James Squire Farnell
- Born: 25 Jun 1825, St. Leonards, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia
- Married: 23 Jun 1853, Paddington, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia 1 2
- Died: 21 Aug 1888, Petersham, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia
 Research Notes:
Co-executor of the Will of his father-in-law Hugh Frederick O'Donnell.
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Premier of N.S.W. 1877-1878
James Squire Farnell was an Australian politician and Premier of New South Wales. Farnell was a hard-working legislator who gave much study to the land question and also tried hard for some years to pass a bill for the regulation of contagious diseases.
He was educated at Parramatta. At a comparatively early age he began travelling with stock and learnt much about his own colony. The gold discoveries in California in 1848 led to his visiting America, and he also travelled in New Zealand before finally returning to New South Wales.
In 1860, Farnell won by-election to the Legislative Assembly for St Leonards, but lost his seat at the next election. He was returned at Parramatta in 1864 and held the seat for 10 years. He became Secretary for Lands in the first Parkes ministry from May 1872 to February 1875, and for a short period was also Secretary for Mines. In 1874 he was defeated for Parramatta, but won St Leonards at a by-election, and held it to 1882.
From December 1876 until October 1877, Farnell was a chairman of committees, but towards the end of that year he organized a "Third Party", in November carried an amendment to the address in reply by two votes, and the Robertson ministry resigned.
Farnell succeeded in forming a ministry and on 18 December 1877 and took office as the first Australian-born Premier and Secretary for Lands. In October 1878 he brought in a land bill which was defeated on 5 December. Farnell resigned and was succeeded by Parkes. From 1882 to 1885, he represented New England. When the Stuart ministry was formed in January 1883, Farnell was again Secretary for Lands, and showed much patience and tact in his management of the land bill which became law in 1884. In the succeeding Dibbs ministry formed in October 1885 he was Minister of Justice and representative of the ministry in the Legislative Council, but this government lasted only a few weeks. In 1887, he was elected for Redfern in the Assembly and represented that constituency until his death. 3
Marriage Information:
James married Margaret O'Donnell, daughter of Hugh Frederick O'Donnell and Jane McNulty, on 23 Jun 1853 in Paddington, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia 1 2. (Margaret O'Donnell was born on 4 Oct 1836 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 4 5, died on 21 May 1899 in Petersham, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia 6 7 and was buried in Ryde Anglican Cemetery, Church St., Ryde, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia 8.)
Marriage Notes:
"By special license, on the 23rd instant, by the Rev. Robert Stewart, James Squire Farnell, of Kissing Point, to Margaret, eldest daughter of the late H. F. O'Donnell, of Sydney."
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