James McFarland ⁴⁵

  General Notes:

NOTES:
According to the City of Glasgow Council (Marriage Section - see source), James' name is listed as "James McFarlane".

NOTES (Verbal information from various sources):
James immigrated to the U.S. in 1851 from Scotland. He settled in Pennsylvania as a servant to a farmer, "Crow". He ran away twice because of the farmer's mean wife, and the second time he got to Coles County, IL where he met and married Julia Beatrice Watson.

Died of TB. Moved from Illinois to Colorado to try and cure his TB. Apparently had enough money to buy a little ranch.

Had red hair and was supposedly quite attractive.

BIOGRAPHY #1 (Handwritten notes by unknown author; I cleaned up spelling and grammar
where I could but I tried to leave it basically as written - Don Harrold, December 14, 2002)
Mrs. Ann McFarland came with either a brother-in-law or brother from Scotland with her three sons,
Peter, Mike, and James. James was five or six but don't know the exact age. They came to New York City
then Mrs. Ann McFarland married to a man by the name of Crow. There was a sister, or half-sister
by the name of "amttress" (sp?).

James went by the name of Jim Crow. He was in a school of some kind and this school got up
a car load of boys to take the out west as they called it toColes County, Illinois and Jim was bound
out to a man old batchelor by the name of Ruby. He was to let him to to school three month year
board, clothe him. He was to stay with the man til he was 21. Then we was to have horse, saddle,
and $50 in money, good suit "clase" (sp?). But the man married and his wife wasn't good to Jim
so he ran away but didn't go far so the man brought him back but she wasn't any better to
him so he ran off again and came to Charleston, Coles County, Illinois.

He lived there til the year 1870. He was united in marriage to Julia Watson, November 22,
1870. Lived in Illinois til year 1875. Lived in Pueblo, Colorado on the Greenhorn til 1878
when he passed away October 26, 1878. Left a wife and three children Ann, Simeon,
and Fred five months old.

His death was caused by dirt (?) caused congestion. Now dear boys this is the history
of your father as far as I know. He was always an honorable kind upright man and boy.
He must been bout 14 when I first knew him. He was liked by all who knew him and I
feel sure he was a Christian "altho" (?) no "frafessor" (?).

A history of your papa as far as I know.

ADDED AT BOTTOM:
Made copy for Maude August 30, 1948. James McFarland was born July 4, 1846 in
Glasgow, Scotland. Came to New York About 1851.

BIO #2: (Again, handwritten. Better writing. More info. Incomplete and
clearly there were pages ahead of where this starts. Don Harrold, December 14, 2002)

... and was fixing to send James at age of nine to a Catholic School to which he objected.

The welfare was fixing to send a bunch of boys to Edgar County, Illinois to find a farm
home for them. James being at the depot as train was fixing to leave, one of the
men being acquainted with James said, "James, don't you want to go along?"
James answered, "Yes". he jumped on the train and they were gone. He felt
badly and cried for about three days but did not try for about five years to find his
mother. Then he could not and he never heard of his folks anymore.

He lived with a Mr. Ruby in Edgar County, Illinois. He later moved to Charleston,
Coles County, Illinois.

He was married to Julia B. Watson November 22, 1870 at Charleston, Coles
County, Illinois.

Two children were born in Illinois - Minnie Ann and Robert Simeon, subject
of our sketch.

In the year 1875 they moved to Pueblo, Colorado where they purchased a wagon,
and "spau" (?) of mules. They traveled south and located near Greenhorn P. O. (?)
where James Fred McFarland was born April 10, 1878, and was buried near Greenhorn.


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Out West
Added by alwaysontask59 on 19 Jul 2008

According to a letter written by Grandma Julia Ritter, Mrs. Ann McFarland, mother of James, came to New York with her three sons, Peter, Mike and James. James was five or six years old. They came to New York and Mrs. McFarland married a name by the name of Crow. James went by the name of "Jim Crow". He was in a boys school of some kind and this school got up a carload of boys to take them out west as they called it to Edger Co. Illinois and Jim was bound out to an old bacheolor by the name of Ruby. Ruby was to let him go to school three months a year, provide board and clothes until he was 21. Then Jim was to get a horse, saddle and $50 and a good suit of clotes. Bu the man married and his wife wasn't good to Jim so he ran away. Ruby brought him back, and he ran away again, this stime to Charlston, Coles County, Illinois. He lived there until 1870. He married Julia Watson November 22, 1870's and went to Pueblo Colorado on april 16, 1875. They lived at Rye, on the Greenhorn until 1878 where he died October 26, 1878. He left three children, Anna, 6,; Sim 3, and Fred, 5 months old. Julia described him "as always an honorable kind upright man. He must have been about 14 when I first knew him.") The above story was document in a book of photographs and family history prepared for Stanley E. Williams by his mother, Ruby Maude McFarland, daughter of James Fred McFarland.
Additional information about this story
Description
Date 1930 letter from Aunt Ann McFarland Martin to Aunt Irene Ritter (1/2 sister to James Fred McFarland)
Location Rye Colorado
Attached to

* James McFarland (1846 - 1878)

James married Julia Beatrice Watson, daughter of David S. Watson and Sarah Jane Fudge, on Nov 22, 1870. (Julia Beatrice Watson was born on Oct 1, 1853 in Charleston, Coles County, Illinois and died on Dec 6, 1927 in San Diego, California (Buried In Laveta, Colorado).)