Contant / Farnsworth Family Photos

Wayne County, NY

This is an albumen print cabinet card of a young woman who appears to be in her mid-teens, taken in the mid-1890s by R. A. Hammond, Marion, N.Y. On back side in pencil is written "Grandma Farnsworth." In pen it says "Elizabeth P. Farnsworth. Harvey's wife. My grand mother. E. Nephew."

Here's a ca. 1900-1910 photo taken by photographer Mrs. C. Conklin of Newark, N.Y. A pencil notation lightly erased on back says "Mrs. H. E. Farnsworth. Newark N.Y." and below that in pencil (in another hand and almost completely erased) you can just make out "Grandma P--chett/P--chell." On top of the "Grandma" i.d. the same individual who titled the other photos in pen wrote "Mrs. Harvey Farnsworth (Elizabeth)." By no stretch of the imagination is this the same woman as i.d.'d in the first photo as being Harvey Farnsworth's wife Elizabeth.

This is a ca 1910 "real photo" postcard taken as a "Souvenir, Ontario Beach Park," and is i.d.'d in pen by the same person as "Pearl Contant Farnsworth and mother, Mrs. J. P. Contant." I've made a clearer and sharper version of this below.

In the 1910 U.S. Census of Williamson, NY, Pearl L. Contant, age 9, resides with John P. Contant (age 32, farmer), his wife Sarah M. (age 32, married 10 years, 2 children, 2 living), brother Ellis J. (age 1 11/12) and William Ketchum (age 18).

In the 1910 U.S. Census of Marion, NY, Harvey Farnsworth (age 37, farmer, general farm) resides with wife Elizabeth (age 31, b. England, married 12 years, 2 children, 1 living), and their son Clifford (age 12). In the 1920 census, this couple is listed in Williamson - Harvey E. Farnsworth (age 46, retail merchant, furniture), and wife Elizabeth (age 41, b. England, emigrated 1883, naturalized 1900).

The individual who i.d.'d all the photos in pen was "E. Nephew." I see residing in the 1930 census of Sodus, a Benjamin Nephew (age 52, farm laborer), wife Nora E., and children Thomas B. and Ruth E., as well as two young Nephew surname families residing in Newark and Town of Arcadia. One of these families is likely related to whoever wrote the i.d.'s on the back of these photos.

There are researchers interested in the Contant and Farnsworth families who visit this site, who may be able to help to accurately identify the women in these photos. We'd love to hear from you, to post on this page more accurate identification and how these folks are related to each other. p.s. I have NO recollection of the circumstances of where or when I bought these, but they were bought together.

NEW 5/5/09

Dear Allyn,

Perusing the Wayne County Historical page, I happened across the photos of Elizabeth Patchett Farnsworth and Pearl Contant as young woman/child. I would like to add a bit of history to your file - as I can recall.

Elizabeth Farnsworth was my great aunt on my mother's side. She married Harvey Farnsworth in 1897; he operated a general merchandise store on Water Street ( now N. Main St.) in Newark, NY. Shortly after 1900, the family moved to Marion taking over the family farm from his parents. About 1913, Harvey and his brother-in-law Albert Young acquired the Berzine Furniture and Undertaker business on Main Street in Williamson. In 1916, Harvey became owner of the Williamson store and Albert opened his own business still know today as the Young Funeral Home.

Elizabeth and Harvey had only one child, son Clifford born in 1898. Elizabeth died unexpectedly in October 1920.

Clifford married Pearl Contant, daughter of John and Sarah Contant of Williamson about 1923. They had two daughters Elizabeth born in 1925 and Joan born in 1931. Joan did not marry, so I am assuming that Elizabeth married into the Nephew family of Sodus. I have not followed any history about this family.

Thank you for providing this addition to the family history. I really appreciate all of the volunteer work being done to preserve the history of Wayne County. Much of my work to date has been to gather and document all of our family history (maternal and paternal) and their many years spent in Wayne County. I am now gathering information on the Marion veterans who served in the Civil War.

Best Regards,

Frederick Allen

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