Representative John Hanson Farquhar

John Hanson Farquhar (December 20, 1818 – October 1, 1873) was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1865 to 1867. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Indiana during the immediate post–Civil War period, participating in the legislative process at a time of national reconstruction and political realignment. Throughout his public career, he sought to represent the interests of his constituents while contributing to the broader democratic process.

Details of Farquhar’s early life and upbringing are not extensively documented in surviving records, but he was born on December 20, 1818, and came of age in a United States that was rapidly expanding westward and undergoing significant political and social change. Against this backdrop, he pursued the study of law, a common avenue into public life in the nineteenth century, and prepared for a professional career that would eventually lead him into politics.

Farquhar became a lawyer and entered legal practice, establishing himself in Indiana. His work as an attorney provided him with experience in statutory interpretation, civil disputes, and the practical administration of justice, all of which helped shape his understanding of public policy and governance. Through his legal practice and involvement in civic affairs, he gained the visibility and reputation necessary to seek elective office in a state that was growing in population and political importance.

As a member of the Republican Party representing Indiana, Farquhar was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and served one term from 1865 to 1867. His tenure in Congress coincided with the Thirty-ninth Congress, a body heavily engaged with the consequences of the Civil War, including the initial phases of Reconstruction, the status of the former Confederate states, and the rights of newly freed African Americans. During this significant period in American history, Farquhar contributed to the legislative process, participating in debates and votes that helped shape the nation’s postwar trajectory and representing the concerns and priorities of his Indiana constituents at the federal level.

After the conclusion of his congressional service in 1867, Farquhar returned to private life. While specific details of his later professional activities are limited, it is evident that he remained identified with the legal profession and with the Republican Party, which continued to dominate national politics during much of the Reconstruction era. His post-congressional years were spent in Indiana, where he had built his career and political base.

John Hanson Farquhar died in Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 1, 1873. He was interred in Crown Hill Cemetery, one of the state’s most prominent burial grounds and the resting place of many notable Hoosier political and civic leaders. His life and single term in Congress placed him among the many nineteenth-century lawyer-politicians who helped guide their states and the nation through a period of profound transformation.