Who Was Louis H. Farrell?

Louis H. Farrell was born April 5, 1877, in the Bustleton section of Philadelphia, and lived his entire life in this community.  He died January 27, 1953, and is buried in St. Luke’s Episcopal Church yard in Bustleton.

“Uncle Lou”, as all knew him, was educated in the Philadelphia Public Schools.  He attended the Fayette School in Bustleton, later called the Jacobs School.  He married Ella Toy, who passed away in September 1958.  There were no children, but “Uncle Lou” was interested in child welfare and public service all his life.

He was a vestryman at St. Luke’s Church for 50 consecutive years and a lifelong member of this church in Bustleton.

Louis H. Farrell served as a real estate assessor for many years and as a State Senator of Pennsylvania for 12 years.  In the Senate, Mr. Farrell served on the important Budget Committee and was always helpful to the Board of Education in presenting its needs to the State Senate.

He was President of the Bustleton Civic League.  Mr. Farrell was a member of the Jerusalem Lodge of the Masonic Order and a member of the Shrine Club.

He led a full and active life and was loved by many as he served his fellow man.

Additional Information
Farrell School, which opened in 1958, is an elementary school meeting the needs of students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is a three story building located in the neighborhood called “Bells Corner”. The school is handicapped accessible with a key-operated elevator. The facilities include one gymnasium, a student lunchroom, a library, an auditorium and 38 classrooms.

We are proud of the many cultures represented at Farrell school. They include, but are not limited to, African-American, European, Russian, Korean, Portuguese, Hispanic, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese, to name a few. There are approximately 1000 students currently attending Farrell. A percentage of our students receive English instruction for Speakers Of Other Languages, (ESOL), at various levels of proficiency.