Farnam, Thomas Wells, 1877-1943.

Thomas W. Wells: from 1901-1917 worked in banking and investment; Director of American Red Cross Supply Service in Washington during the First World War; from October 1917-September 1918 Assistant U.S. Food Administrator for Connecticut; from 1918-1919 American Red Cross Commissioner to Serbia; from 1919-1943 held various administrative posts at Yale University.

Thomas W. Farnam: from 1901-1917 worked in banking and investment; Director of American Red Cross Supply Service in Washington during the First World War; from October 1917-September 1918 Assistant U.S. Food Administrator for Connecticut; from 1918-1919 American Red Cross Commissioner to Serbia; from 1919-1943 held various administrative posts at Yale University.

Thomas Wells Farnam was born in Litchfield, Connecticut. He attended Milton and Hotchkiss and received his B. A. from Yale in 1899. Between 1901 and 1917 he was involved in various banking and investment enterprises in New Haven. Immediately following the American declaration of war against Germany Farnam was appointed Associate Director (he subsequently became Director) of the American Red Cross Supply Service in Washington, D. C. From October 1917 to September 1918 he served as Assistant United States Food Administrator for the state of Connecticut. Farnam was then appointed American Red Cross Commissioner to Serbia in charge of relief and hospitals, carrying the assimilated rank of Lieutenant Colonel: he was posted to Belgrade where he remained through the middle of 1919. After the signing of the treaty of Versailles Farnam returned to New Haven, and he devoted the remaining years of his life to Yale University administrative affairs. He served, in turn, as Alumni Fellow of the Yale Corporation (1919-1922), Acting Secretary of the university (1920-1923), Associate Treasurer, and Comptroller (1921-1943). He died in 1943.