Farny was born in Ribeauville, Alsace, France, in 1847 and migrated with his family to western Pennsylvania in 1848. His later fascination with American Indians most likely began at an early age with his family's association with a group of Seneca Indians who lived nearby. In 1859, Farny's family sought better opportunities farther west and moved to Cincinnati. Except for several trips to Europe where he received his artistic training, Farny remained in Cincinnati for the rest of his life. His artistic talent was nurtured at an early age, and by 1865, at the age of eighteen, he was already producing illustrations for Harper's and other publications. He remained a successful illustrator for much of his early artistic career and was afforded national recognition for his work in the McGuffey Reader, which helped educate thousands of American children.