History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulski, Phelps and Dent Counties Missouri.
Published 1889 by Goodspeed Publishing Company

Joshua Farmer, of Camden County, MO, was born in Montgomery County, VA, April 13, 1839, and is a son of
John and Christina ( Bishop ) Farmer, who were born in Virginia and there made their home for many years. They
immigrated with Joshua’s paternal grandfather, Joseph, to Missouri in 1839. Although originally locating in Cole
County, Joseph Farmer died in Miller County. They experienced many dangers and privations in their trip westward
and had considerable difficulty in crossing the mountains which were, at the time, infested by numerous gangs of cut
throats and robbers but were piloted safely through by a man named John Gausley who did not know the meaning of
fear. John Farmer, the father of Joshua Farmer, entered a tract of land in Cole County, ten miles south of Jefferson
City and here resided until 1851, when he moved to Fremont County, Iowa and then at the end of four years to
Andrew County MO. He finally located on the Osage River near Lynn Creek where he purchased a farm and
remained until the war broke out, at which time he moved north. At the close of hostilities, he returned to Missouri and
died at Lynn Creek in 1878. His wife died in 1873. Two of their nine children are living: Joshua and Joseph M. The
former was an infant when brought to Missouri and resided in Cole County until seventeen years of age. In 1861,
Joshua enlisted in the Osage County MO Home Guard Company "B" but at the end of six months, the Company was
disbanded and he enlisted in the 9th Missouri State Militia Cavalry Co. "K". From July 13th.1863, to July 13th. 1865,
he served with this Company and fought "bushwhackers" in northern Missouri. In 1869, he purchased his present farm
on the Osage River, consisting of three hundred acres and is now considered one of the prosperous farmers and stock
men of the county. In 1859 he wed Zeruviah A. Roberts who died in 1869, having borne four children, all deceased:
Mary Francis, Joseph William and two infants. In 1869, he married his second wife, Fannie L. Edwards, who borne
three children: Margaret Jane, James Edward and William E., Fannie L. Farmer died in 1874. He married his third
wife Aurora I. Edwards in 1874, who borne five children: John Wiley, America Elizabeth, William G., Elzie Matthew,
Ida B. and Rose Edna. Mr. & Mrs. Farmer are members of the Christian Church and he belongs to the I.O.O.F.
 

Military Disability Pension Record:
Deposition excerpt: Case of: Joshua Farmer On this 10th day of December, 1884 at Cape Galena, County of Morgan,
State of Missouri, before me: D.S. Mc Intyre, a Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared: Samual S.
Goans, who being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this Special
Examination of aforesaid claim, deposes and says: My age is 43 years, my Post Office is Rocky Mount, Miller County
Missouri, I am a farmer. Ques.: How long have you known the claimant? Ans.: Since 1863. I never knew him until I got
acquainted with him in the army. We were soldiers together in “K” 9th M.S.M. Cav’y. Ques.: If Mr. Farmer received any
injury in the service, please share where and how it occurred & what it was? Ans.: While in camp at Liberty, Clay County
Mo., we started out on a scout after some rebels who were understood to be in the county. When we got out near where
they were, the command divided. Lt. Gordon took a part, we were with him, I mean Farmer, myself and six others. Gordon
was sent around through a wooded pasture. All of a sudden the rebels opened out on us. My horse was shot and killed and
I fell over. When I kinder recovered myself, I saw Farmer not acting just right and I asked him if he was shot and he first
said no and I thought that was all right, just so he wasn’t shot and I made for a rebel horse and got him. The rebels ran and
we after them. I didn’t see anything more of Farmer that day. The next morning I was present and saw him show where he
was hurt to Lt. Gordon. I remember it as distinctly as though it was yesterday. He was ruptured low down on, I think, the
left side. It was very much swollen out and black or bluish in color and was hurting him very much. Farmer did no more
scout duty. Lt. Gordon told him he would give him charge of the company team, which he did. This skirmish was about the
10th of June, 1864. The time Farmer was hurt. The next morning afterward he told us how it happened, that his horse threw
him forward on the saddle and “squished” him.

Author’s Note: The deposition goes on, in closing, to inquire if Mr. Goans
had seen any evidence of Joshua Farmer’s injury prior to this skirmish. He states that he had not.

