| Notes |
- THE McFARLAND FAMILY
Arriving at the age which admonishes me to put my house in order, and being acquainted with our ancestry for two centuries back, I feel it is a duty incumbent on me to give their history to posterity.
Our oldest ancestor that I know of traditionally was Duncan McFarland who was born near Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the father of Walter and Tabby, and Tabby was the mother of the famous Bob (Rob Roy) McGregor. Walter had a son that he called Arthur who went to Ireland and there married Elizabeth Porter, sister of Commodore Porter of revolutionary fame. The fruit of this union was a girl, whose name I have forgotten, and three boys, Alexander, Thomas and John. The latter, who was the founder of our family, was bound for seven years to the hatter's trade. Although his boss was a tyrant, he served him several years, but when he was about seventeen his boss attempted to chastise him with a cat-o-nine-tales, whereupon the apprentice, who was cutting the fur off a coon skin with a round knife, resisted, knife in hand, and the boss had to beat a timely retreat to avoid being cut open by his incensed apprentice. This was a violation of the law and the hatter threatened a prosecution, when grandfather fitted up his son John and sent him to North America. His middle name was Porter, but he dropped it as he was charged with committing a crime, upon his arrival at America, which was before the war of Great Britian with the American colonies. He peddled about a year on dry goods with a two horse wagon.
Grandfather Arthur finally became uneasy about him and sent Uncle Thomas in search of him. Uncle Thomas found him at Charleston and the war coming on soon, they both enlisted, John as Lieutenant and Thomas as Oderly Sergeant. At Gates' defeate the Captain was wounded and your grandfather took command of the company. He ordered his men to stand and fire, which was obeyed, and this delay left them between the pursuing and retreating armies, but he conducted his men safely through.
At the siege of York, a bomb with the old fashioned fuse dropped near him and he instantly cut off the blaze before it reached the power, thus saving himself and others from its ravages. It contained nine pounds of powder, which was used to shoot back at the British. He and Uncle Thomas remained in the service until honorably discharged, when they went to French Lick, now Nashville, where father married Nancy Maneese of Virginia, and Uncle Thomas, Peggy Todd of Ireland. Dr. Felix Roberson was the first male child born at the French Lick, and James McFarland, my oldest brother, your uncle, was the second. When Buchanan's Fort was attacked by the indians, father and mother were in it. The number of Indians were five hundred, and there were only seventeen men, with their wives and children, in the fort. During the fight the bullets gave out, and Sallie Buchanan and Nancy McFarland moulded more shot while the fight was going on, and handed them hot to the men. The Indians set the fort on fire, but a shower of rain extingusihed the flames. Providence thus saved them from being massacred by the Indians or burned. There was a blunderbuss in the fort which was doubly loaded and shot with great precision, killing and wounding several of the enemy and breaking the collar bone of the man who shot it. At this junture the Indians exclaimed "Umph, a big gun" and ran off, to the great relief of all in the fort.
When the soldiers were in want of salt your grandfather, John McFarland, drove a lot of pack horses to the Saline salt works in Kentucky and brought back as much salt as the horses could carry. The savages were prowling along his path and he did not dare kindle a fire, though he stood in much need of it as it was winter and the weather cold. After the battle of Nickajack the Indians were subdued and father moved to a farm near Haysborough and cultivated the soil, attending strictly upon the ministry of the distinguished Thomas Craighead, a presbyterian minister of much talent. In 1803 he moved to the six hundred and forty acre tract granted him by North Carolina for his services in the Revolutionary war. It lies eighteen miles east of Nashville and eleven miles west of Lebanon, in Wilson County, Tennessee. There I was born, being the youngest one of nine children.
My father raised nine children, all of whom he lived to see grown and married, but two, myself and youngest sister Jane. After father's death Jane married Lewis Lindsay a talented Baptist minister and ripe scholar. My father held an honorable and lucrative office of years, and in 1824 he was confined to his room by a disease that had been preying upon him for years. He calmly and peacefully passed away on the 24th of May, aged seventy four year and four months.
My mother lived twenty one years after father's death. She died in 1845, aged eighty eight years. Her goodness is fresh in the memory of all who knew her. Two of my brothers aided to maintain that independence which a patriotic father assisted to gain under the immortal Hero of New Orleans.
