| Notes |
- Mary Helen Haines notes:
Mary Arabella would have been named for Arabella Benson Hulsey, wife of Joel Hulsey, and a close friend to James Franklin and Mary Jane Harper McFarland. Written in the family bible as Mary Belle McFarland. Often referred to by family as Marie. When listed in the Ladonia graduating class of 1897, she was Marie M. McFarland. She graduated with Boothe Merrill, C.E. Fuller, Emma Jones, Gussie Wingo, and Jessie Hatson.
From p. 96 of Lola McFarland Hill's book:
MARY ARABELLA MCFARLAND -Married to Rev. W. P. Jennings. She was the 10th child of James F. and Mary Jane McFarland, born, Jan. 28, 1879, five miles N of Ladonia, Texas. Among her early recollections are her teachers, Mr. Armstrong, Miss Hockaday and Miss Willie Skinner. and the excitement of the new "surrey with the fringe on top", the new piano and the new carpet for the parlor. She graduated from the Ladonia High School in l897 and her dearest friend was Emma Jones. She graduated from Carlton College in Bonham in 1898. She was a charming, attractive, vivacious girl and had many very attentive beaux and suitors. She remembers that she was the maid of honor in her sister Florence's wedding and that she had a serious romance that ended in a broken engagement in 1900. Those were the days when a father's (opinion was) considered with great respect and the dutiful children did not doubt that "father knows best." She assisted Mr. Neely Holt as teacher at Woods School House for one year. Through a mutual friend Rev. Schoonover, she was introduced to Walter Perry Jennings a young minister who had recently come to Texas from Missouri. This culminated in marriage Sept. 6, 1902 and they established their home in Hillsboro where he was pastor of the Christian Church. As the young bride drove away from her father's home her father turned away, and to hide his emotion said: "Only a woman could do a thing like that - leave all of us who love her so, and go a way with someone she has known such a little while." - It was a wise choice she made and from that moment "Brother Walter" was a very dear and close member of the family. In her new role as housewife in the manse, she excelled in many ways. Always her love, concern and loy¬alty to her family were expressed with such generosity and selflessness that she maintains a position with both young and old of highest esteem and devotion. She lived in seven towns where her husband was minister and she counts in the hundreds the men and women who enjoyed her friendship and who credit her with as much spiritual inspiration as if she were an ordained minister. Among the periods of time in which she and her husband shared their home and hospitality of which there was a great need at such a time were the months when her sisters Florence and Lola were with them in Taylor, - ¬Tennie in Amarillo, when "Little Anne" was born at her house in Fort Worth- when Sam and Jewel and Jim and Lyle first went to Lubbook - when Bakie was married - and on and on. She also shared her children with the grandparents and adoring uncles and aunts. After her husband's death, Apr.14, 1944 she has maintained her home in Lubbook. She gave two years as matron in Foster Hall, TCU. Her daughters, Louise, Grace and Jean Shelley, the grand children and the great grand ohildren oon¬sider it a privilege and a pleasure to keep close contact with one who is now in her 89th year and is still a happy, genteel, loving and oonsiderate person. Were it not for her and the cooperation of her daughters throughout the years, the famous family reunions might never have occurred. Long may she live! (Added on this page by pen: Died: Sunday Dec. 15, 1974 - Lubbock. Buried City of Lubbock Cemetery)
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1879 - 1974 (95 years)
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