Lauderdale County AlArchives Biographies.....McFarland, Robert 1836 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 September 21, 2011, 3:38 am

Source: See below
Author: Smith & De Land, publishers

  ROBERT McFARLAND, Attorney-at-law, was born in County Londonderry, Ireland,
August 6, 1836. His parents were William and Jane (McCulley) McFarland.

  Robert McFarland was educated at the best schools in Ireland, and was there
prepared for the army, but, failing to get into the Crimean War, he left the old
country in May, 1854, landed in New York, and soon afterward entered Washington
College (now Washington and Lee), from which institution he was graduated third
in the class of 1858. At Lexington. Va., he studied law under John W.
Brockenborough, and was graduated as a Bachelor of Law in 1860. He came to
Florence in April of that year, and, forming a partnership with James B. Irvine,
entered at once into the practice of his chosen profession. April 28, 1861, as
Captain of the Lauderdale Volunteers, he entered the Confederate service. His
company was subsequently organized into the Fourth Alabama Infantry, and at
Harper's Ferry the command joined Stonewall Jackson's Corps, and participated in
the first battle of Manassas.

  Major McFarland knew General Jackson personally, having frequently met him
while in Lexington. At Manassas the Major was watching the progress of the
fight, and heard General Bee refer to Jackson's command in the memorable words
attaching themselves forever thereafter to the great hero of Manassas, to-wit:
"See Jackson's men standing like a stone wall." (General Bee was killed on that
day.)

  The twelve months for which Captain McFarland had entered service having
expired, he was authorized to recruit a cavalry regiment, which he did, and with
a portion of it joined Gen. John H. Morgan at Knoxville, Tenn., and remained
with the redoubtable Morgan until after the Ohio raid. He accompanied Morgan
across the Ohio River and was the first man in the command to leap on to
Indiana's soil. After Morgan's capture, McFarland was assigned by the Secretary
of War to General Cleburne's command, and was with him to the close. He led the
famous charge at Dug Gap, and for gallantry was complimented by the commander.
At Villa Rica, Ga., he was wounded by having his horse killed under him, the
horse falling upon him and injuring him to such an extent that he has never
fully recovered from it. In December, 1864, he was in command at Huntsville, and
remained there until the Federals drove him out in January, 1865. He was finally
paroled at Pond Springs and came to Florence.

  He had no money, and as he expressed it, "no home," and the only clothing that
he had was his much worn Confederate uniform. This he continued to wear until a
Federal officer issued a peremptory order that the Confederate uniform be taken
off. Having nothing else to wear, the Major was in a pretty bad fix until a
friend who was clerking for a Jew volunteered to go his security for a linen
duster.

  In October, 1865, he opened an office at Florence and began the practice of
law, and here he has remained. He at once stepped into a good paying practice;
became popular with his clients and rapidly made a reputation as one of the most
successful lawyers of the North Alabama bar. He was married in March, 1868, to
Miss Kate Armestead, daughter of Fontaine Armestead, Esq., then of Franklin, now
of Colbert, County, and has had born to him seven children, six of whom are
living. Major McFarland, since the close of the hostitilities in which he took
such a prominent part, has openly and at all times, advocated a loyal support of
the General Government.

  He was a Douglas man before the war, and a Union man up to the time his State
had withdrawn, when he gave his services freely, and laid his life, as it were,
upon the altar of his convictions. No man in any part of the State was more
loyal to the South than Robert McFarland.

  He is an active Democratic worker: takes part in all the National and State
campaigns: is a speaker of rare force, has a ready command of language, quick of
repartee, and possessed of the ready wit so characteristic of his race. He was a
delegate to the Baltimore Convention that nominated Greeley.

  He is a member of the Knights of Pythias.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Northern Alabama: Historical and Biographical
Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land
1888

PART IV.
MONOGRAPHS OF THE PRINCIPAL CITIES AND TOWNS IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA,
TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF MANY OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVE PEOPLE.


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