John McFarlane's parents were:
Thomas Lewis McFarlane Sr., b. Oct. 26, 1796 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny county, PA. and d. July 22, 1873 in Jackson county, IA.
Susanna Alexander, b. May 12, 1809 in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland and d. May 12, 1890 in Jackson county, IA.

Thomas & Susanna McFarlane's children were:
1. Margaret Lewis McFarlane, b. Oct. 30, 1828 in PA. and d. abt. 1894 in IA. Margaret marr. Elijah Johnson.
2. Andrew Lewis McFarlane, b. Mar. 3, 1830 in PA. and d. May 23, 1905 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA.
3. Eliza Spark(s) McFarlane, b. abt. 1832 and d. Jan. 22, 1864. Eliza marr. Israel Davis.
4. John McFarlane, b. Mar. 8, 1834 in PA. and d. May 17, 1881 in Ivanpah, San Bernardino, CA. John was marr. to Anne Phoebe Nowland.
5. Anna St. Clair McFarlane, b. Mar. 7, 1836 and d. Mar. 17, 1911. Anna marr. David A. Seymour.
6. Susannah Alexander McFarlane, b. Sep. 8, 1839– (alive in the 1910 census). Susannah marr. Cleveus C. Kendall.
7. Thomas Lewis McFarlane, b. Jan. 8, 1841 in Allegheny county, PA. and d. Jan. 12, 1888 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles county, CA. Thomas marr. Caroline Ann Seeley.
8. Agatha Lewis McFarlane, b. May 16, 1843 in PA. and d. Oct. 20, 1862 in Jackson county, IA.
9. William Alexander McFarlane, b. May 1845 in IA. and d. Jun. 2, 1920 in Vanderbilt, San Bernardino County, CA.

In the 1850 U. S. census, 17 yr. old John McFarlan(e), a laborer (industry unspecified), b. in PA., was living in Van Buren, Jackson, IA. with his
53 yr. old (inferred) father, Thos. S. (L.) McFarlan(e), a farmer, b. in PA.
42 yr. old (inferred) mother, Susanna McFarlan(e), b. in Ireland
19 yr. old (inferred) sister, Margaret McFarlan(e), b. in PA.
18 yr. old (inferred) sister, Eliza McFarlan(e), b. in PA.
15 yr. old (inferred) sister, Ann McFarlan(e), b. in PA.
11 yr. old (inferred) sister, Susan McFarlan(e), b. in PA.
9 yr. old (inferred) brother, Thomas McFarlan(e), b. in PA.
7 yr. old (inferred) sister, Agatha McFarlan(e), b. in PA.
5 yr. old (inferred) brother, William McFarlan(e), b. in IA.

In the 1860 U. S. census, 26 yr. old John McFarlane, a farmer, b. in PA., was living in Township 3 (post office: Keyesville), Tulare, CA. with his
30 yr. old (inferred) brother, Andrew McFarlane, a farmer, b. in PA.
20 yr. old (inferred) brother, Thomas McFarlane, a farmer, b. in PA.
22 yr. old day laborer, William Jacobson, b. in NY.
Andrew's real estate was valued at $1,500 and his personal estate at $1,700.

In the 1870 U. S. census, 36 yr. old John McFarlane, a miner, b. in PA., was living in Township 2 (post office: Linn's valley), Kern, CA. with his
30 yr. old brother, Thomas McFarlane, a miner, b. in PA.
24 yr. old brother, William McFarlane, a miner, b. in IA.
Thomas' real estate was valued at $3,000 and his personal estate at $200.

According to the Western States Marriage Index for 1809-2011,
John McFarlane was married in 1873 in San Bernardino, CA.

In the 1880 U. S. census, 45 yr. old John McFarlane, a miner, b. in OH. (PA.), was living in San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA. with his
30 yr. old wife, Annie Mc Farlane, b. in MO., was keeping house
10 yr. old stepdaughter from Annie's previous marriage, Louisa Mc Farlane, attending school, b. in MO.
5 yr. old daughter, Susan Mc Farlane, b. in CA.
4 yr. old son, Nowland Mc Farlane, b. in CA.
John's parents were both b. in OH. Annie's parents were both b. in MO.
Louisa's father was b. in MO.

Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA.), P. 24, Col. 1
Sat., May 27, 1905
CONCERNING JOHN M’FARLANE
Susie McFarlane Page (John’s daughter) makes a statement of the case of John McFarlane, brother of Andrew McFarlane, whose funeral took place in this city yesterday. She says that in 1881 John McFarlane was shot at by a deputy United States marshal as he (McFarlane) was leaving the mill at Ivanpah where he had been employed as engineer and from which he was removing his effects. John McFarlane, she says, at that time had nothing to do with the property and did not know that others were expecting to take possession of it. She says the supposed deputy marshal never showed his authority at any time to Superintendent W. A. McFarlane and she points to his having run away just after shooting McFarlane as evidence of his having doubted his right to be there. She further says that John McFarlane had been a friend of the deputy, having given him his first position as engineer. In conclusion she says that as to the exoneration of the deputy there was no counter charge entered and none asked for and that Judge Rolfe had nothing to do with the matter, but that the examination was before or in the office of District Attorney Powell.

Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA.), P. 26, Col. 1
Fri., May 26, 1905
M’FARLANE FUNERAL
The funeral of Andrew McFarlane, the pioneer miner, took place today under the auspices of the Pioneer Society.
The report that John McFarlane, a brother of the deceased, was murdered in cold blood by mine jumpers at Ivanpah many years ago, proved incorrect, though reported in that way by the McFarlane family.
The man was shot and killed by a Deputy United States Marshal late in the night as McFarlane and a crowd of armed men were forcing their way into the Ivanpah mill and smelter, which was under a Federal attachment. Scattered about the mill was about $8,500 worth of amalgam.
The officer demanded an examination for the killing, which took place before Judge H. C. Rolfe of the Superior Court and he was completely exonerated.

The Sun (San Bernardino, CA.), P. 49, Col. 1-4
Sun., Mar. 30, 1986
A sterling character named Andrew McFarlane (by Fred Holladay, President of the City of San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society)
McFarlane is a grand old Scottish name and easy to spell - right? Wrong. In almost every San Bernardino County history and on maps prepared and printed by the king of geography, Rand, McNally & Sons, the name is spelled “McFarland.”
This might be excusable if Andrew McFarlane had been a nonentity, but he wasn’t. As a matter of fact, he was San Bernardino County’s acknowledged “silver king.”
In the late 1860’s, McFarlane developed the Ivanpah mines, which produced millions of dollars worth of silver - more silver, in fact, than any other mine in the state.
Andrew McFarlane was born in Allegheny, Pa. in 1829. A few years later his family moved to Iowa, where he lived until the early 1850s before coming to California with his three brothers, John, William and Thomas. A direct (*indirect - Meriwether Lewis had no children) descendent of Lewis, the scout who led the Lewis and Clark expedition to Oregon, he often said he inherited a love for adventure from his famous ancestor.
During their first few years in California, the brothers pursued mining ventures in Mariposa County, before moving into San Bernardino County and an adjoining strip of Inyo County.
Clark Mountain, where a mining district had been formed in 1865, was in this area, but the most important discoveries had not yet been made when Andrew and Tom McFarlane arrived on the scene. It is said they sought refuge in a shallow cave during a violent rainstorm, where Tom found a promising chunk of rock. The site of their find was Ivanpah.
Since California had no reduction plants to extract silver from ore, freight wagons conveyed the ore to San Pedro where it was shipped, by way of Cape Horn, to Swansea, South Wales for processing. Three years later, the McFarlanes secured a boiler and necessary equipment to build their own plant at Ivanpah.
According to historian Alan Hensher, “The McFarlanes made Ivanpah a modern camp. They built a small smelting furnace in 1873, after which silver bars began making their appearance. The lower-grade ore on the scrap heap awaited only the necessary machinery to transform it into bullion, so in 1875 they moved a five-stamp mill from the New York Mounts to the vicinity of town and incorporated their properties as the Ivanpah Consolidated Mill and Mining Company, often called the ‘Ivanpah Con’.”
Although the company had produced more than $500,000 in bullion by 1879, it ran into serious problems. By then it had passed through several different owners’ hands, although the McFarlanes continued to manage overall operations.
The trouble started when the company’s San Francisco-based owners decided to issue their own scrip, in place of hard cash, to cut costs and support a company store. Then, when workers grumbled, they suspended work while owing them several back months pay. The miners sued and while this was pending the government also filed suit, winning a judgment for back taxes. Internal Revenue agent E. F. Bean was sent to collect the money.
Violent arguments raged for two days between the agent, John McFarlane and several other employees who protested the attachment’s legality.
On the second evening, a fight started, three shots rang out, and John McFarlane fell dead. At a court hearing in San Bernardino, the murder was rules “a clear case of justifiable homicide,” and the accused killer, a fellow miner, was set free.
Before Ivanpah folded in 1885, it was the largest town in the Mojave desert, with almost 1,500 men employed during its peak years. No evidence of Ivanpah remains today. Everything has disappeared, either hauled off by vandals or blown away by the elements.
Andrew McFarlane made other important discoveries in Kern County, chiefly the “Long Tom Mine,” a hot gold producer that made millions for later owners. Unfortunately, he sold it for only $20,000.
Andrew was later involved in the gold rush at Vanderbilt in the New York Mountains, only a few miles from Ivanpah, where he was appointed deputy county recorder. This was his last venture in the mining industry.
By now aged and worn, suffering numerous financial reverses that left him almost penniless, Andre McFarlane returned to San Bernardino and took up residence at a boarding house.
One Sunday afternoon, McFarlane was descending the stairs when he lost his balance and fell, striking his head on the stairs and suffering a fractured skull.
He died two days later, on May 25, 1905, without regaining consciousness. Two sons and a daughter survived him.
McFarlane was an honored member of the Pioneer Society and used to enjoy relating some of his youthful adventures - and indiscretions - to all who would listen.
Members of the society escorted his body to its final rating place in Pioneer Memorial Cemetery, where he lies in peace among many other pioneers who made their mark in San Bernardino County.