Farnham's General Store

 

The year was 1892 and two brothers, Charles and William L. Farnham, lived north of Iberia out near the old Rabbithead School. They decided to move to Iberia and start a general store and mercantile business. The father and mother of the Farnham brothers were David Farnham, born in 1826 in Canaan, Maine and Henrietta (Goebel) Farnham, born in 1831 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. David and Henrietta came to Miller County after the Civil War from Williamsport, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. Other Pennsylvanians also came to Missouri during the same time era including the Hedges, Newharts, Clarks, Hess’, Heltzells, Johnstons, Irwins, Tallmans, Bennages, Groffs, Moores, and Browns. All remained except the John Hess family who returned to their eastern home.

When the Farnham brothers moved to Iberia, they acquired the land where the store was erected. On this land, in 1882, stood a small house where Will Farnham and his bride, Sarah (Heltzell), lived for a few years. In 1900, he built the family home on Lombar Avenue at the corner of Normal Street. George Farnham, another brother to Will and Charles, built his family home next to Will and Sarah. One of the homes still exist today but the other was torn down when purchased by the Bank of Iberia. The two homes were directly south of the old Lombar mansion which was replaced a few years ago by the Bank of Iberia building.

 

In 1892, when the Farnham Store was ready to be opened to the public, William and Charles went to St. Louis on St. Patrick’s Day and bought all the opening stock to outfit their new general store. The stock arrived from St. Louis , freighted by wagon, a few weeks later and their doors were opened for business in the spring of 1892. Bill Farnham told me, before his death, that his father, Will, and his uncle Charley could remember being in St. Louis on St. Patrick’s Day 1892 because they observed the large parade by the Irish community of the city and were so impressed by the grandeur of the parade. They ​were, afterall, small town country folk who were not accustomed to seeing such grand sights in Iberia. 

 

The store continued on for many decades and passed on into a new generation. When I was a young girl growing up in Iberia , the store was operated by a grandson of David and Henrietta Farnham, the pioneer Pennsylvanians. He also owned and operated a lumber yard to the southwest of the store for many years..

The site of the old Farnham Store and Lumberyard is a historic spot which reaches back further in Miller County ’s history. During the Civil War, a fort was built on this piece of land by the citizenry of Iberia for protection from the renegade forces that ran rampant through the Big Piney Richwoods. It was used as a command post for the militia organized under the leadership of Captain William Long. Other buildings surrounding the fort in the war years of the 1860s included a blacksmith shop, a freighting company, general store and a saloon.

 

So you see, every building and the land it sat upon, had some form of history which can be told after the years have melted away. Farnham’s Store was one of those that had a marvelous story to be told….it touched on the history of the land, its people, and the generations of our past. There are very few old buildings left standing in Iberia today and each of them have their own interesting and unique history….I have felt over the years that it has been my job to research and write their stories…….I am indeed one of the more fortunate people of the world who have had the time and opportunity to accomplish something that I love so dearly. AND to learn that I still have so much to learn ! ! !

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