USA > Iowa > Henry County > The history of Henry county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 83
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83
Samuel McFarland was born August 18, 1824, in Washington County, Penn .; his early education was principally at the public schools of his neigh- borhood, although for some months he attended an academy at Washington, Penn. He was naturally of a studious turn of mind, and is reported as having applied himself diligently and successfully to his studies. Early in his life he started westward to find his future home. He had many of the traits of a successful business man already, and was engaged in different brief husiness ventures, having been successful in most of them up to the year 1854, when he removed to the city of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, of which city he remained a citizen up to his death.
Upon his taking up his residence in that city, he was recognized as one of her leading citizens, and thereafter no public enterprise was engaged in without valuable assistance from him, and every public improvement found in him an energetic friend.
About the year 1834, he was admitted to the practice of law, and, in 1836, he formed a law partnership with Hon. S. G. Palmer; on his retirement from that firm in 1858, he entered into a law partnership with Hon. T. W. Woolson, with whom he was associated until his death.
About the year 1854, Mr. McFarland became, in addition to his other duties, interested in the ownership of the Mount Pleasant Observer, a weekly newspaper published at Mount Pleasant. Mr. McFarland assumed editorial control, and soon exhibited decided ability as a journalist. The paper pros- pered well under his management and took high standing among the newspa- pers of the State. About 1857, he sold out his interest to the proprietor of the Home Journal (a newspaper then also published in that city), in which paper the Observer was soon merged.
As a lawyer he showed diligence in preparation, a frankness and wisdom in the management of his clients' cause, and devoted faithfulness to the interests committed to his charge, and stood among the leaders at the bar of his county.
His political attachments were with the Republican party. Previous to the organization of that party, he took comparatively little interest in political matters. But when, as he thought, the interests of freedom among men and the rights of freemen demanded that the principles laid down as the corner- stones of that party should have the indorsement of the nation's voice, he threw himself earnestly into the struggle, and by pen and speech from the beginning identified himself with all the movements of that party. In the Presidential elections of 1856 and 1860, he was a constant, indefatigable worker. And the company which he led into the military service sprang out of the "Wide- awake" organization in 1860 in his county, of which he was the commanding officer. In 1857, he was elected to the Iowa Legislature from his (Henry) county, and by a large vote was elected Speaker of the House, a position which he filled with great credit to himself and acceptability to the members, the customary vote of thanks accorded him at the close of the session having the hearty and unanimous support of the members of both political parties.
When the news flashed over the wires of the rebel attack on Sumter, Mc- Farland was one of the master spirits in his vicinity, not only in the raising and fitting-out of volunteers, but also in bringing and keeping the popular feel- ing in complete harmony with the line of action entered upon by. the Admin- istration which had come into power. And in August, 1861, having obtained
666
DIRECTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
the consent of his company, he tendered it for the military service of the United States. On the 8th day of August, he was notified that his company was accepted. The company made their rendezvous at Camp Mcclellan, Dav- enport, Iowa, where, October 15, 1861, they were mustered into the service, McFarland having received the unanimous vote of his company for its cap- taincy.
It would exceed the limits permitted for this sketch were we to trace in detail his course in the service. We may say, however, that his company, which became Company G of the Eleventh Iowa Infantry, did its full share of service, and received its full share of exposure and hardship. The regiment, . and Company G of that regiment, are specially mentioned in different reports, for the bravery, courage and endurance shown by them. The first heavy engagement the company was engaged in was that of Shiloh, or Pittsburg Landing, at which the company lines were badly shattered, a number of the rank and file being killed and wounded; and when having borne the heavy fire of the enemy the company lines were re-formed at the river-bank to which they had retreated (with our other troops) when overpressed and out of ammuni- tion, there remained but a small fragment of what had been in the morning a strong, manly line. In this engagement, as shown by the correspondence of his men, Capt. McFarland was ever on the alert, at the head of his line and wherever his presence might be most effective. And when one of his men had been struck down by the fire of the enemy in the early part of the fight, his." gun, in the hands of the brave Captain, continued to do full duty during the rest of the day.
