Payette County ID Archives Biographies.....McFarland, Arthur Jackson 1839 - 1938 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/id/idfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Patty Theurer seymour784@yahoo.com January 17, 2006, 10:27 pm Author: Compiled by Howard Mason History of First Settlement Along Lower Payette River 1865-1900 Compiled by Howard Mason 1983 ARTHUR JACKSON MCFARLAND A J. McFarland was born in Taberg, Oneida County, New York 29 January 1839. His father, Robert McFarland, was also a native of the Empire State. The parents of Robert McFarland were natives of Scotland. Robert McFarland followed farming in New York until his death in 1854 and his wife Rebecca, also passed away there. A J. McFarland acquired his early education in the public schools and afterwards attended Whitesboro University near Utica, New York. It was his intention to become a physician, however on account of his father’s death he was compelled to forego this plan and take charge of the farm home. He was one of nine children. After his father’s death, he and his brother Robert, bought out the other heirs in the home place. A J. McFarland began teaching school and taught in Taberg until in 1868 when he left New York State and moved out west to the Idaho Territory. His sister Frances had gone to Idaho six years previously. Her name was then Mrs. Toombs. She was instrumental in helping her brother decide to go to Idaho to live, having secured for him a teaching job in Placerville, Idaho. When Mr. McFarland arrived in Idaho he found there was no church in the district where he was to reside, making it impossible for him to attend any religions services. This and a certain degree of home-sickness almost convinced him it was preferable to return to New York at once. His sister dissuaded him from doing so and was helped in her efforts by a new offer of employment for him in Idaho City. This city had offered him a teaching position paying $150/month. This was much better than his job in Placerville at $100/month for teaching six pupils and also much more than his New York salary of $33/month. In 1871, Mr. McFarland bought the store of his brother-in-law, Mr. Toombs, near the Payette River, about 15 miles upstream from Payette and some 50 miles northwest of Boise. It then was called the Payette Store and was on the south side of the river. He operated the store for ten years and then left it and turned his attention to farming. Always anxious to have religious services in the community, he turned his attention also to establishing regular services of the church. He was instrumental in establishing a regular church with the Rev. George Allender as the first minister and thus promoting material progress in the community. Mr. McFarland accepted any opportunity to uphold the moral standards about him. The Rev Allender and his wife were sincerely welcomed by the people of the district. They lived with the McFarlands for eight years. The first sermon ever preached in Payette Valley was delivered in the home of the McFarlands. Then a few people were converted, including Peter Pence and his wife, the D. M. Nickols, C. Johnson and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Bivens, and their eight children, George Hunt and wife, S. W. King and wife, R. Kennedy and wife, J. Neal, wife and their four children and many others. The tract of land, 160 acres where he built his house was his first farm and he added some 160 acres later joining it on the north side of the Payette river. Mr. McFarland has led a busy and useful life. While conducting the store he served as justice of the peace, and while occupying that office he married many of the now old, couples of the neighborhood. Mr. McFarland was always an unalterable opponent of the saloon and has done everything in his power to advance the temperance cause. There was no phase of pioneer life in Idaho with which he was not familiar. He has seen as many as 500 Indians pass his store in a day, when they were on their way to Big and Little Camas Prairies, where the Fort Hall Indians were to meet them to dig camas and cowse, hunt deer, antelope and elk, and fish, and race with their horses. They had an abundance of horses. These Indians were mostly Umatilla Indians. They often sold moccasins and gloves they made from leather they had prepared themselves. These Indians were peaceful and made no trouble. Mr. McFarland made friends with them and knew old “Bannock” and his wife personally. In 1882 Mr. McFarland married Sadie Woodward, a native of Kansas and a daughter of Charles and Evelyn Woodward, farmers of that state. Mr. and Mrs. McFarland have three children, Arthur W., Walter J., and Mabel. Arthur, a farmer in later years, became a Presbyterian minister near Albany, Oregon, had two children, Max and David; Walter remained close to home and has a farm close to his father. He lost his wife but has four children, Verna, Donald, Doris, and Francis. The daughter, Mabel married Mr. S. L. Pomeroy, who is a civil engineer by profession but is now farming. They have a farm in the vicinity of Mr. McFarland, adjacent to his farm. Mr. McFarland is carefully and successfully carrying on his agricultural interests and stock raising, making a specialty of Shorthorn and Hereford cattle. His wisely directed efforts are bringing to him substantial success. His reminiscences of his early days are most interesting. He tells the story that before Bill McConnell became governor of the state, he took a herd of cattle into Boise Basin, at which time the country was full of outlaws. McConnell was warned that he would be held up on this return. This however was a joke being played on him by the vigilante committee unknown to McConnell. The supposed outlaws were stationed along the road. He drew his double- barreled shotgun when he saw them and rode right through them saying to each “Hello, Boys”. Not one attempted to molest him. Mr. McFarland relates that about two miles before Falk Store there is a grave which holds the remains of one of the old outlaws, Casey Stone, who was killed by the butcher when he attempted to hold him up for $100. It was not often thus that the law-abiding citizens had to take the law into their own hands for their own safety. Mr. McFarland has never regretted that he continued a resident of Idaho and did not return to New York. 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