Max Farrand (March 29, 1869 - June 17, 1945) was an American historian, who taught at several universities and was the first director of the Huntington Library.Farrand taught at Wesleyan University, then after several years at Stanford University, and a year at Cornell University, he became a professor of history at Yale University (1908-1925). His particular area of interest and expertise was the Founding Fathers, the organization of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Farrand was also director of the Commonwealth Fund, founded in 1918 by Anna M. Harkness, widow of Stephen V. Harkness investor in Standard Oil, who wanted to "do something for the welfare of mankind." Max Farrand also assisted philanthropist Henry E. Huntington to establish the Huntington Library, which is located on the historic 'Rancho Huerta de Cuati' in San Marino near Pasadena, California. After Huntington's death, Farrand became the library's first director, serving until 1941.