Lincoln County

Builders: Mr. and Mrs. Edwin A. McFarland

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By Thelma J. McMullen
Lincoln Sentinel-Republican, September 7, 1939

September of this year marks the Golden wedding anniversary of one of Lincoln's pioneer couples, Mr. and Mrs. E.A. McFARLAND, who were married September 4, 1889. This couple, for many years prominent in public activities and honored by a host of friends, are equally proud of the fact that they have lived constantly these fifty years in their present home which was built by Mr. McFarland fifty-six years ago.

At the age of eleven, Edwin A. McFarland, born in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, on September 20, 1860, the son of James and Mary Agnes (Matthews) McFarland, moved to Iowa with his widowed mother where he resided until he was ready to take up law, at which time he came to Kansas alone. His father, a farmer who enlisted in the Civil War with a state regiment at the last call for volunteers, had died on March 7, 1863, of a disease contracted during the war.

Enroute to his home in Iowa in 1871, Mr. McFarland was privileged to observe the smoldering remains of Old Chicago following the great fire which has significant eminence in American history.

Mr. McFarland was graduated from Washington College at Washington, Iowa, in 1880, and while there was a member of the Magnet Debating Society.

Having stopped at Clay Center, Mr. McFarland was informed by an acquaintance on whose authority he relied that the railroad would soon be coming through Lincoln Center and that it would be to Mr. McFarland's personal advantage to locate in this vicinity immediately.

Mr. McFarland opened his law office in December, 1883, nearly fifty-six years ago; and for more than thirty-six years, he has been director and vice president of the Lincoln State Bank. The railroad coming through Lincoln became a reality in 1886 ' one year later than Mr. McFarland's friend, a Mr. Jenkins who was employed by the Union Pacific Railroad in Clay Center, had prophesied. The temporary delay was due to "a lot of bickering by the railroad executives."

A Republican, Mr. McFarland received the office of county attorney through an appointment by the district judge in 1884, and in the following fall was elected, thereafter holding that office several terms  the last time, about ten years ago. He served on the board of directors of the penitentiary at Lansing during the term of Governor Stanley.

Having built a residence in Lincoln, Mr. McFarland sent for his mother, who kept house for him for two years previous to his marriage and who resided in Lincoln until her death, August 25, 1908.

Mr. McFarland's fraternal organizations include the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the Kansas State Bar Association, and has been mayor of Lincoln. For 15 years he served as a member of the local school board. He is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. McFarland recalls that "the old time cowboys had themselves a merry time in the days of the saloon." He saw one fellow trying to lead his horse through a saloon door "to give it a drink." The saddle caused the horse to "stick," and only after some obliging friends removed the saddle was the horse able to enter and enjoy its drinks. To prevent a repetition of the poor beast's "embarrassment," the saddle was not replaced until after the mount regained the spacious out-of-doors.

Another time, Mr. McFarland saw a fellow come out of the saloon and mount his faithful steed  quite unaware that some playful boys had removed the saddle from his horse's back and replaced it in reverse. The innocent pony became the target of fierce blasphemy when it refused to go in the same direction that its master was headed as he rode through town mounted backwards.

Another amusing incident which Mr. McFarland remembers concerns the "Populist" Party which stirred quite a commotion at one time in the political history of Lincoln County. People were seen "swarming" to town from all over the countryside and camping on the side of the old fairgrounds. A parade two miles in length was the highlight of the day on one occasion. Mr. Baker, elected congressman, headed the parade. Some of the "boys," desiring to display their sense of humor, "rigged up a conveyance at the end of the parade and put an old man in it, who sang all the way through town." A Mr. Jackson of Rocky Hill and Mr. Elmer Abbott, anti-Populists, found it necessary to preserve their health momentarily by seeking refuge on the roof of the Saline Valley Bank; they drew up the stepladder "fire escape" after themselves to halt the pursuit of the riled Populists.

The McFarlands have vivid recollection of the old Union Soldiers Parade from town to the cemetery while there were yet enough of the veterans to make the parade a mile long. A Mr. Tommy Hendrick played the fife and one of his buddies played the drum in accompaniment to their marching.

Mrs. McFarland, born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, was reared in Iowa; her father, Mr. William Smith, moved his family to Kansas February 29, 1884. Mrs. McFarland and other members of the family suffered acute pangs of homesickness for Iowa the first few months after having moved to Kansas, but new friends and new interested inevitably eased the pain of leaving familiar faces and surroundings behind.

For a short time after coming to Kansas, Mrs. McFarland attended the first school built in Lincoln ' a small two-story stone building situated slightly west of where the Central School is located. Later she attended college in the old Baptist Church which one stood on the present site of The Holiness Church; Mr. Tenney who later became the father-in-law of one of Mrs. McFarland's classmates, Mrs. Charles Kilmer, was the first professor to teach in the Baptist church. The First Christian church, which was responsible for the college, later had a stone building erected that has since been replaced by the modern high school building on the hill overlooking Lincoln from the south. A shrewd fellow by the name of Whitaker was the first professor in the stone building known as the Kansas Christian College.

Mrs. McFarland first taught in the old school that she had attended for a short time; before the first high school of Lincoln  which also accommodated the grades, now known as Central School ' was built, the little old school became so crowded that they were compelled to hold just half-day sessions. Mrs. McFarland taught the grades in the high school building immediately following its completion.

Mrs. McFarland has been a consistent worker in Presbyterian church circles, and has gained local prominence in the WCTU for which she has received just recognition from the county and state.

Mr. and Mrs. McFarland are the parents of four sons, of whom they are justly proud. James H., 48, is a lawyer in Chicago; Louis E., 43, is superintendent of the experimental farm of the California Agricultural School at San Luis Obispo, California; Ralph S., 39, a lawyer, is located with his brother in a law office in Chicago; and Eugene A., 33, is superintendent of the Dodge City High School. Louis and Ralph both served in the World War.

Hearty congratulations and all good wishes are hereby extended to this bride and groom of fifty profitable years.

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