| Notes |
- Mary Helen Haines notes:
This is a transcription of a summary of her life made by Mary Jane Harper McFarland:
Born at Knights Prairie, Hamilton Co. Ills.
0-1 yr.
2 yrs.
3 "
4 " went with parent to Putnam Co. Tenn the visit the home of my parent (Putnam was created in 1854 from part of Jackson Co. TN, bordering White Co.)
5 "
6 " started to school taught in a little log house in Moores Prairie
7 "
8 " Beginning of civil war parent sold out and started to Tex
9 " six week week on the road landed in Ellis Co. near Waxahachie
10 lived in the Boyd Home
11 moved to the McKnight Home
12 Mother's grandfather and father traded belongings in Ellis Co. for place near Bartley. (where both are buried)
13 went to school at Walker school house
14 my father died Dr. Harper 8 months old
15 my Grandfather died
16 My Mother an 6 children worked our best
17 went to school every day we could
18 I went to school no more
19 helped mother with the little children and made the best of life we could
20 --agreed to marry some time soon which I did 6 days before I was 20
21 went to housekeeping Sam came
22 well settled and happy
23 Betsy came got a nice working stove
24 took care of children and helped Daddy build a new kitchen
25 Florence came
26 got a sewing machine
27
28 Mary came
29 continued to care for the children Daddy bought a thrasher...(can't read this)
30 Tenn came
31 was Baptized
32 Grandfather Died
33
34 Build the new house Moved over to town bought the piano moved back Sam went to Campbell
Flowers for the Living by Vivian Kean
MRS. MARY JANE MCFARLAND
I have as a subject to Mrs. Mary Jane McFarland. So closely has she been associated in actuality, and in the writer's mind with her deceased husband, Mr. James F McFarland, that the thought of one suggest the other; so I must be pardoned if, in writing of one, the other is frequently mentioned.
Mrs. McFarland was born near McLeansboro, Hamilton County, Illinois. February 26, 1852, and was named Mary Jane Harper. At the age of nine years, the Harper family, father, mother, for children left: no way and in a covered wagon started for taxes over a sparsely settled County, during the Civil War, consuming a month and a half of travel time. The family passed through the little towns of Sherman and Dallas and located for something like a year in Ellis County. Thereafter Mr. Harper bought some land in Fannin County; where he settled his family before joining the Confederate colors. Mr. Harper was unable to communicate with his family during his entire service in the war.
Mrs. McFarland's schooling consisted of attending log schoolhouse is. Some of her schoolmates are known to all of us - Mrs. Wiley Hulsey, Mrs. Clem Swearingen, Mr. Joel Hulsey, Mr. JF McFarland and Mr. John E McFarland and Judge Sherrill of Greenville. Both Mr. and Mrs. McFarland were taught, baptized and married by Rev. Tom R Burnett. Mr. McFarland has often said that he was attracted to Mrs. McFarland because she could excel him and their studies at school. They were married in 1872, and while everyone knows in a general way of the success of their union from the standpoint of both happiness and in a material way, let it be known that in the beginning they had merely love and trust to promote happiness, and in material possessions a one-room box house, and practically no furniture. What the bride lacked in a modern kitchen was exactly everything known to the kitchen except apprised skillet, oven and roast her, the luxury of a cook Stow awaiting a more prosperous day. Here, this couple lived for a number of years, and from here Mr. and Mrs. McFarland moved to what is known as the old McFarland place 6 miles northwest of town. In 1902 they moved to Ladonia, where Mrs. McFarland yet lives and where Mr. McFarland died in 1917.
That short sketch covers a period of three score years and ten. How inadequately it covers it! How in the gloriously can mere dates express the hard work, the saving, the figuring, the deprivations, the fatigue of mind and body of a mother, bearing and raising to useful maturity nine children! And under such conditions! In the earlier days they had the bare necessities - No telephone, no modern kitchens, no cooks, no housekeepers, nor any of the things that makes the lot of the housewife easier. As a farmer prospered the lot of the wife became harder - farmhands to cook for, chickens to feed, house to milk!
Few women have enjoyed so complete a partnership with her husband has had Mrs. McFarland. So completely has she been the confidant of Mr. McFarland that when he had a bothersome question of business to decide, he often remarked," I'll have to consult Mary Jane about that."
The accumulation of property by Mrs. McFarland was a means to an end and the end was the proper education of their children. She has always been a devoted mother who sacrificed never disciplined person mentality. Hers has been rather a devotion that caused her to see their needs, map out a policy for them, and carry out that policy regardless of for her deprivation, a sentiment mixed with more than ordinary amount of perspicacity, commonly called "horse sense."
Mrs. McFarland is able to attend to her own business, and she attends to her affairs without advice. She comes and goes from home at her own pleasure. These latter days are largely filled with visits to her grandchildren him she insist upon spoiling, much to the amazement of her own children, who remember her strict supervision over their own conduct.
Mrs. McFarland is a woman of good address, a pleasant acquaintance, and unselfish friend, a devoted Christian.
It is Mr. and Mrs. McFarland's kind that are the backbone of this country. Such people brought Texas out of the wilderness and each generation as such bear the torch of civilization a little farther onward.
Mrs. McFarland has a competency fairly won, and unenvied by any. It is what has been left over after rearing of four grown sons and five grown daughters, all educated, upright citizens, a credit to any community, and without a proverbial black sheep among them.
This is a transcription of a summary of her life made by Mary Jane Harper McFarland:
Born at Knights Prairie, Hamilton Co. Ills.
0-1 yr.
2 yrs.
3 "
4 " went with parent to Putnam Co. Tenn the visit the home of me parent (Putnam was created in 1854 from part of Jackson Co. TN, bordering White Co.)
5 "
6 " started to school taught in a little log house in Moores Prairie
7 "
8 " Beginning of civil war parent sold out and started to Tex
9 " six week week on the road landed in Ellis Co. near Waxahachie
10 lived in the Boyd Home
11 moved to the McKnight Home
12 Mother's grandfather and father traded belongings in Ellis Co. for place near Bartley. (where both are buried)
13 went to school at Walker school house
14 my father died Dr. Harper 8 months old
15 my Grandfather died
16 My Mother an 6 children worked our best
17 went to school every day we could
18 I went to school no more
19 helped mother with the little children and made the best of life we could
20 --agreed to marry some time soon which I did 6 days before I was 20
21 went to housekeeping Sam came
22 well settled and happy
23 Betsy came got a nice working stove
24 took care of children and helped Daddy build a new kitchen
25 Florence came
26 got a sewing machine
27
28 Mary came
29 continued to care for the children Daddy bought a thrasher...(can't read this)
30 Tenn came
31 was Baptized
32 Grandfather Died
33
34 Build the new house Moved over to town bought the piano moved back Sam went to Campbell
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1852 - 1935 (83 years)
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