Family Files
Randolph County, Indiana
Brown - McFarland
My family first entered Randolph County, Indiana from Wayne County Indiana about 1840. They had earlier been in Darke and Preble and Montgomery and Warren County, OH. Fortunately they changed their ways and spent all of the remainder of their lives in Spartanburgh or Winchester, Randolph County.
THOMAS BROWN (Nov 6, 1792-May 20, 1877 ) was a Pennsylvania Quaker, the son of JAMES BROWN of Lancaster County, PA. He married SARAH RODGERS in Warren County, OH May 15, 1817.
Their children :
JAMES M BROWN (June 22, 1821-______) md. RACHEL HUMPHREYS Apr 29, 1847 in Randolph County They lived all their lives in the County (6 ch).
THOMAS FORBUS BROWN (1822-1919) md. MATILDA BARNETT HALL in 1840 in Wayne County, and went to Iowa (9 ch).
MARY ANN BROWN (1824-1857) md. NATHAN HUNT WILLIAMS (1821-87). They lived all their lives in Randolph County (5 ch)
JOHN ROGERS BROWN (1825-98) md. Rebecca Daily in Grant County, Indiana and lived out his life in Huntington, Indiana. Named for ancestor John Rogers, the martyr.
SARAH ELIZABETH BROWN md. MELVIN PARKER in 1861 in Randolph.
DAVID BROWN (1835-77) d. Illinois.
MARTHA BROWN (1839-90) md. SQUIRE WELKER (1830-85) 1867 Randolph County They lived all their lives in the County. (no ch)
The younger Thomas was a Disciples of Christ Minister. His brother John R was a Brethren minister. Others stayed with the Quakers.
I am interested in the county history. The events that shaped people's lives and in descendants of the above people. I am also interested in life in general. My husband and I have served two 2-year terms in the Peace Corps--one in Tunisia in Africa--an Arab country...and one in Paraguay in South America--a Catholic country. We were appalled at the portrait of Americans that is seen abroad through the lens of the television and are anxious to experience again the qualities that make America strong.
My MCFARLAND ancestors came to Randolph County, Indiana and Darke County, OH about 1815 from Kentucky. They are buried in Jackson Twp.
ARCHIBALD MCFARLAND (1773-1850) was born in Scotland. He md. MARY PHILLIPS (1771-1852) and most of their children were born in Mason County, KY.
Their children were:
WILLIAM MCF (1798- ___) md. FLORA THIBAULT Todd County, KY
HETTY MCF (1800-56) md. JESSE MARSH
JOHN MCF (1808- ___) md. JANE ULLAM 1835, Darke County, OH.
MALINDA MCF md. ZENAS SMILEY 1824, Darke County, OH.
PEGGY MCF md. ELIJAH HENDERSON 1824, Darke County, OH.
JAMES MCF md. SUSANNAH PUDERBAUGH 1832, Darke County, OH.
ARCHIBALD MCF md. ELIZA LEE 1833, Darke County, OH
JOSEPH MCF md. SUSANNA SCHLECHTLY 1838, Darke County, OH.
Several of these families lived near New Pittsburg close to the Jay County, Indiana border. Many are buried at New Providence Cem. My own ancestors are ARCHIBALD and ELIZA. ELIZA LEE bought land in Harrison Twp., Darke County, OH in 1831. I cannot discover why a woman alone was purchasing land at that time. She md. Archie 1833 and she died 1848. Her property was sold after Archie's death in 1867 and distributed to her 5 children (Joseph, Wm. H, Mary, Samuel Jesse, Hillery Green McF).
Archibald McF. had a second family with ELIZABETH ANN FIELDS.
These children were:
Margaret, Lucinda, Nancy, David..others?
I would love to hear about any of the above and will gladly share what I know with all.
For more information about this family contact Dorothy Burt