James Farrington was born on December 6, 1798 in Boston, Massachusetts. He moved to Terre Haute in 1822 and made the town his permanent home.
Farrington was a very successful attorney. He was elected to the legislature in 1825 and had a reputation as an able and hard working legislator. After retiring from law in 1834, Farrington began working in banking and eventually became president of the State Bank of Indiana, later to be known as Terre Haute First National Bank. Farrington was also a leader in the founding of the Indiana public school system. In 1862, he was appointed by President Lincoln as an assessor of the Seventh U. S. Internal Revenue District. Farrington served in this position until a few days before his death.
Farrington owned a large farm in Terre Haute in what is now known as the Farrington's Grove Historical District. James Farrington died in his family home in 1870 at the age of 72.
Researched by Itoro, February 1999