County of Christian, Kentucky.  Historical and Biographical.  Edited by 
William Henry Perrin.  F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1884, pp. 363-366.

ROBERT M. FARLEIGH, M. D., was born in Brandenburg, Meade Co., Ky., 
January 17, 1840; his father, William Farleigh, was Clerk of the Circuit 
and County Courts of that county for thirty-five years, nearly up to the 
time of death in 1865, an old-fashioned gentleman of great personal 
popularity and a most efficient and faithful public officer.  His 
mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Enlow, a woman of sterling 
sense and great strength of character, was his tutor until he entered 
Brandenburg Academy under the direction of Prof. D. C. Cully; he studied 
medicine with Dr. H. K. Pusey at Garnettsville, Ky., and graduated in 
his profession at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in the 
eventful year 1860; he practiced medicine at Brandenburg until the 
autumn of 1861.  The State shook with the fierce throes of civil 
discord, and the heart of the youthful physician going forth in all its 
ardor to the old flag he was apointed Assistant Surgeon in the United 
States Army, and assigned to duty with the gallant Col. James S. 
Jackson's Third Kentucky Cavalry.  In June following he was promoted to 
the rank of Surgeon, and soon after took charge of the medical 
department of the brigade commanded by the boy General, Eli H. Murray, 
at the present time Governor of Utah Territory.  This position he held 
with signal ability until the termination of the hostilities, when he 
was appointed Medical Director of the Western Department of Kentucky, 
with headquarters at Bowling Green.  Although only in his twenty-sixth 
year, so closely had he studied his profession, so diligently had he 
discharged his official duties, and so humanely and generously had he 
exercised his authority that he was so widely popular with both parties, 
with civilians as well as with the military, that few surgeons of 
greater age and experience were so highly esteemed; he was no carpet 
knight, but toiled incessantly and most successfully, displaying rare 
talents as an executive officer. An ardent and uncompromising Unionist, 
the sunshine of his nature was never over-shadowed by the spirit of 
vengeance; and to the extent of his power to every needy foe he was the 
good physician, the generous friend, acting faithfully with the motto 
inscribed on the sword presented to Zachary Taylor: "Bis vincit qui se 
vincit in victoria" - "twice does he conquer who conquers himself in the 
hour of victory."  While stationed at Bowling Green he married, May 17, 
1865, Miss Anna Slaughter, a lady noted for her graces of mind and 
person, the daughter of W. H. Slaughter, of Larue County.  In July, 
1865, he left the service, and early in the fall of that year removed to 
Hopkinsville, where he has labored ever since in his profession with 
eminent success, winning "golden opinions from all sorts of people," and 
giving his influence zealously at all times to improve and elevate the 
noble calling to which he has devoted his life.  Nowhere are his talents 
more heartily recognized than among his professional brethren.  Although 
devoted to the practice of his profession, Dr. Farleigh takes a lively 
interest in the discussion of all the various social questions which 
necessarily arise in all intelligent comunities.  In the great Masonic 
order he is a bright and shining light.  He was initiated into the 
Entered Apprentice degree in Hopkinsville Lodge, No. 37, in 1865; he 
became Junior Warden in 1866, and was chosen Master from 1867 to 1872.  
In 1872 he was appointed Grand Junior Deacon of the Grand Lodge of 
Kentucky; in 1873, Grand Marshal [sic], in 1874 he was elected Grand 
Junior Warden of the Grand Lodge; in 1875, Grand Senior Warden; in 1876, 
Deputy Grand Master, and in 1877, Royal Arch Masons, and Eminent 
Commander of Moore Commandery, No. 6, Knights Templar, in 1881.  During 
his services as Grand Master in 1877-78 the Grand Lodge was disturbed by 
the great debt question of the Widows' and Orphans' Home, and it was 
largely owing to his indefatigable labors, tact and energy, that the 
controversy was creditably and satisfactorily settled.  His views on 
various Masonic questions, officially set forth, are quoted approvingly 
in the lodges of the country, as their author is recognized as a 
positive philanthropist, who desires that his order shall be a powerful 
