TOMBSTONE TUESDAY: Dr. Thomas Jefferson McFarland

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY: Dr. Thomas Jefferson McFarland (1836-1913)

In 1836 a baby boy was born in Alabama to Gazaway Davis and Mary (Poe) McFarland. Gazaway McFarland was from a family that were early settlers of Georgia and Mary’s family were pioneers of Greene County, Alabama. They named their boy Thomas, after his maternal grandfather, Jefferson McFarland. The third of five children, T. J. was raised on the family farm in Alabama. Thomas was educated in Jonesborough, Alabama and in Fannin, Mississippi. Although he was raised in a farming family, T. J. aspired to be a doctor. When he turned 21, he began the study of medicine with a surgeon M. S. Craft of Jackson, Mississippi where he stayed and learned the skills of a doctor. Seeking to expand his knowledge in medicine he moved to New Orleans, Louisiana and entered Tulane University School of Medicine where he graduated in 1861.

He was commissioned a surgeon by Governor Moore of Louisiana and was assigned to post duty in the hospital for Louisiana troops at Holly Springs, Mississippi. T. J. looked after the troops at the hospital for about 3 months at which time he was transferred to Tupelo, Mississippi where he was ordered before a board appointed by the Secretary of War for the examination of all medical officers. The board was composed of Prof. D. W. Yandell, Louisville, Kentucky, Dr. L. T. Pinn, of St. Louis. Missouri, and Dr. J. H. Hustes of Mobile Alabama. T. J. was then commissioned by the Secretary of War as surgeon in the Confederate Army and was detached service at different posts. In 1862 he was made a member of the operating board of the Army of Tennessee and was placed on post duty to attend at all battles. He continued in this position until he was captured and held prisoner until the end of the war. He was shown to belong to the Army of the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana under Lieut. Gen. R. Taylor, C. S. A. who surrendered to Maj. Gen. E. R. S. Canby, U. S. A. In order to be released T. J. had to sign Loyalty papers to the United States in which he promised on a “parole of honor” that he would not serve in military or any other capacity for the Confederate Armies or render aid to the enemies of the United States of America. His signing this document his release would be agreed upon by both armies in a proper prisoner exchange. T. J. signed it on May 15, 1865, as soon as he received word that his family was packed up and ready to leave the state with him. 

On August 23, 1864, in Brandon, Mississippi, he met and married Caroline Paulene Jayne who was from Texas. After his release they moved back to Mississippi and he began practicing medicine there until Feb. 1867, when the McFarland family moved to Texas. In Texas they found a home on Oyster Creek, and they stayed there until 1870. After practicing medicine there for a couple of years they once again moved, this time to Fannin County where he practiced medicine for 4 years at which time he moved his family yet again, this time they settled in Jackson County and practiced medicine along the coast of Jackson, Wharton, and Victoria Counties. 

In Jackson County he became known as an eminent and successful member of the profession of medicine, his practice grew into a large one and he stayed there until 1881, at which time he moved to Indianola, Calhoun County, Texas. According to the publication “Memorial and Genealogical Record of Southwest Texas” it says that McFarland was the only physician in Indianola for around 12 years, however local history of Calhoun County during the same time shows more than one physician. The “Indianola Scrap Book” lists 7 with T. J. being the 8th. He could have been one of the only doctors with a degree from a school of medicine or the only surgeon in the area, but he was not the only doctor. 

During this time Dr. Thomas McFarland also served as Surgeon on the United States Marine Hospital Service at Indianola, where he stayed until after the August storm of 1886 when the post was transferred for a time to Eagle Pass. At that time, the family lived in Edna for a little while until the family moved back to Port Lavaca to stay. 

In September of 1875, a powerful hurricane hit the coast of Texas and demolished the City of Indianola. The storm left so much death and destruction that many of the residents there moved to other towns and cities taking with them what was left of their businesses and homes. The McFarland family moved to Indianola six years after that and were living there during the hurricane of August 1886, which was more destructive than its predecessor. “Indianola Scrap Book” gives a harrowing account of the happenings that took place in the McFarland Home during the night of that storm. “The first great wave smashed through the house of Dr. T. J. McFarland, and it was thought that the smaller children were drowned. One of the boys, Van McFarland, saved himself by hanging to a peg in the wall. Dr. and Mrs. McFarland, their 15-year-old daughter, and an old negro servant woman saved the three younger members of the family by holding them aloft on a door which they seized as it floated by. The water came to the 15-year-olds neck, but with a small rest occasionally as the water would subside, she helped hold her sisters above her head on the door for 9 hours. The weight on the door increased when a negro child was spied floating by the drifting house. Some old carpet warp was thrown to the child, and it was hauled in and added to the refugees on the door. The house with its heroes and refugees finally floated up against an old blacksmith shop and the whole household was saved.”

