James Rankin McFarland, son of Archibald McFarland and Isabella Mitchell McFarland, was born December 20, 1859, at West Weber, Weber County, Utah. 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 night and day to keep from freezing. 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 James Rankin was born the following December.

The Indians had settled among them and James 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 at Huntsville to give the Indians a beef each year. He had it killed and cut up for them. The Indians invited James and the other two men to have meat with them. They all put a piece on a stick and held it over a bonfire until cooked. Brigham Young used to say, "It is better to feed the Indians than to fight them."

On one occasion, James went to Coalville with his friends and relatives, On the way home they stopped to camp, and used some old posts that were laying around, for wood. When the fire was about out, a man came and demanded pay for the wood. James had been given a new hatchet, which he prized very much, and he gave the hatchet to the man for his pay, as they had no money in those days.

He told us of the first pair of shoes he had. He was a large boy and while herding sheep, his shoes hurt his feet, as he hadn't been used to wearing them, so he tied the shoes on the horns of a sheep and lost them.

James Rankin 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. Me taught his children to be honest and always advised them to take part in the church organizations.

James Rankin was baptized in 1867, by James Ririe, confirmed by John Martin, ordained an Elder, July 28, 1876, by John J. Hart and married Mary Eliza Etherington April 13, 1882, by Daniel H. Wells. He had nine children, five girls and four boys.

He was a kind hearted man and was always taking food and supplies to the widows and the needy, but never told anyone about it.

During his later years he contacted asthma, but was always ambitious and wanted to help with the work. He was a prosperous, hard working man and one day he was harrowing some plowed ground and the team ran away and threw him under the harrow. It was a terrible shock to him and it almost scalped him, but through the blessings of the Lord, his life was spared, and was able to go about and teach his son's the responsibility of the farm. And they were all glad to get his advice about the crops, and other ways of working the ground and handling the horses and the machinery.

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

He was stricken very ill again in the winter of 1932, and everything was done by his wife and others, but he realized his call had come and asked his daughter, Laura Bell, to get a pencil and paper and he arranged his funeral services.

He died on February 15, 1932. Speakers at the funeral were James B. Hunter, Sam Hadley, Heber Hawks, David Hancock, Bishop George A. Heslop. Singers were: Leland and Elsie Gibson, Roy McFarland, Roy Hunter, David and Amanda Hancock. The grave was dedicated by James Gibson.

Submitted by George Dee and Virginia McFarland

Source:

In The Bend Of The River

History Of West Weber 1859-1976