Clarence McFarren's biography, Bath Township, Clinton County, Michigan

Copyright © 1999 by Jan Sedore. 
This copy contributed for the use in the USGenWeb Archives.  

 

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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY
Page 85-86
CLARENCE MC FARREN
        Clarence McFarren, living on section 10, Bath Township, was born in
Washtenaw County, Michigan, August 2, 1857. His father, John McFarren, a
pioneer resident of this state, was a native of New York, born in Yates
County in 1811, and there he was reared and married. He wedded Miss
Caroline Johnson, likewise a native of that county, and in order to provide
for his wife and himself he followed the carpenter's trade, which he had
learned in early life. In the year 1833, attracted by the possibilities of
the great and growing west, he came to Michigan and was one of the first to
establish a home within the territory of Washtenaw County. He found here
large tracts of land covered with the native forests and he entered a claim
from the government and began opening up a farm. He also conducted a lumber
business, the vast forest of this region affording excellent opportunities
to the lumber manufacturer and Mr. McFarren owned and operated a sawmill.
He reared his family in Washtenaw County and then in 1858 removed to
Shiawassee County, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land and
began improving a farm. Still later he sold that property and took up his
abode in Bath Township, Clinton County, on the place where his son Clarence
now resides. He spent his last days here, passing away in 1888, while his
wife survived him until 1889, when she was laid to rest by is side in Rose
Cemetery. In their family were nine children, three sons and six daughters,
of whom the sons and three daughters are yet living.
        Clarence McFarren was a youth of thirteen years when his parents located
upon this farm. He is indebted to the public-school system of Michigan for
the educational privileges he enjoyed. In this county he attended district
school No. 10 and through the periods of vacation he was actively engaged
in assisting his father in the farm work and later he cared for his parents
in their declining years. Succeeding to the ownership of the old homestead
property he has further continued the work of development and improvement
and now has a splendid farm, on which he has erected a two-story brick
residence that is one of the pleasant features of the landscape. He has
also built a big basement barn and has fenced his place, also divided it
into fields of convenient size in this manner. An orchard of his own
planting yields its fruits in season and the fields return him rich
harvests. Year after year he has prospered and yet his work has not been
without its drawbacks and difficulties. For in 1901 he had a large barn
destroyed by fire. However, he has since built a better one with a
basement. He owns ninety acres of land with forty acres in the home place.
        On the 22d of July 1882, in Bath Township, Mr. McFarren was united in
marriage to Miss Ida M. Thompson, a native of Michigan, her birth having
occurred in Bath Township, Clinton County. Her father, Wilbur Thompson, is
one of the old settlers of the state, coming from Pennsylvania to Michigan
and on another page of this work more extended mention is made of him. One
child has been born unto Mr. and Mrs. McFarren, Wendell, a young man, who
assists in the improvement of the home property.
        Politically Mr. McFarren is independent, supporting men and measures
rather than party, and while he has never cared for office he has served as
highway commissioner for two years and has for twenty years been a member
of the school board, during which time he has done effective service for
the cause of education, which finds in him a warm friend. He believes in
the employment of good teachers and in continually raising the standard of
the schools and he is now chairman of the board. He has membership
relations with the Maccabees and is known as one of the representative
citizens of the community, having lived in the county from his youth to the
present time, during which time he has closely adhered to a high standard
of ethics, living at peace with his fellowmen, treating all honorably and
fairly in business relations and proving loyal to the ties of friendship.