John Farnsworth, valiant Union Army Colonel and Republican Congressman


Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute John Farnsworth, born in Quebec, March 27th 1820. After studying at the University of Michigan, the young attorney relocated to Chicago. He joined the Illinois GOP at its formation and in 1856 won first of two congressional terms.


Outbreak of civil war, Farnsworth recruited the 17th Illinois Infantry and a Republican governor commissioned him colonel of the 8th Illinois Cavalry. His regiment battled through Virginia and Maryland. In 1862, he won first of five more terms.


Farnsworth was present at the death of his friend, Abraham Lincoln. He supported Republican Reconstruction efforts to bring a "new birth of freedom" to the postwar South. Receiving his vote were the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments as well as the 1866 Civil Rights Act.

Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see www.grandoldpartisan.com. 

Here is a YouTube Video about this article.

Here is a TikTok Video about this article.

Here is an Instagram Video about this article.

Here is my Substack about this article.

Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.


Each day, his YouTube videos and TikTok videos and Rumble videos and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states.

Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.

"This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!"

"Your book is a national treasure. I'm always recommending it."

"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."

and

"one of the best books I ever read"

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