Beckham County, OK - Deaths: Mark Finicum McFarland, 1925 21 August 2008 Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell) ********************************************************************* USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************************************* MC FARLAND, MARK FINICUM (10 Mar 1925, Elk City News Democrat, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK): M. F. McFarland and Mrs. Jenkins are dead, Mr. Ellafritch had a dislocated shoulder, Mrs. Ellafritch and Miss Jenkins are suffering with bruises as a result of an automobile accident which occurred on the Ural road five miles south and one mile east of Elk City, Friday evening. A little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ellafritch was uninjured. Mr. McFarland was driving the car, and with the others, was on his way to a revival meeting of the Nazarine church at Ural. At the place where the accident occurred the road curves onto a bridge over a canyon. Mr. McFarland did not see the turn in time and drove over the brink. Mr. Ellafritch, seeing that he would miss the bridge, grabbed the steering wheel in an attempt to make the turn, but was too late, and the car with its occupants was hurled to the bottom of the canyon, something like fifteen feet. A small beach, or knoll, in the bottom of the canyon caught the car in its fall and had it not been for this it is altogether likely that the accident would have been more serious. Mr. Ellafritch was the first to extricate himself from the wreck and assisted the others in getting out and then went to a nearby house for help. Rev. Gales and Mr. Whittenburg who were on their way to the meeting came by in a short time, and assisted by Mr. Cantrell, the injured persons were placed in cars and brought to the Elk City hospital. While Mr. McFarland was conscious and did not seem to be suffering very much, though he had received a severe blow on the head, it was found he was paralyzed, and when an x-ray was taken it was discovered that his back was broken and there was no hope for his recovery. At his request he was taken to his home, where he passed away at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon. He was in full possession of his faculties, arranged his business affairs as though he were merely going away on a trip, and died just as he had always lived in the fear of the Lord and in obedience to His will. Mrs. Jenkins did not seem to be so seriously injured but her condition became critical Saturday night and she passed away Sunday evening. Mr. McFarland had been very much interested in the meeting at Ural and had attended nearly every night, but always before had someone drive for him. The man who had been secured to drive the car that night was detained at the last moment and rather than miss the meeting Mr. McFarland decided he could drive himself. He was familiar with the car, having driven considerable last year, making a trip to Missouri, Illinois and Ohio. Although he was 78 years old, he was considered an exceptionally good driver. Funeral services for Mr. McFarland were held at the First M. E. Church Monday afternoon and he was laid to rest in the Fairlawn cemetery. His daughter, Mrs. Rose Harris, of Ponca City, Okla., arrived Sunday. The obituary of Mr. McFarland will be published later. Services over body of Mrs. Jenkins was held in the Fairlawn Cemetery conducted by Rev. L. D. Mitchell of the Baptist Church. Four sons and a daughter, also her brother, Mr. Shockley of Rankin, were in attendance. Mrs. Jenkins formerly lived in Sayre and moved here nearly two years ago. (13 Mar 1925, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK): Mark Finicum McFarland was born in Richland County, Ohio, November 28th, 1846. Died in Elk City, Okla., March 8th, 1925, age 78 years, 3 months and 8 days. On May 8th, 1873 he was married to Sarah E. Ohler. To this union were born four children, Ira Arthur and Marion E. of St. Louis, Mo., John L. of Elk City and Mrs. Rose J. Harris of Ponca City, Okla., all of whom are living. After nearly fifty-three years of married life, his death was the first in the family. He was named for the man who opened the first store in Washington Village, Ohio, Mark Finicum. The McFarland family have history of family dated back to the marriage of W. M. McFarland and Nancy Kilgon in 1740. They are a people of long lives, some of his brothers living to the age of 83 and 99 years. His brothers were Samuel, Andrew, John, Robert, George and David. But one brother, David, of Mansfield, Ohio, survives, two brothers having passed away in the last year. He had three sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Davis, Mrs. Rosetta Mentzer and Mrs. Catherine Wilson, but only Mrs. Davis is living, her home being in Mansfield, Ohio. When a young boy he wanted to join the Union Army but on account of parents did not get to do so until he was drafted at age of eighteen. He belonged to the 143D Regular National Guards. He had four brothers in the war, one, John who spent eighteen months in Andersonville prison; another, Robert, who was wounded and crawled into some brush, where he stayed eighteen days without food. Both lived to a ripe old age. Mr. McFarland taught school and worked at carpentry in Richland and Ashland Counties until the fall of 1879, when he bought a farm near Huey, Clinton County, Ill., then in 1891 moved to Centralia, Ill. From 1896 to 1903 he was a city missionary in St. Louis, Mo. He moved to Oklahoma in 1903. He was converted over fifty years ago, and most of the time had been in relief work. At the time of his death he was an ordained minister of the Nazarine Church. CARD OF THANKS We wish to express our sincere appreciation for the heartfelt sympathy and kindness shown us in our bereavement. The beautiful floral offerings were surely appreciated. Mrs. S. E. McFarland Mrs. C. H. Harris J. L. McFarland and family. (13 Mar 1925, The Carter Express, Carter, Beckham Co, OK): A car of people from Elk City who were on their way to a revival meeting at Ural ran off into a canyon five miles south and one east of Elk City on last Friday evening. Mr. M. F. McFarland died on Sunday afternoon as a result of his injuries. Mrs. Jenkins died on Sunday evening. Mr. Ellafritch has a dislocated shoulder and Mrs. Ellafritch and Miss Jenkins were seriously bruised. Mr. McFarland, driver of the car, was 78 years old. --------------------------------------------------- Return to Beckham County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/beckham/beckham.html