Farquar, Ben Harold (1881-1965)(2 of 2)
/Henry Kemp Van Ee’s Portrait Photograph of
Ben, Thomas, and Frederick Farquar
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
Photographer: Henry Kemp Van Ee (1853-1934)
Studio Location: 410 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa, California
THE SITTERS:
Names: Ben Harold Farquar (standing on viewer’s left), Thomas Allen Farquar (seated center), Frederick Stuart Farquar (standing on viewer’s right)
Description: This is a cabinet card portrait of three Farquar brothers: Ben age 13, Thomas age 3, and Frederick age 15 . The two older boys are formally dressed in matching double-breasted jackets, white shirts, and dark, wide, bowties. The toddler wears a front-buttoned plaid dress with matching jacket. He wears a large neck bow and leather boots.
Biographical Note: Ben Harold Farquar was raised in Petaluma and served in the Spanish-American war in Company C. He worked as a building contractor in San Francisco and was buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno.
Family Affiliation: These three boys were the sons of Petaluma pioneers, Mary Irene Clark Farquar (1858-1941), and Calvin Stuart Farquar (1848-1908). Ben married Elaine Wever of Woodland, California in 1906. In July of 1933, he married poetess Agnes Stephens (1888-1976) of Petaluma. Ben was buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California, and Agnes was buried beside Vivian Cullen Noonan (1902-1982) in Petaluma’s Calvary Catholic Cemetery. There are many additional portraits of Farquar family members in this archive. Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: cabinet card
Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: In this group portrait, the two older brothers, Ben and Frederick, stand at either side of their younger brother, Thomas, who sits between them on a cloth-covered studio prop. To the right of the composition can be seen a backdrop depicting a window and curtain. The edges of this card have been pinked. The photographer’s imprint appears along the bottom.
Description, back: On the top left edge of the card is handwritten in cursive in pencil, “Jan 15 1895”; below that are two arithmetical equations. On the center left is written in list form Fred, Ben, Tom. This list is bracketed and to the right of the bracket is written Farquar.
Date: January 15, 1895
Condition: This cabinet card has faded significantly, and is soiled throughout on both sides.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1978-80-44-p1-p2
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