When we discovered that our sweet, but addled, Grandpa McFarren had a history as fascinating as anyone’s, I was unreasonably surprised. Why wouldn’t he? My earliest memories are of a jolly man who couldn’t remember my name when he saw me. I always got a heartfelt hug, so I didn’t mind, but I guess this is where I got the impression that there wasn’t much to learn about him. Silly me.
As with the Agee family, I will begin at the beginning, as we know it thus far. The further back it goes though, the less sure we are of details, of course. Fortunately a few years ago I discovered a fellow researcher, Bernard Harrold. He is a retired attorney in the Chicago area who has had a passion for genealogy for many years. He is exacting and has the skills, patience, and the freedom to travel which has allowed him to pore over dusty archives in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, to name the primary locations. He descends from the sister of our great grandfather, John McFarren. Her name was Melissa. I was actually able to contribute some assistance to him by finding a couple of crucial items in our mutual McFarren heritage, and so he was kind enough to give me copies of his bound family histories. The early part of this narrative is largely his research, or relates to information that he assisted in finding to substantiate certain claims. I will abbreviate and synthesize rather than copy his work, but I am always happy to share any and all the information that I have. The sheer volume precludes me from writing it all down here.
My purpose, once more, is to simply acquaint you all with our Story, rather than just hand you a list of names and dates, which, though useful, are a dry testament to people’s lives. I hope to give you the flow of this very American story of migration across the continent, of a family of individuals, with a typical American taste for new beginnings, and a capacity for hard work. Obviously they were made of sturdy stuff. But, please note, this is simply an overview with some colorful anecdotes.
IT BEGINS with romantic lore about a shipwreck. I wish I knew if our Grandpa ever heard this story. Obviously, his father had heard it. Our great grandfather, John McFarren, born 1841, was the fourth John in a row. So, as the story proceeds, I will identify the Johns with their birth dates. Progeny who remained in Indiana, where John 1841 was born, passed down this story about his father, John 1792, and his father before him!
"John McFarren's father, John McFarren, a typical Irishman of Scot lineage fled from Ireland and was shipwrecked on the way to America."
No one seems to know if there is any real validity to the shipwreck part of the story, but, do we care? It’s fun to think about. Are you sufficiently confused about which John is which? I’ll try my best to keep it clear from here on.
Bernard Harrold wrote:
"Our McPherrins were Scots who tarried only briefly in Ireland before coming to North America. In focus, the particular brothers who came about 1740 were John, Sr., William, and probably Joshua. John, Sr. and William settled on the Manor of Maske, in an area now located in Highland Twp., Adams Co. (PA) but during John, Sr.'s life it was Cumberland Twp.---Nine or ten years after John, Sr. settled in Cumberland Twp. he was overseer of the poor."
The John he is referring to here as the immigrant from Scotland, via Ireland, is John, born circa 1720. Bernard also mentions that a William McPherrin may be the father of these brothers. Needless to say, that information is tenuous at best. You are no doubt wondering about the spelling. Because of the transliteration of the name, probably from Gaelic origins, many spellings have evolved, even within a family unit.
(So…son of man? How basic can you get without being a Jones or a Smith?)
The McPherrin / McFarrens were Presbyterian, which certainly lends credence to the Scottish origin, rather than Irish, as Scotland was the birthplace of Presbyterianism. Bernard Harrold made visits to, and communicated with, the current Marsh Creek Presbyterian Church, said to be the church that the original John McPherrin 1720 attended. It has been rebuilt since then but they retain early church records, such as a list of founding members.