Much of the original information on Charles Farmer’s son Robert Farmer, was submitted to the Dictionary of Western Australia by Mrs. Vida Mary Piper who resides in Mosman Park, Western Auatralia. Additional information was also acquired by Mrs Rica Erickson and a team of researchers, but Mrs. Erickson, who is now turned 100 years old and very frail, only deposited entries submitted to her by the actual descendants of Robert Farmer, who is today buried in Brunswick, Georgia., including the fact that Robert served in the American Civil War.

Robert Farmer, son of Charles Farmer from England born in 1799 and Margaret Spencer in 1812, was born in Northam, Western Australia on July 12, 1841; according to Western Australia Dictionary of Early Settlers. Other census records give his birth as 1845 and 1848; depending on which source you examine. Charles, and Margaret Farmer’s children, according to the Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australia Pre 1829-1888, Vol ll, are recorded as “Charles, born in 1832, died 1854;  Jane Elizabeth born in 1834, died 1903;  Thomas born in 1835, 1900; William born in 1836, drowned 1839; Mary Ann born in 1838; John born in 1840, died 1903; Robert born 1841, died 1903 (USA); William born in 1843, died 1867; dtr. born and died in 1844; and Eleanor born in 1844, died 1913.” Charles was permitted to select 210 acres of land and owned Sth Perth Swan Loc 41 & 10 acres at Rottnest in addition to Perth Loc 527in Adelaide Terrace. Records reveal he worked as a shipwright, a fish curer and a gardener; and died of tetanus.

Arriving in America aboard a whaling ship in 1861, Robert Farmer’s occupation for the census years listed was that of a bar pilot and/or a seaman, over the 3 census periods and he resided in Brunswick, Georgia. The 1870 US Federal Census Records of Glynn County, Georgia list Robert at age 25, as a seaman, living in the household of John Silvan, age 40, who was also a seaman. Robert eventually married a woman 10 years younger than he was, in 1875, named Algenora "Nora" Chubb who was born in Georgia; the daughter of James Alexander and Matilda Florence (Harris) Clubb. Robert Farmer married into one of the old families of Glynn and Camden counties and may have benefited from his wife's family connection to the maritime trade.  Robert Farmer and Algenora Clubb were issued a license on March 10, 1875 by William Berrie and executed that day by N.B. Ousley, M.G. in Book B page 94 of the marriage records; according to Mrs. Amy Hedrick. Other information provided by other individuals says Robert Farmer and Algenora Clubb were issued a license on May 5, 1873 by William A. Berrie and it was executed on May 19, 1873 by H.B. Treadwell M. G.; and yet another source, which may or may not be correct, stated Robert Farmer and Miss Algenora Clubb was issued a license on May 5, 1873, which was executed on March 10, 1875 by Lucas, M.G.Odd; posing several contradictions unless they perhaps had other ceremonies.

The Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australia Pre 1829-1888, Vol 2 by Rica Erikson, lists Robert and Nora’s children as “Robert, Roland, Durward, Algie died infant, Dollie died c.1885 at 2 months, Janie & dtr.”

The St. Marks Episcopal Church records the baptisms of Robert and Algia Nora's children and is printed verbatim as follows, though some disagree with the recordings;

• Martha Farmer, daughter, 19 years old, sick daughter of Mrs. Robt Farmer bapt 7 April 1870, witness C.H. Coley
• George Washington Farmer, son, 16 years old, bap 16 April 1870, died that night
• Barnard Newton, son 14 years old, baptized on his sick bed on 13 July 1870 (V1, pg 64) no sponsors
• Robert Mortimer Farmer, son, b. 20 Jan 1876, bap 22 Aug 1879, sponsors Mr. & Mrs. Hine, Marianna Clubb
• Algia Lorena, b. 21, Dec 1878, baptized 22 Aug 1879 - sponsors Mr & Mrs. Hine and Marianna Clubb (V2/pgs 86/87), died as an infant
• Dolly Farmer, b. 31, Mar 1885, bap 20 April 1885, no sponsors
• Roland Lee Farmer, son, b. 18 May 1877, bap 22 Aug 1878

Mrs. Amy Hendricks of Brunswick, Georgia states, on the other hand though no sources were provided, that the children of Robert and Algenora Clubb Farmer were;

• Robert Mortimer born 20 Jan. 1876 death unknown.
• Roland Lee born 18 May 1877 died 13 March 1945 in Patchogue, Suffolk Co., New York
• Angel [Algia Lorena] born 21 Dec. 1878 died 23 Apr. 1880
• Aurora [male] born abt. January 1881 death unknown
• Dolly born 31 March 1885 died 28 May 1885
• Janey born abt. December 1890, death unknown.