Having finished a sketch of my father's life, I will name a few of his distinguished sons and grandsons. John B. McFarland, M. D., was a graduate of the Philadelphia Medical School. He practiced in Paris, Tenn. Where he married Miss Cook, daughter of Judge Cook of Paris. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1845, but died before he took his seat. His only son, John P. McFarland, is graduate of the Philadelphia Medical School.
James P. McFarland, another son of your Uncle James, who was born in the fort is graduate of the same school and practiced successfully in California and was twice elected by the people to the State Senate. He now lives near Lebanon on the six hundred and forty acre tract granted to your grandfather by the state of Tennessee for defending helpless women and children from tomahawk and scalping knife of the ruthless savages. James H. McFarland, M. D., has retired from the profession and given it to his son, William W., a young man of intellect and fine promise. Dr. Berriman Bilbrow practiced twenty years at Milton and laid down his labors in this life at the age of fifty years. Dr. James Somers of Dresden, Tenn., is a graduate of Nashville Medical College and stands at the head of the profession , beloved and respected by all who meet him. Dr. John Curd, a noble man and respected physician, lives in Green Hill, Tenn. John Somerts, a graduate of the Lebanon Law School, is now chanceller in the district where he lives. I let those who know him decide as to his moral rectitude and his unyielding integrity and ability as a Judge. James M. Lindsay, a graduate of the Lebanon Law School emigrated to Texas is respected for his talents and high moral worth.
Dr. John P. and William W. McFarland and ---Curd are great great grandsons, and all the other named are grandsons of my father, except Dr. H. H. Bethshares who married my youngest daughter. William W. Whitsett, grandson of my father, is now in Germany completing his education as a Baptist minister. He was born and raised near Nashville and is know by many.
I have no son living but Ben F. a youth. I have two daughters, the youngest of whom is the wife of Dr. H. H. Bethshares, a man honored and respected as a gentleman and eminent physician.
(Signed) Ben Manees McFarland
THE McFARLAND FAMILY
Arriving at the age which admonishes me to put my house in order, and being acquainted with our ancestry for two centuries back, I feel it is a duty incumbent on me to give their history to posterity.
Our oldest ancestor that I know of traditionally was Duncan McFarland who was born near Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the father of Walter and Tabby, and Tabby was the mother of the famous Bob (Rob Roy) McGregor. Walter had a son that he called Arthur who went to Ireland and there married Elizabeth Porter, sister of Commodore Porter of revolutionary fame. The fruit of this union was a girl, whose name I have forgotten, and three boys, Alexander, Thomas and John. The latter, who was the founder of our family, was bound for seven years to the hatter's trade. Although his boss was a tyrant, he served him several years, but when he was about seventeen his boss attempted to chastise him with a cat-o-nine-tales, whereupon the apprentice, who was cutting the fur off a coon skin with a round knife, resisted, knife in hand, and the boss had to beat a timely retreat to avoid being cut open by his incensed apprentice. This was a violation of the law and the hatter threatened a prosecution, when grandfather fitted up his son John and sent him to North America. His middle name was Porter, but he dropped it as he was charged with committing a crime, upon his arrival at America, which was before the war of Great Britian with the American colonies. He peddled about a year on dry goods with a two horse wagon.
Grandfather Arthur finally became uneasy about him and sent Uncle Thomas in search of him. Uncle Thomas found him at Charleston and the war coming on soon, they both enlisted, John as Lieutenant and Thomas as Oderly Sergeant. At Gates' defeate the Captain was wounded and your grandfather took command of the company. He ordered his men to stand and fire, which was obeyed, and this delay left them between the pursuing and retreating armies, but he conducted his men safely through.
