James E. McFarland    

JAMES E. McFARLAND, banker, Meadville, is a grandson of James McFarland, who emigrated from Ireland about 1800 and located in Chambersburg, Penn., engaging in mercantile trade at that place until his death. One son, John McFarland, the father of our subject, was born in Ireland in 1797. He remained with his father until nineteen years of age, when he began the publication of the Sentinel at Chambersburg, Penn., and, removing to Carlisle, same State, he published there the Volunteer, afterward the Commonwealth, at Harrisburg. His last enterprise was the establishment of the Allegheny Democrat, at Pittsburgh, Penn., about 1824. He was married March 1, 1816, at Hagerstown, Md., to Catherine Eberly, a native of Chambersburg, Penn. He died August 12, 1827. The death of his widow occurred October 10, 1876, at her son’s residence in Meadville, Penn., and her remains were interred in his family lot in Meadville cemetery. James E. McFarland, our subject, is the only surviving child of the above couple. He was born at Chambersburg, Penn., January 4, 1817. When fourteen years of age he was apprenticed to his father’s trade, serving his full time at Pittsburgh, Penn. In 1835 he came to this county and established the Crawford Democrat, which paper strongly advocated the election of George Wolf for Governor. Afterward he became the purchaser of the Meadville Courier and continued to publish the united papers over a period of twenty-five years. In 1840 he was appointed Deputy United States Marshal for Crawford County; in 1845 he was elected Prothonotary, to which office he declined re-election. In 1848 Mr. McFarland was the Democratic nominee for Congress; served as Postmaster at Meadville during the full terms of Pierce and Buchanan respectively. In 1862 he engaged in the general banking business; in 1865 he was one of the incorporators of the Merchants National Bank at Meadville, and accepted the Presidency of the same. Shortly afterward a reorganization of the bank officials took place and he was elected Cashier, which post of trust he has filled acceptably to all concerned for a period of eighteen years. He has served as Councilman and School Director. In 1838 Mr. McFarland was married to Mary Scott, of Pittsburgh, Penn., and to this union were born eight children: Sarah S., intermarried with Dr. T. J. Young of Titusville, Penn. (have two children, David and Katherine); John, who entered the Naval Academy in 1851 (John served with distinction throughout the Rebellion, was rapidly promoted from Midshipman on the Iroquois to Lieutenant-Commander; was in several engagements and was among the first to enter New Orleans under Farragut. He sailed through the West Indies and visited China, Japan and California. He died at his father’s residence, in 1874, from disease contracted through exposure during his service in the navy); Thomas S., residing at Buffalo, N. Y., is a member and Secretary of the Union Oil Company of Buffalo, married to Miss Fanny Otterstater, of Meadville (have three children, Frank, Adelaide and John) ; Katherine (deceased); James E., Jr., Assistant Cashier Merchants National Bank, also member of the firm of McFarland & Co., of Meadville Bottling Works; Elizabeth S., married to William S. McGunnegle, of Meadville (have two children, George K. and James); Mary, married to G. W. Delamater (have two children, Susan and James Scott); Anna (deceased). Time has dealt kindly with Mr. McFarland, and although past three score and a half years of age, and considering the labor he has undergone and his active business life, his health and vigor and mental capabilities remain unimpaired.

History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania: containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men, biographies, history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1885, page 750-751

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