Farquar, Mary Irene Clark (1858-1941)(1 of 5)
/George Ross’ Portrait Photograph of Mary Irene Clark Farquar
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
GEORGE COLVAINE ROSS was born February 12, 1832 in Edinburgh, Scotland and died in 1893 at the age of 60 in Petaluma, California. Unlike the other nineteenth century Petaluma photographers, Ross lived and worked in Petaluma for many years. He arrived in Petaluma in 1855, and in 1862 he began his profession as a photographer, moving his studio within the city several times as noted on his various carte de visite and cabinet card imprints. In 1869 he was also part of a short-lived photographic studio partnership with Elon D. Ormsby on Main Street in Petaluma. It was reported that Ross stopped working as a photographer soon after he developed a disability in 1888. Ross was among the most prolific Petaluma portrait photographers, and his work was of exceptionally high quality. Ross was buried in Petaluma’s Cypress Hill Memorial Park. (For additional information on this photographer and to view all portraits by him in the collection, click on his name in blue above.)
THE SITTER:
Name: Mary Irene Clark Farquar
Description: Mary Irene Clark Farquar is fashionably dressed in this head-and-shoulders portrait. She wears a dark, satin jacket with shiny, metal, front buttons, and around her neck is a white scarf made of many layers of tassels. She wears large pendant earrings, and a bar pin appears directly below her chin. Her dark hair is center-parted and has been carefully crimped to create distinct waves which frame both sides of her face.
Biographical Note: Mary Irene Clark Farquar was born in Petaluma on the “Clark Ranch” owned by her pioneer parents. She was raised in Petaluma and then attended Mills Seminary (later known as Mills College) between 1874 and 1875. After the death of her first husband in 1908, Mary purchased a ranch in Sonoma Valley at Madrone Station where she lived with her widowed mother, Rachael Jane Murray Clark. In 1919, Mary married an Oakland real estate investor, L. M. Channel. According to their marriage announcement, they planned to live on Mary’s ranch. It appears Mary was never referred to as “Mrs. Channel”. Even after her second marriage, she continued to be referred to as “Mrs. Farquar” or “Mrs. Farquar Sr.” Even her funeral announcement and obituary refer to her as Mrs. Farquar. She was buried in the Farquar family plot in Petaluma’s Cypress Hill Memorial Park. As it seems she never acknowledged the name “Channel”, this archive has filed her portraits under her last acknowledged name, Farquar.
Family Affiliation: Mary Irene Clark Farquar was a member of an early Petaluma pioneer family. Her father, Almer Clark (1829-1899), came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and her mother, Rachael Jane Murray Clark (1838 - 1930), a native of Missouri, crossed the plains with her parents in 1848 or 1852. Almer and Rachael established the “Clark Ranch” on Petaluma Hill Road which served as a “Half-Way” house for the stage coaches traveling between Sacramento and Willits. In 1876, Mary married Calvin Stuart Farquar (1848-1908). Together they had five children: Frederick Stuart Farquar (1879-1962), Ben Harold Farquar (1881-1965), Thomas Allen Farquar (1891-1956), Helen Farquar (b. & d. dates to be determined) and Marion Irene Farquar (b. & d. dates to be determined). There are many additional portraits of Farquar family members in this archive.
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: cabinet card
Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: George Ross’ imprint appears in an especially elegant font along the bottom edge.
Description, back: The back of this cabinet card is blank or contains only an accession number.
Date: It is quite probable that this portrait was taken in the fall of 1880. A baby portrait of Mary’s son, Frederick Stuart Farquar (1879-1962), also by George Ross is in this archive, and on its back side is written, “Fred. S. Farquar 10 months”, and “Born 12/23/1879 Died 11/30/1962”. It is logical to conclude that the mother took her baby to Ross’ studio and had both their portraits taken. Additionally, both portraits have the same elegant, George Ross imprint upon the front bottom edge.
Condition: This cabinet card is soiled especially along its edges.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1978-80-44-p17-p33, Farquar Family Album
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