                                                                             [Printed verbatim]

In the Record Book HH pages 501 to 503 there is a record of a deed between James S. Blain & John I. Harris of the first part and Robert Farmer of Camden County on the second part.  The deed was dated March 20, 1874 and Robert Farmer was buying land next door to the father of the woman he married; Mr. James A. Clubb.   James A. Clubb, Robert’s father-in-law, was a rice planter on Cumberland Island in Camden County, Georgia.  He was also the lighthouse keeper for Cumberland Island as well as being a bar pilot.  James A. Clubb was descended from John Clubb, one of the officers from Oglethorpe's 42nd Regiment of the Foot.  John Clubb received a King's Grants to properties on St Simons Island and Cumberland Island as one of the original colonists.  Because he was an officer and a gentleman, he paid his own way to the America, had a large household and his grants from King George were substantial in the “new colony”.  John Clubb fought in the Revolutionary War, for the Patriots, and is buried in the family cemetery on the north end of Cumberland Island.

A story of interest that pertained to James A. Clubb, Nora’s father, is a notorious case in the area. The famous schooner-yacht “Wanderer”, pride of the New York Yacht Club, put in to Port Jefferson Harbour in April 1858 to be fitted out for the slave trade. Everyone looked the other way, which suggests that kind of thing was not unusual, except that the surveyor of the port reported his suspicions to the federal officials. The ship was seized and towed to New York, but her captain talked and possibly bought his way out and was allowed to sail for Charleston, South Carolina.

Fitting out was completed in South Carolina, the “Wanderer” was cleared by Customs and she sailed to Africa where she took aboard some 600 Africans slaves. On November 28, 1858, the “Wanderer” reached Jekyll Island, Georgia, where she illegally unloaded the 465 survivors of what is generally called the last shipment of slaves to arrive in the United States.  There was a long and very public legal battle over the ship and the slaves were brought in. James Clubb turned state's witness against the owners and his journal entries from that event are today in a museum on Jekyll Island. 

Robert left Australia on a whaler in 1861, became a Harbour Pilot Master and a boat owner in Brunswick, Georgia and upon the outbreak of the American Civil War, according to family oral history and records in Western Australia where he was born, served in the Confederate services in an infantry unit; reportedly the 26th Georgia Infantry, known as the Brunswick Rifles. Unfortunately he is not to be shown on their rosters. There are records, however, that show him as a member of the 27th Georgia Regiment, which is where one of several complications have arisen; but again he is not shown on those rosters under the name of Robert but as Robert L., and on some records he was recorded with the erroneous entry of “ Robert Fanner” instead of Farmer.

 On a “Certified” muster Roll card received from a staff member of the Georgia State Archives, “supposedly” one of his captured Confederate records, it gave the city of his enlistment and read: “Lewisville (Australian Soldier)”. After conferring with Mr. David W. Georgia State Archives staff member had ‘altered’ an original card with  “Lewisville (Australian Soldier)” and then reproduced it so it would appear to be an original and certified it with their office stamp. An apology was extended to this researcher by Mr. Carmicheal, Director of the Georgia State Archives and the staff member was terminated.

Since then, however, original Muster Roll cards acquired from the National Archives Record Administration in Washington, D.C. have revealed that a Robert Farmer did in fact enlist at a town called “Lewisville, Georgia” on Nov. 6, 1863.

