Robert McFarland (1779 - 1866)

Born 27 Dec 1779 in Berkeley County, Virginia, USA

Husband of Anna (Main) McFarland — married 1803 in Ohio

Descendants

Died 5 Feb 1866 at age 86 in Richland County, Ohio, USA

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Biography

Previous to 1831 Robert McFarland lived in Loudon County, Virginia, Frederick County, Maryland, and probably in some counties of West Virginia along the Potomac River, then part of Virginia. A Journeyman shoemaker by trade, he never stayed long in one place and frequently moved his family from place to place. he was a very strong man, over six feet tall, and weighing over 200 pounds. In those rough frontier days he was the hero of many village scrimmage. He was converted in middle age, and with his wife, Anna, joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1831 moved by wagon to Washington Township, Richland Co., Ohio near the discontinued post ofice of Barnes. This is now part of Mansfield, OH. Boat Hill Farm, so named because a large hill there resembles a boat was purchased by Robert McFarland in 1832. (Robert is the 1st son of William McFarland & Nancy Kilgore.) Robert's 3rd son, George, and his grandson Samuel also held land in the same vicinity. 13 children.

Nov. 29, 1831, Robert McFarland bought 80 acres of Virginia Military school land of John K. Barnes for $500. This was the south 1/2 of northeast 1/4 section 1, of Washington Twp. He and his family lived with his son John the first winter, and moved onto the land in the spring of 1832. His sons did the farming while he confined himself entirely to shoemaking. His sons, William, John and Isaac had also learned the trade with him. About 1840 his brother William McFarland, from Indiana, visited the settlement in Richland Co. William McFarland was an ardent Abolitionist, and had already left the Methodist Episcopal church on account of its position on the slavery question, and had joined the Wesleyan Methodists. This was just before the Methodist church was itself divided into two bodies by the slavery issue. As a result of his visit to Washington Township, Robert McFarland and wife and his son George and his wife, and other members of the family left the Methodist Episcopal church and joined the Wesleyan Methodists. Anna Mehn McFarland had an older sister Susannah, b Sept. 29, 1776, who married Samuel Bowden. These two families live together for many years in the same house in Virginia and Maryland, and the two families moved to Ohio at about the same time. As a result two intermarriages took place. Wm. McFarland married Catherine Bowden and John Bowden married Mary McFarland. Susannah Main Bowden died at Hermon, ILL., June 9, 1844. 
 Children

1. William Mch. 30, 1803. April 29, 1879 Katherine Bowden

2. John Mch. 31, 1804 Sept. 12,1896 Sarah Schlosser

3. George Oct. 29, 1805 April 24, 1894 Mary Schlosser

4. Rosannah Dec. 27, 1806. ———— 1818.

5. Mary Sept. 6, 1808. Oct. 14, 1845 John Bowden

6. David May 17, 1810 June 20, 1876 Eliz’b’th Schlosser

7. Isaac April 10,1812. April 26, 1869. Eliza Sirpless

8. Elizabeth Oct. 8, 1814 1850 (?) Nathan Barnes

9. Susannah Jan. 5, 1817 July 19, 1901 Samuel Kase

10. Nathan April 16, 1819 Oct. 6, 1877 Eliza Smith

11. Frederick Aug. 22, 1820 1822

12. Hiram Sept. 7, 1822 April 19, 1897 Harriet Sirpless

13. Daniel April 9, 1826 Oct. 30, 1863 Julia A. Watson

Sources

• McFarland, Joseph, M.D., historian. 1912. "The Book of the Generations of William McFarland and Nancy Kilgore-1740-1912". Edward Norton Cantwell, Publ., Dundee, Illinois.

• Find A Grave: Memorial #50595171
• Burial: Washington Village Cemetery, Little Washington, Richland County, Ohio
• Photo: Has a photo of gravestone on gravesite

The Book of the Generations of Wm McFarland and Nancy Kilgore