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In 1853, Lawrence "Larry" Farley was born in Meredosia, Morgan County, Illinois to Laurence and Mary (Goff) Farley. He was the youngest of their five children and was the first born outside of Ireland. Larry's mother died when he was only a year old. Afterwards, he moved with his family to live near Freeport in Waddam Township, Stephenson County, Illinois.

Larry came to Dakota Territory in 1871, taking a preemption before returning to Illinois. He returned in 1874 or 1875, and filed on a homestead in Union County. In 1883, he proved up on the homestead, located in the northwest quarter of section 22 of Prairie Township. Larry was described as an industrious farmer who endured many of the hardships of pioneer life.

In 1878, Larry married Elizabeth B. O'Connor, the daughter of James and Bridget (Jennings) O'Connor. The couple were parents to eleven children. These were James, Mary, Len, Charlotte, Ella, Alice, Phil, Frank, Julia, an unnamed baby, and Thomas. Thomas and the unnamed baby both died in infancy; and, their mother died on the day of Thomas' birth. Mary, Alice, and Phil never married.

After the death of his wife, Larry Farley's home was cared for by his daughter, Mary. For over a year, Larry was in poor health, becoming paralyzed in the spring of 1916. He died on his farm in October of that same year. Larry was remembered as being a kind neighbor and devoted father.

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