Genesee County MI Archives Biographies.....McFarlen, John R. 1854 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 22, 2007, 3:39 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

JOHN R. McFARLEN. The portrait on the opposite page is that of one of the
representative pioneers and most prominent citizens of Grand Blanc Township,
Genesee County. He is a man who has done much for the march of progress in this
portion of the State and the work of individuals like him cannot be too greatly
estimated, for it takes many hands to perfect and complete a municipality or
Government. Mr. McFarlen is a native of Monroe County, N. Y., born July 2, 1825,
and is a son of Joseph and Evelin (Perry) McFarlen. His father was a native of
Monroe County, N. Y., and was born in July 1799, while the mother was born in
1801. In 1828 Joseph McFarlen emigrated with his family of which our subject was
one, to the then Territory of Michigan, coming hither via Lake Erie through
Detroit and from that point to Genesee County. The family settled on section 15,
Grand Blanc Township, making their home in the woods, where they erected a log
house and in that resided for a number of years, until it was destroyed by fire.

  For many years Joseph McFarlen was so straightened in circumstances that he
was denied many of the comforts that seemed necessary to pioneer life. For the
first three years he had not enough money to buy a cow and was obliged to do
without one. The old people both survive and although advanced in years are
still hale and sturdy and in the full possession of their faculties. On the
advent of the family into this country there were still many Indians about and
also numerous wild animals, against which they were obliged to be on the alert.
The father served in some of the minor township offices during the years that
are past and although he was a Democrat before the war he has of late years been
a Republican. He was the father of three children-John R., Sarah E., who is the
wife of William Hadley; and Harriet W., the wife of Hon. A. W. Davis.

  The sturdy fibre which is brought out by pioneer life and the independence of
character usually found in the descendants of first settlers, early
characterized John R. McFarlen. He was reared to manhood when the country was
evolving from the crudeness of its original state to its present beauty. As a
lad he was taught to guide a yoke of oxen in breaking up new ground and has been
obliged to use as many as four yoke in breaking a difficult piece of new land
where the tangled roots of trees and the stumps would not readily yield. They
had nothing to do with horses for many years, using instead the slow old-time
beast of burden.

  Our subject received his education in the early district school of Grand Blanc
Township, where the advantages offered for higher education were very limited. *
He has endeavored, however, throughout life to make up by individual effort the
meagerness of his early training. September 28, 1853, our subject was married to
Margery Hadley, who was born in New York, and is a daughter of John and Margery
Hadley of Oakland County, this State. By this union our subject and his wife
became the parents of four children, whose names are Eveline, the wife of George
M. Embury; Harriet E., wife of Clark Laymen; Mary E., wife of Sumner Rust; and
Susan.

  In former years Mr. McFarlen voted with the Republican party, but of late
years he has been an ardent Prohibitionist, believing the principles involved in
that party to be those that will lead to purity and efficiency in Government. In
her church relations Mrs. McFarlen is a member of the Methodist Episcopal body
at Grand Blanc. They are active promoters of every beneficial feature in social
life and have a large circle of warm friends. Mr. McFarlen is one of the
representative pioneers and is much looked up to by all who know him. He is the
owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land which is under most excellent
cultivation, and at one time was the owner of six hundred acres but has given a
part of it to his children. His efforts in an agricultural way have been crowned
with success, and he is a fine representative of the typical and thrifty
Michigan farmer.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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