At the siege of York, a bomb with the old fashioned fuse dropped near him and he instantly cut off the blaze before it reached the power, thus saving himself and others from its ravages. It contained nine pounds of powder, which was used to shoot back at the British. He and Uncle thomas remained in the service until honorably discharged, when they went to French Lick, now Nashville, where father married Nancy Maneese of Virginia, and Uncle Thomas, Peggy Todd of Ireland. Dr. Felix Roberson was the first male child born at the French Lick, and James McFarland, my oldest brother, your uncle, was the second. When Buchanan's Fort was attacked by the indians, father and mother were in it. The number of Indians were five hundred, and there were only seventeen men, with their wives and children, in the fort. During the fight the bullets gave out, and Sallie Buchanan and Nancy McFarland moulded more shot while the fight was going on, and handed them hot to the men. The Indians set the fort on fire, but a shower of rain extingusihed the flames. Providence thus saved them from being massacred by the Indians or burned. There was a blunderbuss in the fort which was doubly loaded and shot with great precision, killing and wounding several of the enemy and breaking the collar bone of the man who shot it. At this junture the Indians exclaimed "Umph, a big gun" and ran off, to the great relief of all in the fort.
When the soldiers were in want of salt your grandfather, John McFarland, drove a lot of pack horses to the Saline salt works in Kentucky and brought back as much salt as the horses could carry. The savages were prowling along his path and he did not dare kindle a fire, though he stood in much need of it as it was winter and the weather cold. After the battle of Nickajack the Indians were subdued and father moved to a farm near Haysborough and cultivated the soil, attending strictly upon the ministry of the distinguished Thomas Craighead, a presbyterian minister of much talent. In 1803 he moved to the six hundred and forty acre tract granted him by North Carolina for his services in the Revolutionary war. It lies eighteen miles east of Nashville and eleven miles west of Lebanon, in Wilson County, Tennessee. There I was born, being the youngest one of nine children.
My father raised nine children, all of whom he lived to see grown and married, but two, myself and youngest sister Jane. After father's death Jane married Lewis Lindsay a talented Baptist minister and ripe scholar. My father held an honorable and lucrative office of years, and in 1824 he was confined to his room by a disease that had been preying upon him for years. He calmly and peacefully passed away on the 24th of May, aged seventy four year and four months.
My mother lived twenty one years after father's death. She died in 1845, aged eighty eight years. Her goodness is fresh in the memory of all who knew her. Two of my brothers aided to maintain that independence which a patriotic father assisted to gain under the immortal Hero of New Orleans.
Having finished a sketch of my father's life, I will name a few of his distinguished sons and grandsons. John B. McFarland, M. D., was a graduate of the Philadelphia Medical School. He practiced in Paris, Tenn. Where he married Miss Cook, daughter of Judge Cook of Paris. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1845, but died before he took his seat. His only son, John P. McFarland, is graduate of the Philadelphia Medical School.
James P. McFarland, another son of your Uncle James, who was born in the fort is graduate of the same school and practiced successfully in California and was twice elected by the people to the State Senate. He now lives near Lebanon on the sex hundred and forty acre tract granted to your grandfather by the state of Tennessee for defending helpless women and children from tomahawk and scalping knife of the ruthless savages. James H. McFarland, M. D., has retired from the profession and given it to his son, William W., a young man of intellect and fine promise. Dr. Berriman Bilbrow practiced twenty years at Milton and laid down his labors in this life at the age of fifty years. Dr. James Somers of Dresden, Tenn., is a graduate of Nashville Medical College and stands at the head of the profession , beloved and respected by all who meet him. Dr. John Curd, a noble man and respected physician, lives in Green Hill, Tenn. John Somerts, a graduate of the Lebanon Law School, is now chanceller in the district where he lives. I let those who know him decide as to his moral rectitude and his unyielding integrity and ability as a Judge. James M. Lindsay, a graduate of the Lebanon Law School emigrated to Texas is respected for his talents and high moral worth.
Dr. John P. and William W. McFarland and ---Curd are great great grandsons, and all the other named are grandsons of my father, except Dr. H. H. Bethshares who married my youngest daughter. William W. Whitsett, grandson of my father, is now in Germany completing his education as a Baptist minister. He was born and raised near Nashville and is know by many.
I have no son living but Ben F. a youth. I have two daughters, the youngest of whom is the wife of Dr. H. H. Bethshares, a man honored and respected as a gentleman and eminent physician.
(Signed) Ben Manees McFarland
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1803 - 1878 (75 years)
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