It was after this storm that Indianola was abandoned, and the McFarland family moved to Edna while their house, their vessel of safety, was dismantled and moved to Port Lavaca where it still sits to this day. Dr. McFarland continued his medical practice which was a large one and he also was the officer of medicine at the Quarantine Station at Pass Cavillo. 

Dr. McFarland not only saved countless lives during his life, but some of his stories as told to others were passed down and give interesting and adventurous accounts of life and events during the time of his life. One of the most interesting dealing with Texas and the life of a doctor back in the 1800’s is found in “The Medicine Man in Texas.” He had come from Mississippi in 1867 and settled near what is now Alvin, Texas and the following is a description of it. “There were no houses or farms on the prairie. There were a few ranch houses scattered at intervals along the timber skirted streams where the occupants of these crude dwellings would be close to timber and where they could get moss for chinking the cracks. There were no public highways or transportation facilities in the immediate community worthy of being called such; and to get our flour, coffee, sugar, and other family supplies was not only laborious but uncertain and costly.”  “The country was covered with stagnant water about half of the year, and the mosquitoes of a ‘healthy and robust breed’ were almost unbearable at times. Deer as well as ducks and other waterfowls inhabited the prairies; and at night the croaking of frogs and the howls of skulking coyotes were dismal sounds that broke the monotony of the midnight gloom. I had all the practice I could well do. Frequently my patients were scattered forty miles apart, and I had to make my visits on horseback, the ground being covered most of the way with water, often breast-deep to my horse.” “In making long and fatiguing visits at night I had no other guide than the stars to direct my course. If swollen streams crossed my pathway, I had no alternative but to ford or swim them, regardless of the weather conditions. Often when I would reach the home of the patient, I would find it without the ordinary comforts and conveniences of life. The fare at meals was substantially the same in most homes, corn bread without lard, jerked beef, and black coffee was the menu of the three daily meals. It was often difficult to give the patient the proper treatment because he could not be given such nursing and attention that he needed.”  For those of us who have lived here for a good amount of time know how the wet weather, storms, and mosquitoes are today, it is easy to imagine how unbearable it had to have been back in the life of Dr. McFarland. 

The other story that I would like to share is that of the wreck of the Schooner “Quintana” on Pelican Island. This story can be found in the “Indianola Scrap Book” and tells the story as witnessed by Dr. T. J. McFarland while he was on duty at the quarantine station. The schooner was carrying lumber and shingles from Lake Charles, and the wind was blowing heavy through the night giving a heavy sea running from the southeast. Capt. Hendricks was coming along well under the close-reefed mainsail and jib and thought it would reach the bar in safety. All at once the vessel rolled heavy and looking below, they could see the cabin was half full of water. Seeing that they would not make the bar because of the weight that deepened the vessel in the shallow inlet Capt. Hendricks aimed to dock it on Pelican Island. The sea swelled and the schooner rolled over taking all on board and depositing them into the water. Dr. McFarland was watching through his glasses from the station, and he said that it was the grandest sight he ever witnessed, the way the surf boat and her brave crew shot out through the thundering breakers. Sometimes completely enveloped in a cloud of spray then again rising on the crest of some huge wave to be lost from sight for a full minute. Capt. Tolland and his brave crew managed to make it to the wrecked vessel and rescue all of those who were on board. 

Thomas J. and Carrie McFarland had 7 children, 3 boys and 4 girls. Their children stayed in this area with one of their sons, Van, following in his father's footsteps becoming a doctor. Son Marion M. was the business manager for “The Victoria Daily Times” and son Thomas Carlisle was the editor of the same publication. The girls all married and became mothers themselves. The family worshiped faithfully with the Baptist Church and T. J. was a member of the Masonic Fraternity, W. P. Milby Lodge. Doctor Thomas Jefferson McFarland died in 1913 and is buried with his wife Carrie in the Port Lavaca Cemetery.  

Dr. McFarland was quoted as saying “it is well that we should recall some of our trying experiences in order that the young people of the present generation might know what their forefathers endured while reclaiming the Texas wilderness to bequeath to them as a magnificent inheritance.” I believe he was correct.

Written by Sheryl Cuellar

Indianola Scrap Book 

Record of Southwest Texas. Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers, Chicago: 1894

Shifting Sands of Calhoun County