The 1891 Holyoke City Directory reports that WMF had removed to Memphis, TN. I think means he bought train tickets to Memphis in late 1890 and the chap who prepared the Directory learned of it, or that this was an accommodation or shipping address only. The Farrows may have stayed in Memphis for a few days, but I don’t think they lived there. In Nov., 1890, WMF wrote to A.C. Gould, editor of Shooting and Fishing, that the Farrow Arms Co. was incorporated in TN, and that he had a brick factory building in Mason, TN. Was the Farrow Arms Company ever incorporated in TN? Could someone familiar with TN records please tell us? Chamberlain’s article reproduced a Farrow Arms Company letterhead giving Mason, TN as an address, implying that WMF was a captain of industry, but my guess is that Mason (pop. then about 260, 70 % Negro, principal crop was cotton) sent Abbie into orbit. Her principal interests were her children (Emily, age 15; Louise, age 13; and WMF, Jr., age 8), their educations; good educations for all 3 kids, and music for Abbie and especially for Louise. If Abbie’s complaints weren’t enough, there was Jerusha, a casehardened Yankee woman from downeast Maine who had sons, step-sons, and sons-in law in the Union forces, some of whom never came home and others who came home crippled. I venture a guess that WMF’s home life was not much fun. And WMF’s family was always the most important part of his life. A change was coming. Some of Farrow’s surviving letters refer to a factory, but I think it was all sales hype. While on Farrow letters, I’ll suggest something else. WMF never won any awards for penmanship and I think it gets worse with stress. If some of his letters are quite legible, did Abbie write them? I don’t think any Farrow rifles were produced in TN. WMF’s next shop was in Morgantown, West Virginia. I think he moved his family there in September, 1891 (just in time for school) and stayed until 1896 or 1897. Morgantown had everything that Abbie wanted; clean air, water power instead of coal, decent schools (at least for those who could pay for them), and a recognized music program. Farrow operated in Morgantown for about 6 years. I think all the Fourth Model (long action) Farrows were made there.
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