McFarlandj
Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JEREMIAH McFARLAND, one of the
well-known and highly esteemed citizens of Chelan county, is engaged in
fruit raising and the real estate business at Mission, Washington.
He was born in Lorain county, Ohio, August 4, 1837. His father, James
McFarland, of Scotch ancestry, came to the United States when a young man,
and settled in Philadelphia. He was a railroad contractor, dying
in 1844. The mother, Julia A. (Gilbert) McFarland, was born in Philadelphia,
and died in 1843. She was of Scotch-English descent.
At the tender age of seven years, young McFarland
found himself thrown upon the world to make his own way as best be could.
He lived with a number of farmers who, while satisfied to accept his work,
were very reluctant to afford him the means of obtaining even the most
meagre education. Consequently, until he was eighteen years old,
he did not learn to read. At the age of fifteen he joined Van Amburg's
circus, and became an acrobat. At the breaking out of the Civil War
our subject, associated with a man named Robbins, enrolled a company for
the Seventeenth Illinois Infantry. He served three years under Colonel
Baldwin, and was in a number of serious engagements, including Shiloh,
Pittsburg Landing, Fort Donelson, Corinth and others. At Shiloh he
lost two fingers, besides receiving two wounds in the head and a flesh
wound in the leg. After the war he went to Illinois, and was in the
saloon business two years but as this was distasteful to him he went to
farming. From Illinois he removed to McKean county, Pennsylvania,
where for the following three years he was engaged in the mercantile business,
thence to Pembina county, North Dakota, in missionary work for the Baptist
Publication Company, of Philadelphia, and for the succeeding nine years
he devoted his attention to organizing Sunday schools. Coming to
Wenatchee, in February, 1894, he purchased his present home in Mission,
a story and a half cottage, and five acres of land. The property
is now worth five thousand dollars and Mr. McFarland easily clears six
hundred dollars per annum from the place. Aside from the orchard
the land is devoted to pasture, poultry, bees, etc. He has raised
apricots measuring nine inches in circumference, and took five first premiums
at the Chelan county fair of 1903. Mr. McFarland and his accomplished
wife are artists, and have produced some beautiful landscapes portraying,
the picturesque scenery in their locality.
They were married at Rixford, McKean county,
Pennsylvania, the bride being Sarah Jones, a native of Canada. She
has three brothers and two sisters, James, Barton and John, and Jane Trarris,
and Catherine Wright. Mr. McFarland has one brother, James.
He is a member of the Odd Fellows, and Past Commander of the G. A. R.,
and at present chaplain of the local post. Both he and his wife are
members of the Baptist church.
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