motive in the elevation of society. In 1883 he was elected Grand High 
Priest of Royal Arch Masons in Kentucky, and at this writing he is their 
presiding officer.  From 1869 to 1870 Dr. Farleigh was an active member 
of the Board of Councilmen of the city of Hopkinsville, and its Chairman 
for three years.  In that capacity he advocated the purchase of and 
embellishment by a skillful landscape engineer the beautiful addition to 
the city cemetery and the appointment of a civil engineer to prepare a 
good map of the city; both measures are of great advantage, and have met 
with general approval.  The most important question which was agitated 
soon after his retirement from the Board of Councilmen, and which has 
since given a powerful impulse to the progress and prosperity of 
Hopkinsville, was the establshment of the public graded schools.  Of 
this great work Dr. Farleigh was among the originators and chief 
promoters.  He put all his energies into the hotly-contested struggle, 
for many excellent citizens, unfamiliar with the practical workings of 
the system, believed that the agitation of the subject was ill-timed and 
injudicious, and that the expense involved in the adoption of the 
measure would seriously embarrass the municipal finances.  During this 
discussion he worked untiringly with tongue and pen, fully assured of 
the merits of the proposed system, and seeking to persuade his fellow-
citizens that public schools were the "one thing needful" for the 
beloved city of his adoption; and that even the success of the colleges 
already established there was to a large degree dependent upon providing 
free primary education for the masses, from whose ranks a large 
proportion of their pupils must be recruited.  The measure was carried, 
a commodious and handsome building erected and well furnished, and an 
efficient Principal and corps of teachers provided, and the public 
schools of Hopkinsville, now in their fourth year, with 632 pupils, rank 
with the most efficient in the country.  They have contributed largely 
to the remarkable growth of Hopkinsville since their inception.  It will 
be a red letter day for the State when every county-seat and every 
community shall emulate the admirable public school system of 
Hopkinsville, established by the labors of Dr. Farleigh and his 
coadjutors.  Experience has proved that far from being a burden they 
invite a thrifty and intelligent population, add largely to the 
municipal revenues, and even pave the way for the introduction of 
extensive manufacturing establishments as in the neighboring city of 
Henderson.  No one wields a larger influence than a professional man, 
who, possessing acknowledged merit in his special sphere, is also a 
citizen at once liberal and positive, courteous and firm, charitable, 
but outspoken on all questions which in his judgment concern the welfare 
of humanity.  Such a man never stops to ask whether his opposition to or 
advocacy of a particular measure will lose him a client, a patient or a 
parishoner.  He prefers to do his duty and risk the consequences.  It is 
probably that fortune, who favors the bold, is quite as propitious to 
courageous spirits eventually as to the over-cautious, who seal their 
lips for fear of offending old friends.  Nothing is sadder than to see a 
professional man imprisoned in the iron cage of his speciality, 
separated by choice from all participation in the social struggles in 
which his fellows are involved; like the French physician who, after 
devoting his life to his speciality, plaintively asked his friends to 
write on his tomb:  "born a man; died a physician."  How much better, a 
man as well as a physician.  Such a specialist is not Dr. Farleigh, who, 
still in the prime of robust manhood and in the sunshine of a successful 
practice, throws his whole soul actively into every contest in which is 
involved the welfare of his fellow-citizens.  There are five living 
children in the family, seniority in age as named:  Margaret Farleigh, 
Thomas B. Farleigh, Jr., Fanny Slaughter Farleigh, Letticia Wilson 
Farleigh and Robert M. Farleigh, Jr.  Two children have died, both young 
- Anna and Cornelia Wallace.  A portrait of Dr. Farleigh will be found 
on another page.

Farleigh Enlow Cully Pusey Jackson Murray Taylor Slaughter Moore
=
Brandenburg-Meade-KY PA Bowling_Green-Warren-KY Larue-KY

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/christian/farleigh.rm.txt