Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 24.djvu/372

 344 Stella M. Drumm and was the son of John Farnham and Susan Chapin. He was a typical frontiersman of the better class, ener- getic and resourceful, and was respected alike by his employers, comrades and opponents. A companionable and sociable fellow, and fond of playing jokes. He had joined the sea expedition of the Pacific Fur Company in the capacity of a clerk and sailed on the Tonquin. While in the Oregon country he had many thrilling adventures. He was one of a party who pursued and captured a number of deserters in November, 1811 ; was in the Indian fight at The Dalles, when Reed's tin box was stolen ; was the executioner of the Indian whom John Clarke ordered hanged for the theft of a gold goblet, June 1, 1813; assisted in building a post near Spokane. In 1812-1813, he wintered among the Flatheads, crossing the Rocky Mountains with this tribe to the headwaters of the Missouri. 12 Only one child was born to Russel Farnham and Ssan Bosseron, Charles Russel Farnham, who died when eighteen years old. Mrs. Farnham survived her husband only one year. In the treaty between the United States and the Sacs and Foxes made September 21, 1832, it was provided that, at the "earnest request" of the Indians, Farnham and Davenport should be paid $40,000.00 in satisfaction of their claims against the tribe for articles of necessity furnished them during the seven preceding years. Missouri Historical Society has a number of letters written by Farnham, one of them being in French. They indicate that he was a man of education and that he had a good knowledge of the French language. 12 Ross, Alex.— Adventures of First Settlers on the Oregon or Columbia River. Thwaites edition, vol. 7, p. 211.