In August, 1862, Capt. McFarland was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Nineteenth Iowa Infantry and immediately placed himself at the head of the regiment, the Colonel having been detailed for post duty. How he led the regiment and nobly did his duty, the records of that portion of the war well disclose. The regiment was upon the Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas frontier in the most difficult, arduous and dangerous part of the service.
Col. McFarland was at the head of his regiment in all the engagements in which it participated up to the date of his death. To minutely state those engagements would require space not here permitted. To every person in any- wise familiar with the fighting the campaigns in that region, it is only necessary to name the region and date to know that there was continuous work, and work attended with danger and death constantly occurring.
Col. McFarland's last battle was that of Prairie Grove, Ark., where lie met his death December 8, 1862. The Nineteenth Iowa went into battle 500 strong. It came out with a loss of 45 killed outright, and over 150 wounded, many of them fatally, showing that nearly every other man in the regiment that day was killed or wounded.
In the progress of the battle, which we are unable here to give in full, a battery located on a hill was doing deadly duty upon our men, and also afford- ing great protection to the enemy, who were forming under its cover. The Nineteenth Iowa and Twentieth Wisconsin were ordered to take that battery and hold it at all hazards. The official report states that " the Nineteenth Cavalry, Lieut. Col. McFarland, advanced up the hill steadily and across the orchard, back of the house, where the Twentieth Wisconsin gave way, the Nineteenth still advancing to the fences adjoining the woods where the enemy who lay concealed, arose to their feet three regiments deep, pouring destructive fire on us from three sides, which caused the regiment to fall back to the battery.
667
DIRECTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Col. McFarland at this point fell, his horse and himself being killed at the same moment." His body, afterward recovered, showed that nine musket-balls had pierced his body through and through. His body was subsequently brought to his home at Mount Pleasant, where a suitable monument marks his last rest- ing-place.
Thus died an honest citizen, a faithful lawyer, an able legislator and a brave soldier. Brig. Gen. F. J. Herron, in command of the brigade in which was the Nineteenth Iowa, writing of his death nses these words: "Iowa has furnished many noble soldiers, many heroes to the cause, and bright among that list stands the name of Lieut. Col. Samuel McFarland. He was a gentleman, a Christian and a gallant soldier."
The Tenth Iowa (his former regiment) passed feeling resolutions on the event of his death, as did also the staff of that regiment and of the Nineteenth Iowa, while the newspapers of his State, the bar of his county, the Trustees of the hospital with whom he had been officially connected, joined in the general expressions of regret that another man so noble, so good, so full of brilliant promise, had thus been early called from the field of his useful labor.
On April 27, 1858, he was married to Miss Mary A. Woolson, who still sur- vives him (Mrs. Peter Melendy, Cedar Falls, Iowa), with their two children- S. Clark McFarland and Marion I. McFarland.
He filled many local positions of honor and trust in his neighborhood and city. He was for many years a Trustee and the Secretary of the Board of the Iowa Hospital for the Insane. To all his offices he brought the same uniform, gentlemanly courtesy, faithful application and rare judgment. It is speaking within bounds to say of him that, had he lived, his abilities would have brought him into high national positions ; and that his death is not the loss of Iowa alone, but looking forward to what might have been, is a national loss.
Col. McFarland was of commanding personal presence, erect in build and carriage, his height six feet three inches, with physique corresponding, and with perfect symmetry of physical build.
Col. McFarland, in religious associations, was connected with the Presbyte- rian Church, and was a firm, consistent inember and officer of that organization in his city. He is gone. He lived a noble life; he died a noble death.
" Life's fitful fever o'er,
He sleeps his last sleep."
PETER STUCK.
Peter Stuck, farmer, Sec. 36, Canaan Township; P. O. New London ; owns 160 acres of land, valued at $50 per acre; born in Germany in 1828; came to America in 1852; to Henry County in 1854. Married Miss Augusta Courts, of Germany ; had four children-P. Henry, Clara A., Mary W .; Alice died at the age of two years. All members of the M. E. Church.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.