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ARQUHAR, NORMAN VON HELDREICH. Admiral Farquhar, of the United States navy, is a native of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he was born on the eleventh of April, 1840. His father, George W. Farquhar, a lawyer of that community, was a man esteemed by his fellow citizens, while his mother, Amelie (von Schrader) Farquhar, who came from German ancestry of distinction, was of a character that exerted a strongly beneficial influence on her son's moral and intellectual life. Young Farquhar received such education as the public and private schools of Pottsville could afford. A strong youthful inclination controlled the course of his later education and of his career. This was an ardent boyish thirst for a sea life, which was gratified by his admission to the United States naval academy at Annapolis and a subsequent career in the navy.

Graduating in 1859, he was made a midshipman on the squadron sent to the coast of Africa for the suppression of the slave trade. This service continued till 1861; and in its later period he acted as master on the Mystic and on the Sumter. His experiences of this service closed with a voyage home, while a boy not yet twenty-one, in command of the captured slaver Triton, with a crew of ten sailors and no other officer. The voyage was made successfully; and on reaching home he found the country at war and was at once commissioned lieutenant and assigned to the Atlantic blockading squadron. He saw his full share of service in the Civil war, as lieutenant on the Mystic and the Mahoska in 1862-63; on the Rhode Island in the West India squadron, 1863-64; and on the Santiago de Cuba in the North Atlantic squadron, 1864-65; his service including participation in both naval attacks on Fort Fisher. Shortly after the close of the war he was commissioned lieutenant commander, and was promoted to the full rank of commander on December 12, 1872.

During his early period of service, on April 26, 1862, Lieutenant Farquhar married Miss Addie Whelan Pope. Of their four children three now survive.