1862 - 1909

Charles Blair McFarland was one of the first children to be born in West Weber, on April 8, 1862, when the settlement was just three years old. His parents, Archibald and Isabella McFarland were then struggling to clear, plow and get water from the Weber River onto the parched but virgin land and had few of the comforts of life. He spent his childhood surrounded by pioneer conditions.

Charles formal education was somewhat limited because of limited opportunities, but he liked to read and became self-educated. He was taught, by his parents, to be honest, industrious, dependable, and considerate of others, and to honor the principles of the Mormon faith.

The boys of his day herded sheep and cattle on the prairie. He said he walked barefoot so much that not even the burrs hurt his feet when he stepped on them. They had fun too, for there were horses to ride and lots of wide open spaces. They made friends with the Indian children and rode and wrestled with them.

In the fall of 1873 Charles father was called on a two-year mission to Great Britain, and a good share of the responsibility of running the farm and providing for the family fell to him and his older brother James, with their Grandfather Mitchell who was then living with them. Charles was only eleven years old and James was thirteen.

Among the neighbors who came to live in West Weber was the family Or Thomas Etherington. Charles and his brother James both married Etherington daughters. Charles and Susan Adelia mere married in 1882 and lived for a time in an adobe house on his father's place. Then they bought twenty acres of land in what was called the "West Field," north of a slough which ran through West Weber, and lived there at what is now 1389 South 4700 West for the remainder of their lives. Their first crops were sugar cane, potatoes, hay, grain, and a few market vegetables. Charles, along with some of his brother.., also raised sheep for several years. He owned a section of land on Monte Cristo called Clip's Basin, west of the old herd house qt the head of Beaver, and had an interest also in a township of land there where they ranged the sheep in the summer.

After a time Charles sold out of the sheep business and turned to farming full-time. He bought twenty more acres from his cousin "Whity" Bob McFarland. On this acreage was the original Capt. James Brown cabin, which Charles moved to his home and used for storage. It is still there today. He eventually acquired about 70 or 75 acres Or farm land in West Weber, built a lovely large brick home and became rather prosperous.

Charles was a quiet, unpretentious, even-tempered man with a retiring disposition. ~e loved children and animals and never lost his temper with a horse. He faithfully supported the Church by tithes and labor, especially helping those less fortunate than himself, but he shunned the spotlight and preferred not to take a leadership role. He was a generous donor to charitable causes and could always be counted on to set A good pattern for others.

He took a keen interest in community affairs. He was on the Board of Managers of West Weber Irrigation Company and a member of the Entertainment Committee of West Weber for many years. He was a booster for the sugar factory in Wilson and worked to have the unloading place in West Weber. He sold chickens, pigs, and everything he had to make payment on the sugar stock.

On October 16, 19O9, while harvesting beets in the field, Charles suffered a sudden heart attack. He lived only long enough to get to the house. He was 47 years old. Nine ch11dren survived, Ida (Mrs. Jacob Gibson), Charles Henry, Archibald John, Thomas Lawrence, William Mitchell, Roy, Susan Adelia (Mrs. Paul Grant), Donald Blair, and Sarah Isabelle (Mrs. Claude Rhead), only six years of age. Chuck, Arch, and Roy lived in West Weber for

a time after their marriages, but only I9a and Mitch remained permanently. Charles Blair McFarland is buried in the West Weber Cemetery.

Source:

In The Bend Of The River

History Of West Weber 1859-1976