William McFarland
William McFarland was born around 1792 in Cappagh Parish, Ireland, to William McFarland and Jane Brown. He immigrated to America around 1812 and settled in Providence, Rhode Island. He manufactured cotton goods for the Providence Dye House, and he eventually became a United States citizen. He married Sarah Moore, and they had nine children, including: John, born around 1816; William, born around 1820; Sarah, born around 1824; Margaret, born around 1826; Parker, born around 1826; Thomas, born around 1829; Emily, born around 1830; and Robert, born around 1832.
The family eventually moved to Washington County, Pennsylvania, and they settled in Marshall County, Virginia (present-day West Virginia), in 1834. McFarland worked as a weaver and farmer, and he served as a local sheriff, school commissioner, and Justice of the Peace. He remained fiercely loyal to the Union during the Civil War, and he served as a delegate to the Wheeling Convention, where he supported the creation of West Virginia. As he explained in 1861, “Western Virginia will attend to her own business in her own way. Secessionism, Treason, & Rebellion shall be wiped out, and the glorious old flag of our Union shall wave in triumph.” He died in Marshall County on August 18, 1866.
DATABASE CONTENT
| (1361) | McFarland, William | 1792 | 1866-08-18 |
- Conflict Side: Union
- Role: Civilian
- Rank in:
- Rank out:
- Rank highest:
- Gender: Male
- Race: White
Documents - Records: 3
People - Records: 1
- (1362) McFarland, John J. is the [child of] (1361) McFarland, William
Places - Records: 2
SOURCES
Portrait and Biographical Album of Linn County, Iowa (Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887); Guide to the McFarland-Hall-Beck Families Papers, 1772-1928, University of Pittsburgh Digital Collections, available from digital.library.pitt.edu; William McFarland to John T., 5 December 1861, Nau Collection.
