Career
Farnsworth was born in Staten Island, New New York When he was two, his family relocated to Buckhannon, West Virginia in Upshur County. Farnsworth was the President of the West Virginia Senate in 1869 when Governor Arthur I. Boreman vacated his office to serve in the United States Senate.
Farnsworth then served as Governor of West Virginia for seven days, from February 26, 1869 - March 4, 1869.