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Byron Edgar Farwell (June 20, 1921 – August 3, 1999) was an Americanmilitary historian,biographer, and politician. He was the mayor ofHillsboro, Virginia, for three terms. He also worked forChrysler, and was the author of 14 books and published articles in various national publications.
Farwell was born inManchester, Iowa,[1] on June 20, 1921.[2] He graduated fromOhio State University and theUniversity of Chicago (M.A., 1968). He served inWorld War II as a captain and later also saw combat in theKorean War. He left the military after seven years of active duty.[2][3]
His wife was named Ruth. The couple had three children[1] As a civilian, he worked from 1954 to 1971 forChrysler, including many years as director of administration inGeneva.[1][3][4] During part of the 1960s he lived in Switzerland and London.[1] He was mayor ofHillsboro, Virginia, for three terms from 1976 to 1982, losing re-election to a fourth term after a 17–17 vote where the winner was picked out of apunch bowl.[1][5] As mayor of the town, Farwell became known for coming into conflict with the state and federal governments over items such as the census or regulation of the health department. He was paid $50 a year as mayor.[4]
He published articles in publications such asThe New York Times,The Washington Post,Harper's Magazine,American Heritage, andSmithsonian Magazine[1][4] as well as working as a contributing editor toMilitary History,World War II, andCollier's Encyclopedia.[2] He was a member of both theRoyal Geographical Society and theRoyal Society of Literature. Farwell was also a trustee of theOatlands mansion.[1] He died on August 3, 1999, of a heart attack, in a hospital inLoudoun County, Virginia.[4]
Farwell gave his papers to theUniversity of Iowa.[2]
He completed 14 books,[5] includingThe Man Who Presumed: A Biography of Henry M. Stanley (1957),[6]Burton: A Biography of Sir Richard Francis Burton (1963),[7]The Gurkhas (1984),[8]The Great War in Africa, 1914–1918 (1986),[9]Armies of the Raj: from the Mutiny to Independence, 1858-1947 (1989),[10]The Great Anglo-Boer War (1990),[11][12] andOver There: The United States in the Great War, 1917-1918 (1999).[13]
