by Laura Bell McFarland (Daughter)

My father James Rankin McFarland was born December 20, 1859 at West Weber, Weber County, Utah, he was a son of Archibald and Isabella Mitchell McFarland. The winter he was born was very cold and their home was an adobe shack without floors or windows. They had to keep fires burning might and day to keep warm. He was the first white boy born in West Weber. His father and mother left American Fork March 10, 1859 and settled on the Weber River and he was born the following Decemebr.

The indians had settled around them and father used to play with them. He would go hunting with the Indians and carry their rabbits for them.

When he was older, He and James Newey and Philip Dance, all of West Weber were herding sheep near Huntsville and it was the custom of the Bishop Huntsville to give the Indians a beef each year. He had it killed and cut it up for them. They invited Father and the other two men to have meat with them. They would put a piece on a stick and hold it over the bonfire until cooked. Brigham Young used to say "It is better to feed the Indians than to fight them.

On one occasion Father went to Coalville with some relatives and friends. On the way home they stopped to camp and used some fence posts that were laying around for firewood. When the fire ws about out a man came and demanded pay for the wood. Father had been given a new hatchet which he prized very much but he gave it to the man for the wood, as he had no money.

He told of the first pair of shoes that he ever had. He was a young man herding sheep and the shoes were hurting his feet as he hadn't been used to shoes, so he tied them to the horns of one of the sheep and lost his shoes.

Father was a very quiet man, but always good to those in need and willing to give donations toward the church. He had a testimony of the gospel and was always honest in his dealings with his fellow men. He taught his children to be honest and always advised them to take part in various organizations.

Father was baptized on 14 of June 1868 and confirmed by John Martins the same year. He was baptized by James Ririe. Ordained an Elder July 28, 1876 by John Hart and married Mary Eliza Etherington, daughter of Thomas Etherington and Sarah Wheeler on April 13, 1882 by Daniel H. Wells. They had 9 children (5 girls/5 boys)

During Fathers alter years he contracted Asthma, but was always ambitious and wanted to help with the work. He was harrowing one day and the team got scared and ran away and threw him under the harrow. It almost scalped him and it was a terrible shock to him but through the blessings of the Lord his life was spared and was able to go about and teach John, his youngest son to farm. John had not taken all the responsibility before, and all the boys were glad to get his advice about the crops and other things.

Just a year or two before his death he contracted Phenomena and wasn't expected to live but through the skilled experience of a nurse and above all the power of the Priesthood, through the Elders, his son Thomas A. McFarland and Bishop Geo A Heslop and others, he was able to be up and around with us again.

In the winter of 1932 he was stricken very ill again and everything was done for him that could be by his wife and others, but father realized his call had come and asked his daughter Laura Isabell Purrington to get a pencil and paper and he arranged his funeral services.

He died on Feb 15, 1932 speakers at his funeral were James B. Hunter, Sam Hadley, Heber Hawks, David Hancock, Bishop Geo Heslop, Singers were Leeland and Elsie Gibson, Roy McFarland, Roy Hunter, David and Amanda Hancock. The grave was dedicated by James Gibson. He was buried in the West Weber Cemetery.