THE REGISTER
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1923
HENRY VANBUSKIRK FARNSWORTH
On the 6th inst., there passed away at 190 Church Street, Weston, Ont., Mr. Henry V. B. Farnsworth, a well-known and highly respected resident of Aylesford.
Mr. Farnsworth was born on May 8th, 1840, at the foot of the North Mountain in what is usually known as the Back Road, and was the so of the late Thomas and Lydia Farnsworth. At that time Mr. Thomas Farnsworth carried on the business of tanning leather, making boots, and keeping a store, in addition to farming.
As a child, Henry was small and delicate (although the family were usually large men and women), but the healthy surroundings enabled him later to develop into a hardy youth. As a boy he attended various schools among which was the then celebrated Hugh Kerr’s school at Greenwood, and under Mr. Kerr’s teaching he studied mensuration, land-surveying, navigation, geometry, algebra, and book-keeping. Later he attended the Collegiate School at Windsor, where he included among his other studies that of Latin and French.
In January, 1868, Mr. Farnsworth married Miss Mary Caroline Patterson, daughter of Mr. William Patterson of Aylesford, by whom he had a son and a daughter. The daughter, who is now Mrs. H. M. Hilchie, of Weston, Ontario, still survives, and it was while staying with her that the final call came.
For practically all his life, Mr. Farnsworth was connected with St. Mary’s Church, holding at various times the offices of Sunday School teacher, Warden, Vestry Clerk and Synod Representative. At the time of his death he was Warden and Vestry Clerk. In the early summer of 1858, he was confirmed in St. Mary’s Church by the late Bishop Binney, and continued to take a great interest in Church work right up to the last.
During the past winter, at the request of the present rector of St. Mary’s, Mr. Farnsworth spent considerable amount of his time in writing his recollections of Aylesford and district during the last 75 years. He mailed the last of these manuscripts on May 5th, the day before he passed away.
The funeral took place at St. Mary’s Church, Aylesford, on May 10th, when a number of his friends and acquaintances met to pay their last token of respect. The body arrived by the D. A. R. in the afternoon, and was accompanied by Major H. M. Hilchie, Mr. Farnsworth’s son-in-law. The service was conducted by the Rev. W. J. Bridgman, who preached from the words: "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God" (Heb. 4:9). – Com.