People
HUGH AND AGNES CLARKE MCFARLAND
From 'Fanning the Embers', published 1971, Range Rider Reps, Miles City, Montana
By Mrs. Clyde McFarland and Tillie McFarland Fiegle
Hugh was born June 30, 1872, in Belfast, Ireland, to Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. McFarland. He married Agnes Clarke on June 30, 1898 in Edinburgh, Scotland. In Belfast, Hugh owned a dry goods store, selling out and coming to America. They were met at the train in Miles City by his brother Bill and cousin, Dave Peden, in 1904. They moved to the Crabtree place, later known as the Siedentopf place, now owned by Ralph Forman, and lived there three years. A sister, Susan McFarland Holmes, and cousin, Frances McNeally, joined them there in 1904. Susan is now 91 and lives in Lake Oswego, Ore. For the next three years Hugh and his three brothers, Bill, Bob and Tom, hauled coal from the Kircher mine, with two teams and two wheelers on each wagon. They supplied most of Miles City with coal; also the city light plant. In 1907 they moved to the Chauncey Weaver farm on Tongue River. In 1909 the family lived on the John Broadus place while a log house was being built on the home place, which is still in the family today, where Clyde, Hugh's youngest son, lives. Hugh passed away May 2, 1937, with a heart attack. Agness passed away in March, 1956, leaving the farm to Clyde and IA. C. McFarland. They had 20 grandchildren and 29 greatgrandchildren. Their children were: Margaret Jane married Roy Owen and lives in Lancaster, Calif.; Matilda Loretta married Anton Fiegle and lives in Lancaster, Calif.; Hugh Clarke married Lillian Taylor and lives in Miles City; Agnes Tana married Earl Hanson and lives in Helena; Marcella married Melvin Reed and lives in Billings; Robert F. married Gladys Gregory, he was killed in World War 11; Anna M. married Ben J. Roger and lives in Billings; and William Clyde married Ada Irene Taylor and lives in Miles City. When Hugh passed away Clyde, who was working on the boats in Alaska as a steward, came home and has worked the farm; he was 18 at the time. Ada's parents are Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Taylor of Rock Springs, Mont., where they homesteaded along Uall Creek. Clyde has gone into the bar business in Miles City, the Bison Bar, the former Hobo Jim saloon before prohibition. Clyde and Ada have one son, Micky who married Mary Price from Kinsey. They have two children and live in a trailer house on the farm and manage it while Clyde manages the business in town. Lynn is giving the history of his father, Tom McFarland. I will give Bill's and Bob's, my father's other two brothers. Robert was also born in Belfast on Nov. 17, 1882. He came to Miles City in 1900. He married Minnie Fisher in 1899 in Belfast. They had four children. He married Pearl Powell in later years and they had two children and she had three. He moved to Lewistown in later years and farmed on a large acreage. He also operated several business firms. He and Bill returned to Ireland in 1908. Later he made a trip every two years. He sponsored many nieces and nephews to America. He passed away Jan. 1, 1968, at 84. Bill McFarland, twin brother of Hugh, has the same background history as the other brothers. He ran the cook shack for the miners. He homesteaded on the north side, up Dead Man's road. He married Ellen McNelly. They had several children. Bill passed away in 1921 at Miles City. Ellen passed away in 1965.