Henry Weston Farnsworth

Henry Weston Farnsworth (August 7, 1890 – September 28, 1915) was one of the first Americans killed as a soldier in World War I. He was a "newspaper correspondent, world traveler, adventure-seeker, avid reader, and member of the French Foreign Legion." Early life Farnsworth was born on August 7, 1890, in Dedham, Massachusetts. He attended Groton School and then Harvard College where he was graduated in 1912. After graduating, he toured Vienna, Budapest, Constantinople, Odessa, Moscow, and St. Petersburg. Family Farnsworth came from a Boston Brahmin family. His parents, William and Lucy Holman (née Burgess) Farnsworth, also had a daughter, Ellen Holman Farnsworth, who was said to be "the prettiest girl in Boston." Henry and Ellen were very close. Ellen was married to Alfred Lee Loomis, Henry's classmate at Harvard University. Ellen's great-grandson, Reed Hastings, was a co-founder of Netflix. He was described as "bookish and idealistic." The Farnsworths had homes on Westfield Street in Dedham and Beacon Street in Boston. The family purchased the Beacon Street home from Charles Winslow.