Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1909-11-24

Tn last friday, november ~,
Duncan McFarlane. aged sc, and Sa-
rah. his wife, aged 83, of Greensboro
Bend celebrated their Goth wedding
anniversary. They were completely
taken by surprise when their relatives
and friends began to arrive, some
of the older ones coming in the after
noon and helping to partake of a
bountiful supper which the company
helped to provide. The younger ones
came in the evening, numbering about
100 in all. The evening vas speEt in
visiting, music and games. Two
poems were written for the occasion
and read. Refreshments were served
consisting of cake, coffee, and fruit.
About midnight the company returned
to their homes, the event being one
to be remembered.
Duncan McFarlane was born in Dun
barton, Scotland, Sept. II, 1923, and
came to this country in May, 1848.
During the first few months spent
in this country he worked in a factory
in New Jersey but in the fall he anne
to Vermont and worked for a man in
Glover, clearing land. On Nov. 10,
1849, he was married to Sarah Maria
Patterson, Oldest daughter of Gabriel
and Mary Patterson of Glover. The
ceremony took place at Greensboro
village and was performed by Rev. Mr..
Stebbens. After the ceremony they
went directly to the very place where
they now live, and where they have
lived for 60 years, into a little log
house in the woods, where they spent
nearly all that night putting moss be-
They had only $50 in money to start life
with and had to buy q stove out of
that. In setting up their new stove
they found they did not have pipe
enough to reach the chimney SO put
the stove on nail kegs to make it high
er. They had only n bed, and only
dishes enough for two. When com.
pany came they used their jackknives.
But Mr.. and Mrs. HcFarlane both
went to work with q will, and just
eight years to q day from November -,
1849, they moved into q large new house
where they are still living. Six chill
dren were born to them, two OF whom
died in infancy. Mary, the oldest, n ar
ried VIM. Lang and died Oct. "a, 1901.
Minnie, the youngest, married Chas.
Winchester and died Oct. %, 1888.
jamie married Orange King and now
lives in Glover. Duncan G.. married
Dora Fadden and lives on the home
farm with his parents.
After their marriage Mr.. McFarlane
worked in the woods in summer cut
ting the trees and clearing the land.
Good spruce timber could not be sold
in those days and so it vas burned. He
cut his hay for two or three summers
and drew it in on sleds for the want
of a wagon. In the winter Mr.. McFar-
lane coopered, taking the buckets
L. yYa1,of@ Mor~c,i11o md M1~%~or
to sell.
BY dint of hard work, good Scotch
forethought and honesty, Mr.. McFar-
lane acquired considerable property,
owning at one time three farms.
Again good Scotch rigor gave Mr.. Nc
Farlane, and Mrs. -McFarlane, too,
for her parents were Scotch, con-
stitutions that stand up under
much hard work, and only the
September just past Mr.. McFarlane
dug six bushels of potatoes in one day.
Both are in good health and wear
glasses only when reading, and Nh.
McFarlane is and always has been q
great reader, keeping we'll posted or
all events of the day.
In the early days of Mr.. and Mrs,
t McFarlane's life on this farm there
was but one road running north ane
that was the old stage road from
Montpelier to Newport and this sec
tion of the state, and this road passet
through Greensboro village. There
we're no houses in Greensboro Bend
Being favorably located on this onl.
:. road Mr.. McFarlane early decided tt
I start a hotel and conducted it unit
after the railroad reached Greensbor'
Bend, when it became Improbable
At this hospitable board has sd
many a weary traveller and bee
cheered by the stay.
I Thus have two travellers jourr eye,
on life's road for sixty years, an
reached their diamond wedding ami
versary in health and happiness, tn
/, world having been made happier an
better for their having lived. Ma
their remaining years be as happy a
: those gone by.