James and Margaret Lamont MacFarlane
2 - i. Jane(2) Macfarlane (Mcfarland) . Born, 1824, in Carnany, Ballymoney Parish, County Antrim, Ireland6. Christened, 1 Nov 1824, in the First Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney, County Antrim, Ireland8. Died, 5 Jan 1910, in Queen Sreet, Ballymoney, County Antrim, Ireland7. Buried in Old Ballymoney Cemetery, County Antrim, Ireland3.
Jane was the oldest of James's and Margaret's six children. She is probably the sister who in 1888 sent their father's muffler to her brother, Jim, in Dakota Territory. She also sent Jim a suit as a present, which included an overcoat, undercoat, vest, and pants. John, her youngest brother, left Jane money in his will of 1894. She and her sister, Margaret, lived with their father and brother, Dan.
Jane and Margaret were the administrators of Dan's estate in 1899. Jim and Mary, his wife, went back to Ireland to visit his sisters and settle the estate in 1900. While in Ballymoney, on 7 November 1900, Jim sold his interest in all the Irish property to Jane and Margaret. This included three farms, two houses, and several cottages at Landhead, plus two homes on Queen Street in Ballymoney. Over the next year the two sisters sold the three farms, houses, and cottages at Landhead. On 1 April 1901 Jane and Margaret left the farm and moved to 9 Queen Street in Ballymoney. About 1905 the sisters deeded the Queen Street homes to their brother Jim's son, John Herbert McFarland, but they continued to live at 9 Queen Street.
Jane, as did her brother Jim, charged a neighbor in a lawsuit. In July, 1900 she brought her neighbor, Ellen Quigg of Landhead, to court for an alleged assault on 26 June 1900. The Ballymoney Free Press did not have details of the case, except to state that the proceedings were dropped, as the evidence was of "an uninteresting and trivial nature."
Jane died at her Queen Street home at the age of 85. According to her death certificate the cause was old age. They buried her next to her parents and with her brother, Dan, in the Old Ballymoney Graveyard, just across the street from her home.
Jane's will of 29 October 1908 was submitted for administration on 4 February 1910. The administrators were the Reverend Alexander Harrison Dill, the minister of the First Presbyterian Church of Ballymoney; and James Tweed, of Ballymoney.
![[First Ballymoney Presbyterian Church]]](church.jpg)
"I give and bequeath the residue of the said money and any other money or property whatsoever of which I may be possessed at the time of my death in equal shares to each of the following children of my deceased brother James McFarland, namely, William James McFarland; Daniel Francis McFarland; George McFarland; Mrs Hetty Smith; and Mrs Jane Ferguson."
John received the houses on Queen Street earlier. Jane failed to mention why she did not include Alice McFarland Tonn or Margaret (Maggie) McFarland Cooper in her bequests.
3 - ii. Daniel (Dan) Macfarlane (Mcfarland). Born, 1826, in Carnany, Ballymoney Parish, County Antrim, Ireland9. Christened, 8 Apr 1826, in the First Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney, County Antrim, Ireland11. Died, 22 Mar 1899, in Landhead, Ballymoney Parish, County Antrim, Ireland10. Buried in Old Ballymoney Cemetery, County Antrim, Ireland3.
Dan was James's and Margaret's eldest son. He was a successful farmer, and he added another farm and property in Ballymoney to their holdings. He purchased the farm from David Foster in 1876. It was to the west of his father's farm. Dan lived at this farm with his sisters, Jane and Margaret, when he died. The Ballymena and Portrush Railroad ran through the north portion of the farm; the Ballymoney River flowed through the west side.
There are a couple of good descriptions of the farms at Landhead. The Ballymoney Free Press, 13 December 1900, page 3, stated there would be a sale of "three valuable farms at Landhead." The first farm, known as the home farm, had a "neat and substantial Dwelling house, and the Office accommodation is ample." The two farms on Kilraghts Road had several cottages, plus another house. The 1901 census had more information about the home farm. The house was of brick or stone; the roof was of slate, iron, or tiles; there were six rooms; and the front of the house had five windows. In the farmyard were a stable, cow house, piggery, fowl house, turf house, and shed.
