William McFarland was born 8 Jun 1795 in Trillick, on the shore of Laugh Erne, Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He was the seventh son of Archibald and Mary Blair McFarland, he was one in a family of eleven children.

While still in his teens William left Ireland and went to Scotland; there working at various occupations and eventually became a drover.

He was married to Catherine Boyd, a widow, in Aug 1820; Catherine had a small daughter, Elizabeth McDonald. To this union two sons were born: the first, Archibald, died in infancy; Charles was three years old when his mother died.

Six years later William was taking a drove of sheep from the highlands to market he stayed one night with the McCormick family. There he met and was attracted to the daughter Margaret, who became his second wife, and mother to his son and step daughter. They were married the 2nd Monday of Jan 1833; Margaret was born 11 Apr 1804, in Fifeshire.

William was always a religious man. However, he was not quite content in the Presbyterian church. He and Thomas Crooks studied and attended all the churches in the area; none satisfied them. William and Margaret first heard of the LDS Gospel in 1840, when her sister Eliza visited from England. The idea that an Angel of the Lord had again spoken from the heavens, made them wonder.

William was baptized 4 Jun 1842 in the sea at Dysart, Scotland. He was criticized by friends and relatives, but his remarkable will power and independent character made it easy for him to pay no attention. He was ordained an Elder eight days after his baptism.

WORDS OF HIS SON ARCHIBALD: "My father was much thought of by his employers and all his fellow workmen for his intelligence and integrity of his heart, but the moment he became a Latter-Day Saint, the persecution commenced and all manner of slander was headed upon him, but the truth had taken such a deep root in his mind that he was as stable as the pillar of heaven. And my mother was a superior woman, full of faith and good works. Duty first was always my mother's motto."

After the death of William's mother in 1847, the family began to plan for the journey to America to join the Saints. The McFarland family left bo'ness 17 Dec 1854 for Linlithgow to Glasgow, to Liverpool. After a delay the family left Liverpool on the ship "Charles Buck" 17 Jan 1855. They reached New Orleans 5 Mar 1855; then up the Mississippi River to St, Louis. An old friend, Alexander Dow insisted on fitting them out with everything they might need for their journey to Utah,

They rested eight days, then went up the Missouri River to Atchison, Kansas (at that time the town consisted of only three homes.)

The Saints gathered and organized for the journey ahead. Richard Eallantyne was the Captain, and William Glover the captain of the guard.

Before leaving Atchison, the Mormon Saints moved out some six miles from the river and "took up" a section of land. The young men of the group fenced 160 of the 640 acres, plowing them and planting corn and beans for the benefit of the other Saints who would follow. They also built several log houses.

They left Atchison 2 Jul 1855; there were nine persons in the McFarland party, William, Margaret; their children, Archibald and his bride; James, William, Robert, Mary Ann and Janet. Also included in their group was a young woman by the name of Jane Pilkingtin and a motherless girl named Eliza Pinder.

The journey to Utah took three months and most of the company walked all the way, arriving in Salt Lake City 25 Sep 1855.

The McFarland's settled first in American Fork, but found they could not get enough land for the family and went north to the Weber Country in the spring of 1859. They bought 160 acres at $5.00 an acre in West Weber from Captain James Brown.

The McFarland's were energetic and took an active part in building the community, they dug ditches for irrigation and built log cabins, schools were build soon after their arrival. They built bridges, roads, a church and fine brick homes. The first meeting for the establishment of a schoolhouse was held in William McFarland's home.

William McFarland and his wife Margaret were loved and honored by the community as well as their family. They had the true pioneer spirit. They laid the foundation for a permanent civilization in the desert. Through their labors, and that of other hardy pioneers, and through their devotion to high ideals and the Gospel which they espoused, there has developed in Utah a type of community life superior to that of most other colonization's.

William was a faithful member of the Church; he was patriarch of the Old Weber Stake from 26 Sep 1880 until his death, 20 Jan 1890.

William was rather a tall man, he lived to be nearly 96 years of age. He lived with Robert and his family during the last years of his life.

Taken from the history written by Ruth McFarland White

Submitted by Jean M. Larsen

Source:

In The Bend Of The River

History Of West Weber 1859-1976