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52 Ancestors: Week 33, John S. and Nancy (Wilson) McFarland

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John S. McFarland, son of Robert and Elizabeth (Sinclair) McFarland, was born in Delaware County, New York 10 April 18041 and died in New York City 1 April 1844.2,3 He married in New York 21 April 1829, Nancy Wilson.1 She was born in Stamford, Delaware County, New York4 about 1811 and died in New York City 12 July 1844.5

John S. McFarland was serving as a policeman in New York City at the time of his death aged just 40. The New York Evening Post calls him "Capt John S McFarland."3 He was living at 224 18th Street.2 The administration of his estate records "that said deceased has left him surviving his widow Nancy who is a Lunatic and is now confined in the Lunatic Asylum at Blackwells Island as a Lunatic and three children Sarah McFarland John McFarland and Richard McFarland." The children's grandfather, Robert McFarland, would be appointed their guardian.6 Two years prior, on 8 September 1842, his wife Nancy McFarland was admitted to the New York City Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell Island (now Roosevelt Island) by the police.7 She would die just a few months after her husband.

Children of John S. and Nancy (Wilson) McFarland:1

  1. Elizabeth McFarland, b. 1830; d. Aug. 1832.
  2. Sarah McFarland, b. 30 Jan. 1832; m. William Goldtrap.
  3. Richard Mentor Johnson McFarland, b. 15 Nov. 1833; m. Jane Franklin.
  4. John Henry McFarland, b. Aug. 1837; m. Matilda Anna Jones.

  1. Letter from his brother David McFarland (1822-1902) to his grandson Benjamin F. McFarland (1864-1948); transcribed on Find a Grave, memorial 211709098.↩

  2. "New York, New York, U.S., Vital Records, Births 1847-1897, Marriages 1847-1903, Deaths 1798-1900," database and images, Ancestry, Manhattan > Deaths > Deaths Register: Manhattan > 1843-1845 > image 228, sheet 225, John S. McFarland, d. 1 April 1844.↩

  3. "U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930," database and images, Ancestry, New York > New York Evening Post > Death > 1842-1844 > image 263.↩

  4. The almshouse ledgers indicate she was born in Stamford, Connecticut. There are no Wilson families residing there in the 1810 census, nor does there appear to be any Wilson births around 1811. Her son Richard M. J. McFarland's death certificate states his mother was born in New York. It seems very possible that Stamford may instead be the town in Delaware County, New York where the family lived prior to coming to Manhattan. In fact, her father-in-law Robert McFarland resided there in 1810. On the same page is recorded Ziab Wilson. Further research should be done to determine whether a relationship exists between them.↩

  5. "New York, New York, U.S., Vital Records, Births 1847-1897, Marriages 1847-1903, Deaths 1798-1900," database and images, Ancestry, Manhattan > Deaths > Deaths Register: Manhattan > 1843-1845 > image 234, sheet 231, Nancy McFarland, d. 12 July 1844.↩

  6. "New York, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999," database and images, Ancestry, New York > Box 0008-28977, Vol 044, 1844-1845 > images 158-163.↩

  7. Admissions Ledger, 1841-1843, pp. 301-302; Almshouse ledgers, 1758-1952, REC 0008, The Almshouse Department, vol. 103; New York City Municipal Archives.↩