![[The Mcfarlane House at Landhead]]](house.jpg)
The coroner's report for Dan gives some insightful details about their daily life. They must have been a very industrious family, especially considering that the youngest of them was 69. Margaret's testimony was as follows:
"I am a sister of the deceased Daniel M'Farland. I remember seeing him yesterday ploughing. He left off ploughing about six. When he came home he made no complaint about being ill, but took his supper as usual before going to bed. He went to bed between eight-and-nine. I heard no complaining or moaning during the night. I next saw him about half past six this morning. He was lying on his left-side with the clothes over him as if sleeping. I spoke to him but he made no answer. I called to my sister that Daniel was dead ~ My sister sent to the Rodenfoot for friends."
Jane's testimony was as follows:
"I am a sister of the deceased and I reside in the same house with him. I last saw him alive at his own fire between eight and nine. He made no complaints, and took his supper as usual. He had been working at ploughing yesterday. I next saw him this morning about half past six when my sister called that Daniel was dead. I went up and found he was dead, but he was not cold. I went for John Woodside to send a message to friends at Rodenfoot, and then to Thomas Martin to go for the police. My brother was 70 or 71 years of age and unmarried."
The authorities held an inquest the same day. The Coroner's Inquest determined that rheumatism had weakened Daniel's heart, and that the cause of death was heart failure. Like his sisters, Jane and Margaret, Dan never married. In common with many of the McFarlands, he suffered for many years from rheumatism. He was buried next to his parents in the Old Ballymoney Graveyard.
+ 4 - iii.
5 - iv. Margaret Macfarlane (Mcfarland). Born, 1830, in Carnany, Ballymoney Parish, County Antrim, Ireland 12. Christened, 31 Mar 1830, in the First Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney, County Antrim, Ireland 14. Died, 11 Aug 1917, in Knockans, Finvoy Parish, County Antrim, Ireland13. Buried in Old Ballymoney Cemetery, County Antrim, Ireland3.
Margaret lived with her father in 1885, and resided with her brother Dan when he died in 1899. She retired and moved to the house on Queen Street in Ballymoney on 1 April 1901. She and her sister Jane inherited this home and an adjoining house from their brother Dan in 1899. She was still living there in April, 1911, a year after Jane's death according to the 1911 census. Elizabeth Lamont, who was probably Margaret's cousin, was staying with her. Elizabeth was 40 years old, and like Margaret, never married, was born in County Antrim, and was Presbyterian. Margaret's home at 9 Queen Street was described in the 1911 census as a brick home of eleven rooms, as was her other house on Queen Street that she leased to John Robinson. By 1916 Margaret no longer lived at 9 Queen Street.
Like her brother and sister, Dan and Jane, Margaret never married. She died at Knockans, Finvoy Parish, which is just to the south of Ballymoney Parish. Margaret died at the residence of 71-year-old Thomas Stevenson, who had lived at Knockans since at least 1879. Her relationship to him is not known. She died of shock at the age of 87, just four days after an extra capsular fracture. She was the last to be buried in the family plot, with Jane and Dan, in the Old Ballymoney Graveyard.
6 - v. Isabella Macfarlane (Mcfarland). Born, 1833, in Carnany, Ballymoney Parish, County Antrim, Ireland. Christened, 3 Mar 1833, in the First Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney, County Antrim, Ireland15.
Isabella was James's and Margaret's youngest daughter. The only thing known about her is when she was baptized. Her brother Jim's first daughter, Jane Isabella, was probably named for her. It is likely that Isabella died young.