The verbatim transcription
of this excerpt is by David Farmer from a copy of the original document provided by the National Archives Trust Fund
Board. Military Disability Pension Record: Deposition excerpt: Case of: Joshua Farmer On this 12th day of March, 1896,
at, near Columbia, County of Boone, State of Missouri, before me: C.M. Clark, a Special Examiner of the Pension Office,
personally appeared: Carey H. Gordon, who being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to
him during this Special Examination of aforesaid claim, deposes and says: Age, 51 years. Occupation, Attorney at law.
Residence, two miles east of Columbia Mo. P.O. Address, Columbia Mo. I am not a pensioner. I enlisted in Jan. 1862 in
Co. “K” 9th M.S.M. Cav. and M.O. Jan. 1865. Had no other service. I was a corporal, sergeant and later 2nd. Lieut. of
my Co. I became acquainted with Joshua Farmer in my Co. Think he enlisted in my Co. sometime after I did. I remember,
distinctly the occasion when Joshua sustained a rupture. It was in the summer of 1864 a few miles, 10 or 12, northeast of
Liberty, Clay Co., near Bill Goth’s farm the accident occurred which disabled Farmer. We ran into a squad of
bushwhackers, in command of Jesse and Frank James. There were ten men in our party and the same number in the James
gang. I was in command of our squad. We charged the bushwhackers and in the melee they retreated. After it was over, I
inquired who of our men were hurt. Among the others, I noticed Joshua Farmer. In conversation with him, I learned that he
had ruptured himself by plunging forward on the pommel of his saddle. The saddle he rode, I think had a high horn. He said
to me “ I have knocked a hole in my belly”. I saw that he was in a great deal of pain. He placed his hands on his stomach as
he spoke. To the best of my knowledge he had not previously been ruptured. I am pretty certain he had not been ruptured
before. I recall that next morning he complained he was not able to do his duty. He was disabled for several days.

Author’s
Note: The deposition goes on, in closing, to explain that as the regiment had no doctor, Joshua Farmer was seen by a
physician in Liberty Mo., enlisted by the regiment to handle their sick and wounded. It goes on to state, as the previous
deposition, that Lt. Gordon put him in charge of the company team.

The verbatim transcription of this excerpt is by David
Farmer from a copy of the original document provided by the National Archives Trust Fund Board. Correspondence: Reply
from Carey H. Gordon to a letter from a Special Examiner of the Pension Office Columbia, MO November 16th 1882 C.
B. ( last name unreadable ) Dear Sir, Your letter of Oct, 26th. was duly received and in answer beg leave to state that I was
in command of a detachment of Co K 9th M.S.M. Cavalry. About June 10, 1864 ten miles north of Liberty Clay County
MO we had a skirmish with a band of rebels under the command of the notorious Jessie(sp) James. After the rebels were
beaten & scattered I called a halt to see who was killed or wounded. I found two men wounded ( gun shot wounds ) I
found that Joshua Farmer was injured. I asked him where he was shot he answered that he was not shot but that in the fight
his horse threw him on the horn of his saddle and punched a hole on his belly ( I use his language ) Farmer was suffering
considerably at the time ; it was with considerable difaculty(sp) that he rode back to camp. After our return to camp, I had
Farmer examined and examined him my self and found he was injured in ( next word unreadable ) that his privates was
swolen(sp) and the Doctor whos name I have now forgotten pronounced him ruptured and unfit for duty. I had him detailed
as teamster & I think he served in this capacity until the close of the war. These are about the facts as I now recollect them.
Yours Respectfully C. H. Gordon Late 2nd Lieut. Co K 9th M.S.M. Cavalry

The verbatim transcription of this letter is by
David Farmer from an original copy provided by the National Archives Trust Fund Board. Final Author’s Notes: Joshua
Farmer first received his military disability pension in 1874. Whenever a pensioner requested a change in status i.e.:
worsening of condition change in dependents and payment increases, the requests had to be reviewed by the Special
Examiners Board. This process required depositions, affidavits and letters from witnesses, doctors, relatives and friends to
prove that this disability actually was service related and that the pensioner still suffered with this disability or was
experiencing physical hardships due to the disability.