of that party. |
Dubuque
County IAGenWeb