7 - vi. John Macfarlane (Mcfarland)
16. Born, Nov 1836, in Ballymoney Parish, County
Antrim, Ireland17. Died, 30 Mar 1894, in
Rapid City, Pennington County, SD18. Buried
on 1 Apr 1894, in Mountain View Cemetery, Rapid City, SD
19. He immigrated Jun, 1858 to the United States
through New York City
He married Lucy B. Teasdale, daughter of
Benjamin Teasdale, 18 Nov 1888, in Rapid City,
Pennington County, Dakota Territory. Born circa 1867. Divorce,
Jan 1894, in Rapid City, Pennington County, SD.
John came to the United States in June, 1858 via New York City. Family tradition says that he went west into an unsettled area of the United States. It is also believed that he was in the American Civil War, although this has not been verified. In about 1866 he spent the winter in Pecatonica, Illinois with his brother Jim and family. The next year John returned to Ireland for a year.
In 1871 he took a homestead near Ponca, in Dixon County, Nebraska. At Ponca, he lived near the McKinleys and Currys. Perhaps these families were related to the Macfarlanes. John had business dealings with John McKinley, who was from Manister, Derrykeighan Parish, County Antrim, Ireland. Manister is just six miles from Landhead, where the Macfarlanes lived. Another neighbor in the Ponca area was Daniel Curry, who also was from Manister. Curry later lived with John in 1880 on Box Elder Creek, Dakota Territory.
In the spring of 1877 John left Dixon County, Nebraska. He next settled in the Black Hills of Dakota Territory, where gold was discovered in 1874. He bought the pre-emption rights to a place where the gate to the Black Hills National Cemetery is now located from Thomas Moore for $100. The army took this land for the Fort Meade Military Reservation on 1 or 2 October 1878. After they reimbursed John for the improvements on the property, he settled on Box Elder Creek, Lawrence County (now Meade County), Dakota Territory. This place is just a few miles north of Rapid City, and it is still in the McFarland family.
John went to Ireland for seven weeks in July and August, 1888 to help settle his father's estate. Shortly after he returned he married Lucy B. Teasdale on 18 November 1888. She was much younger than John, and the marriage ended in divorce in January, 1894. John died of Bright's Disease, a kidney inflammation, just two months later. He is buried by himself in Mountain View Cemetery, Rapid City, South Dakota.
(1)McFarland vs. McFarland, File 5649, Circuit Court of Pennington County, SD.
(2)Death Certificate. Ireland, County Antrim, Ballymoney District, 22 May 1885.
(3)3Sexton's Record. Old Ballymoney Graveyard.
(4)Marriage Record. Church of Ireland, Ballymoney, 17 May 1823.
(5)Gravestone Inscription. Old Ballymoney Graveyard.
(6)Census 1901. Ireland, County Antrim, Ballymoney Parish, Townland of Landhead.
(7)Death Certificate. Ireland, County Antrim, Ballymoney District, 10 January 1910.
(8)Baptismal Record. First Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney, 1 November 1824.
(9)Coroner's Report. County Antrim, Ballymoney District, Death of Daniel McFarland, 22 March 1899.
(10)Death Certificate. Ireland, County Antrim, Ballymoney District, 26 March 1899.
(11)Baptismal Record. First Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney, 8 April 1826.
(12)Census 1901. Ireland. County Antrim, Ballymoney Parish, Townland of Landhead.
(13)Death Certificate. Ireland, County Antrim, Ballymoney District, 24 August 1917.
(14)Baptismal Record. First Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney, 31 March 1830.
(15)Baptismal Record. First Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney, 3 March 1833.
(16)McFarland vs. McFarland, File 594, Circuit Court of Pennington County, SD.
(17)Gravestone Inscription. Mountain View Cemetery.
(18)Obituary. Rapid City Daily Journal, 1 April 1894, p.1, c.2.
(19)Mortuary Record. Behren's Mortuary, Rapid City, SD, no.60.
(20)Naturalization. South Dakota, Pennington County Circuit Court.
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