According to information submitted by Mr. James Gray, Robert Farmer was born 7 December 1841 in Western Australia to parents Charles & Margaret (Spencer) Farmer.  He was one of 10 children reportedly born to this couple, and information on this, and other Western Australian families, can be found in the book "Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australia Pre 1829-1888, Vol. II".

Mr. Gray has written an essay on Robert Farmer, that in my opinion has many mistakes about the descendants of Robert and no sources to prove the military service other than "family say-so", which was obtained from people who are not directly descended of Robert.  My hopes in creating this page is to prevent mis-information from being spread for future generations who decide to research this family, and to hopefully connect with descendants who can add to the history.

The information that I supplied Mr. Gray has been backed up with primary source documents, those being church, court, census, and official death records.  All of which seems like it has been overlooked by Mr. Gray.  Some issues I have with his essay (which I will not copy the essay here) are:

1. The essay still has children attached to Robert that he could not physically have fathered with Nora. For instance, Martha the 19 year old daughter of Mrs. Rachel Farmer who is 49 years old. Martha would have been born in 1851, that would make Robert Farmer 10 years old, not in America, and Algenora Clubb not even born yet.

2. I think the typo in Nora's obit about her sister is in the last name and not the first name, since a Ulysses Mortimer Roberts married a Mary A. Clubb on 22 July 1872, and census records support this couple, their marriage date, and their birth dates. Mary Clubb was born in 1852, the wife of C.M. Farmer was born in 1862.

3. There is ABSOLUTELY no way for Robert Farmer's estate to have been filed in 1902 and him die in 1903. You can not file someone's estate BEFORE they die. Also, there are three records stating his death, one his estate which says 30 August 1902, two the St. Mark's burial record, and the other the Glynn County Mortuary Book which says August 1902.

4. How did Robert file for a pension in 1927 when he died in 1902, and his wife died in 1909? This pension card does not list a widow or children.

In issue #1, Mr. Gray has listed children born to a Mrs. Rachel Farmer as being those of Robert  Algenora (Clubb) Farmer, which was physically impossible since Algenora wasn't even born yet!  In some instances Mrs. Rachel Farmer was listed as Mrs. Robert Farmer, so I understand why Mr. Gray has attached these children, but simple math proves the theory wrong.  The children in question are Martha age 19 in 1870; George Washington age 16 in 1870; Barnard Newton age 10 in 1870; Lavinia Christina age 10 in 1870; and Theresa Rebecca age 14 in 1870.  The youngest of these children was born in 1860, making Algenora Clubb Farmer only about 5 years old, how could she be the mother?

In issue #2 mention was made of Algenora's sister, Mary A. Clubb, having married a Christian Mortimer Farmer, and that C.M. Farmer was a brother to Robert.  Marriage records, and research done by Margaret Davis Cate, suggest that Mary A. Clubb married a Ulysses Mortimer Roberts, and census records support this union, and their ages.  Algenora's (or Nora) obit states that one of her surviving sisters was a Mrs. U.M. Farmer and everyone researching this line thinks it was a typo and was to be Mrs. C.M. Farmer.  The typo, I think, is in the last name and not the initials.  Not to mention that Christian M. Farmer was born around 1852-1855, and the supposed parents of Robert died in 1845 (the father) and 1848 (the mother after remarriage).  How could Christian have been a brother?  Also, he is listed in the household of a John & Agnes Farmer at age 15 during the 1870 census.

In issue #3, Mr. Gray keeps noting the death year of 1903 for Robert Farmer.  Three different records were found by me to disprove this.  One was the burial record in St. Mark's Episcopal Church, the second was a mortuary record at the Glynn County Health Department, and the third record was his estate file.  All three have him dying in August of 1902.  You can not file an estate for someone before they die.

In issue #4, a record has been found for a Robert M. Farmer filing for a pension in 1927, and the fact that Mr. Gray states that this is the Robert Farmer from Australia who was buried in 1902.  How can he file for a pension in 1927 when he died in 1902?  Also, how could his wife filed for a widow's pension in 1927 when she died in 1909?  This can't be the Robert buried in Oak Grove.  Especially since this record doesn't even list that it's for a widow or minor.

I have pointed these issues out to Mr. Gray numerous times, and each time he re-submits a "new" essay, these erroneous facts are still listed.  While I understand making note of discrepant dates, like two different marriage dates, or birth dates, you can not place children with someone who was physically unable to have them.  Not only that, but the death date of Robert was recorded in 3 very different records by 3 very different agencies.

My biggest "problems" with the essay are these children being attached to Robert (children whose mother is listed as Mrs. Rachel Farmer in some places and are found in the census with William & Rachel Farmer), and the lack of proof of the military service of Robert Farmer in the Confederate Forces, or any branch during the Civil War.

I also have problems with my OWN research.  One of the main ones being a Mrs. Lillian (Morris) Farmer who I have listed as the wife of Roland Lee Farmer.  In the 1920 and 1930 census, Roland's wife is listed as Lizzie then Ann Eliza.  Not only that, but Oak Grove Cemetery records list a Mrs. Roland Farmer as being buried in the Farmer plot.  Lillian (Morris) Farmer is buried in Palmetto Cemetery with others of her family.  Her death certificate states that she was married, that she was buried in Palmetto, and that her cause of death was unknown and unable to be determined by a coroner's inquest.  Suggesting she died in an accident of some form.  Unfortunately, the newspaper for the month of October 1936, is missing, so an obit or other article can not be found.  I am currently awaiting a lookup from Superior Court on the coroner's inquest.

I have a sneaking suspicion that she may have married Robert Mortimer Farmer, or she was the second wife of Roland, or not a wife at all.  No marriage records have been found in Glynn County for Robert M. or Roland.

If it is proven that Robert Farmer was in fact a Veteran of the Civil War, I strongly suggest that the living descendants be contacted before any kind of marker is placed at his gravesite.  And so far this has not been done by Mr. Gray, or he just hasn't mentioned that he has contacted said descendants.  I am in the process of locating them myself.

If you have anything to add, or if you have any military information on Robert Farmer, please submit it to either myself, or Mr. Gray.

Jim Gray