Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Karen D. Foster for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================== U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================== Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. ========================================================================== SOURCE: History of Genesee County, Michigan pub. Everts and Abbott - 1879 Page 180 - 181 HON. ALEXANDER McFARLAN Among the foremost men who have largely contributed to the building up of the city of Flint, the name of this gentleman stands second to none. His early life was a checkered one, constantly struggling with difficulties, which nothing but an indomitable will and unflagging perseverance and industry overcame. He was born on the 14th day of February (St. Valentine's Day), A.D. 1812, in the town of Broadalbin, Montgomery County, State of New York, of Scotch parents. His father died when he was but a year old, leaving himself and another child to the truest and best of mothers, who, like the father, had emigrated from old Scotland, and in whose veins ran the true "blood of the Covenanters" of her native land, and under whose guidance the education of the then youthful Alexander was committed. With the meagre advantages procured from a common district school, and with the ordinary certificate in his pocket that he "was graduated," he became himself a teacher at the enormous sum of ten dollars per month. It was in obedience to the wishes of his father (to his mother) that he and his brother should receive a good English education, and such as a new country afforded he obtained. At the early age of fourteen years he commenced learning the trade, like a distinguished President of the United States, of a tanner, but soon afterwards, becoming disgusted with his new vocation, he went to the city of Rochester, and there became a student in one of the principal seminaries; and during his residence in Rochester boarded himself, and worked for his support each day three hours. Afterwards he taught school for two years, and then returned to finish the trade that he had abandoned, at Pavilion Centre, in the county of Genesee, in the State of New York, and while so doing earned less that a dollar a day, the greater part of which he subsequently lost by the financial embarrassment of his employer. Finding himself capable to carry on his trade, two Scotch countrymen came forward and generously advanced him one hundred and forty-three dollars, and with this small sum he started on the "voyage of life." The business of tanning by strict economy produced a fair profit, and after the expiration of a two years' lease he surrendered it to the owner, with one thousand dollars in his pockets and over three hundred dollars in notes and accounts. At this time the great tidal wave of emigration had commenced from the East to the West. Thousands of active young men, who knew no difficulties and obstacles but what perseverance and honesty would surmount, followed the judicious advice of the then leading journalist of the country, ========================================================================== Page 181 Horace Greeley, and journeyed West, and among the numbers was Alexander McFarlan. The State of Indiana held out seemingly great inducements for investing money in the purchase of lands. A purchase was made by Mr. McFarlan in fee-simple of over a half-section of land situate on the celebrated Tippecanoe River. Like a thousand of similar instances, it proved an unfortunate investment, for, after keeping it for over a quarter of a century, he realized from the sale of it less than one-half he had paid upon it for taxes. Following the pathway made by the early French voyageurs, he traveled on foot from Chicago to the head-waters of the Illinois River; here he took a boat and proceeded to the city of St. Louis, thence down the Mississippi, and up the Ohio to its junction with the Alleghany and Monongahela Rivers, visiting St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh, then small villages and but sparsely populated. The time consumed in these wanderings took money, and with barely enough in his pocket he managed to reach Caledonia, Livingston Co., N. Y., and commenced anew at his trade of a tanner by hiring a building owned by a Scotchman of the name of Alexander Simpson, and, although he was successful for ten years and made money, the tannery caught fire and burned up; and though in pecuniary matters he was a great loser, he soon found himself more than compensated, and not only captivated, but married, one of the owner's daughters, and who, after a period of over thirty-eight years of married life, still lives to be his noble and loving helpmate. After a ten-years' residence in Caledonia, Mr. McFarlan move to Alexander, remained ten years, and then with his family and with the hard- earned accumulations of fourteen years, came to Flint, in June, 1850. He soon afterwards purchased a one-half interest in the unfinished steam saw- mill of G. H. Hazelton. This was destroyed by fire the following year, when, in order to make good his original investment and protect himself, he purchased the remaining interest, and commenced without delay in erecting a larger steam-mill, which ran with great success for a period of twelve years, when it was again destroyed by fire. Again was called into requisition the indomitable will and "nil desperandum" of the owner; a third mill was speedily in its place, containing all the new improvements connected with the business of making lumber. Mr. McFarlan became readily possessed of a fortune at this period, when, for the fourth time, the all-devouring element of fire, after eight years of wonderful success, not only destroyed his mill, but, with the large amount of lumber burnt and otherwise rendered nearly valueless, entailed a loss of over one hundred thousand dollars. Phoenix-like, another mill was built, more complete than any previous one, which is now in operation to its utmost capacity, and again has success crowned his untiring labors. It is fairly estimated that during his residence in Flint his various mills have cut over one hundred million feet of pine lumber. Mr. McFarlan is the owner of large tracts of pine-lands in various parts of the State. Within the limits of the city of Flint he has a very heavy and valuable interest in the First Ward, having become the purchaser and owner of a one-third portion of the Payne property, the entire cost of which was one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. He is the president of the "Citizens' National Bank," and is its largest stockholder. He has been one of the aldermen of the city, and in 1876, the centennial year, became its popular mayor. As an agriculturist, he is the owner of some of the most valuable farms in the county. In all the relations of life "honesty and economy" have been his motto, and these two cardinal principles are seen in his every-day walks of life. Shunning ostentation of every kind, he seeks home for his happiness, and here, surrounded by his family, he finds his greatest enjoyment. His family now consists of his wife and three children--two daughters and one son--and two sons-in-law, the latter managing largely the practical portion of his business. In business matters, Mr. McFarlan is a man of large discernment, of most excellent judgement, firm and decided in his opinions, and, above all, resolute in the execution of his plans, and in all of his principles, whether religious or political, is as firm as the granite hills of old Scotland. ==========================================================================