There were four (4) individuals named Farme in Company “B”, 27^th Battalion Georgia Infantry at the same exact time. There was L.D. Farmer who enlisted at Pope Hill, Georgia on July 25, 1864; R.E or Robert (Rhsea) Farmer who enlisted at Lexington, Georgia on Nov. 6, 1863; Robert L. Farmer who enlisted at Pope Hill, Georgia (which is located at Ringgold, Georgia) on Nov. 6, 1863 and Robert Farmer who enlisted at Lewisville, Georgia on Nov. 6, 1863; and whose records were also recorded as “Robert L.  Farmer”. The Muster Roll cards showing the information on each comes from Publication Number: M266, Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Georgia, located in the National Archives Records Administration; and therefore cannot be disputed. ALL four were members of Company “B”, 27^th Battalion Georgia Infantry at the same identical time; no wonder there was confusion in the record keeping. The second Robert L. Farmer enlisted at Pope Hill, Georgia; located hundreds of miles to the northwest; just below Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Robert Farmer, in 1866, was joined in Georgia by his brother, Christian Mortimer Farmer, who married one of Nora's sisters.  This is noted in Nora's obituary with reference to her sister, Mrs. U.M. Farmer. The “U” however, was a misprint for “C” by the newspaper. Her name was Mrs. C.M. Farmer. The early Brunswick papers were notorious for misstating details and names.

One 1900 census record states that Charles M. Farmer was born in October 1853, which is an error, in Australia and that his parents were born in Scotland. Charles married Mary Clubb Farmer, Nora's sister and with a daughter named Nina Farmer lived in Dublin, Laurens County, Georgia. Robert's parents and siblings, according to the 1866 - 1870 census of Macon, Bibb County, Georgia, arrived in the U.S. during that same period. Robert’s brother John A. Farmer, a Grocer, and his wife Agnes, both were born in Scotland, immigrated to the U.S. and settled in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia.

In 1902 it appears as though Robert Farmer, Sr. and Robert Farmer, Jr. may have had a falling out over a loan, as the following was found in the Superior Court files:

“Farmer, Robert Sr. vs. Robert Farmer, Jr. & W.H. Davenport writ of error Mr. Farmer loaned the defendants $300 to buy the Elks Saloon and they still owe him $100. Went from Superior to Justice Court to Supreme Court. Spanned from May 1901 to 29 June 1902; Civil Minutes Vol. 4 folio 689; Final Record Vol. 7 pg. 133”.  That same year brought tragedy to the family and an end to the Farmer legend.

Robert Farmer, Sr. died of tetanus, according to Western Australia Dictionary of Early Settlers, on August 22, 1903, but is listed in the records of the probate court and the St. Marks Episcopal Church records as having died on Sunday, August 31, 1902; an obvious error on their behalf. He died intestate and was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery; his grave is identified as lot B-75. Robert Farmer was buried in an unmarked gravesite, but due to continued research a headstone was acquired by James Gray of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Australia from the American Veterans Administration. It was shipped to the Brunswick, Georgia Sons of Confederate Veterans, Thomas Marsh Forman Camp 485, who organised a dedication ceremony for his new headstone; a fitting tribute for an Australian Confederate.

Robert, Algin Louisa who died on April 23, 1880 and Dolly who died on May 28, 1855 are all buried in “Oak Grove Cemetery”. Robert was buried by Wyllys Rede; the other two being buried by Henry E. Lucas. It was related that Algin Louisa and Dolly’s graves are said to be in the family plot, but are not marked by stones and that Robert’s grave, in the center, is flanked by those of his two wives; but this has not been confirmed. They may in fact be the graves of Algin and Dolly.

Nora Clubb Farmer, Robert’s wife, died on Saturday, December 25, 1909 at 55 years of age, also intestate. She was survived by four children; sons, R.L. Farmer and Derwood Farmer, and one daughter, Miss Janie Farmer. Her daughter Janie was named executrix of her estate and with her mother's death also the executrix of her father's remaining estate.

According to the “South Australia Advertiser” newspaper, Robert Farmer once joined a whaling ship in Western Australia, was later known as Captain Farmer and is the great grand-uncle of Carmen Lawrence; former Premier of Western Australia. Calvin Hart of Jacksonville Florida, whose friend is an avid collector of Civil War memorabilia, has graciously provided us with what is said to be a picture of Robert Farmer.

Robert’s brother Charles died in 1854, Jane in 1903, Thomas in 1900, William in 1867, and Eleanor in 1913. Before his death in 1854, Charles in 1849 exchanged his father’s 10 acres at Rottnest for a canning location, made exploration to the north of settled districts in 1854 with an R. Austin; Mt. Magnet and towards Shark Bay. He died of tetanus after a gun accident and was buried 23 miles northeast of Mt. Magnet.