In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Farragher faced opponents in venues such as New York City; Wheeling, West Virginia; Cleveland, Ohio; and Homestead, Pennsylvania.

[1] Early in his career, journalists compared Farragher to legendary prizefighter James J. Corbett, in terms of both his physical appearance and fighting style.

In a career that lasted from 1891 to 1912, he defeated early champions such as Jim Gallagher, Jeff Powers, Tommy Broderick, Jimmy Reeder, and Stanton Abbott.

[6] In early July, Farragher completed his preparatory training in Pittsburgh,[7] where Parry was said to be "a big favorite" and "considerable money will be wagered".

[7] On July 10, 1895, the Vindicator reported that Farragher, "the game and scientific Youngstown light-weight pugilist", had "knocked out" Parry in the 13th round of a "savage" contest held the previous evening in Wheeling, West Virginia.

[10] His bride was the former Rose Daley, a native of neighboring Warren, Ohio, who was described by the Vindicator as "an accomplished young lady, possessing a large number of friends".

"It was the intention to keep the matter a secret, and how well they succeeded is fully demonstrated by the fact that until today nobody except the immediate relatives of the contracting parties and the witnesses were aware of it".