| Abstract: |
William C. McFarland (b. 1838-?) was born in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, of Scots-Irish extraction. He was a descendant
of the McFarlane Clan of Loch Sloy, Scotland. He was educated in Pennsylvania, and taught in Kentucky from 1859-1861. He then
attended Ohio State and Union Law College of Cleveland, Ohio, graduating with a degree of A.B. In 1862 McFarland practiced
law in Cleveland until 1864, when he joined the Quartermaster's Department of the Union Army at Nashville, Tennessee. He resumed
his law practice in Cleveland after the war. He was elected by the Republican Party as a representative from Cuyahoga County
to the Ohio General Assembly in 1871, serving until 1873. In 1875, he formed the law firm Critchfield & McFarland, engaging
in corporate and commercial law. It was in business for two years, and following its demise, McFarland traveled to Europe.
He wrote many letters during time spent overseas, detailing his experiences and observations to the Cleveland Herald. McFarland
was a conservative Republican politician. In addition, he was ranked among the most successful lawyers in Cleveland. The
collection consists of anecdotes, articles, essays, newspaper clippings, postcards, and speeches.
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