Twigs to Trees
March 2026
Peter E. McFarland
Welcome to our new members. New and existing members who are seeking to make connections or establish lines can contact CMW Genealogy committee at
Greetings everyone! I hope you have had the time to check out our new genealogy site and look for your lineage. We have two new resources you can check out. First on our website is a document that lists all our members grouped together under their common ancestor. Here is the link: Links to CMW Lineages on the CMW Genealogy Website to that page. Search for your name and you will find a link to your Ancestor that will take you to our new tree at https://genealogy.clanmacfarlane.org/index.php .
One thing I am doing now is uploading ancestor pictures to the site. For instance, if you go to Ernest Alfred Lennox’s page you will see his picture included with his information. If you have pictures of your ancestors you would like to share, please send them to me by email and I will insert them.
Also, regarding the CMW Muniment translations on our website; I am linking the Muniments to the individuals related to the documents. To illustrate, on Duncan Macfarlane’s page, the 10th Clan Chief, you can see in the notes section at the bottom of his page, a link to Muniment #4 that is in our website.
This has been so much fun to develop. If you see any errors, or have more information you would like to share, please don’t hesitate to send [CMW Genealogy committee] an email.
This quarter I delved into the history of the very first MacFarlane to land on the shores of America. His name ended up most commonly spelled Purthe Mackfarlin, but also Purdy Macvarlo, and many other variations. The English men of Hingham Massachusetts were probably doing the best they could in the 1660s to spell phonetically what they were hearing. Following this Twigs to Trees will be a recount of his life, as best known through the records.
Mary Helen’s recount of Purthe Mackfarlin’s life has been located, and will be published in the near future to CMW’s website. Reviewing the document, Mary Helen has done a tremendous job researching, and sharing many sources of information along the documents themselves.
MacFarlane DNA Project Update: There are a couple of short DNA articles to get you familiar with the subject. First, a general DNA discussion, and respective testing is available in our December 2024 LochSloy article by Robert W. McAlister, former CMW Board member.
And second write-up on yDNA and test results.
https://www.clanmacfarlane.org/public_html/index.php/clan-macfarlane/dna/705-understanding-y-dna
If you are new to DNA, check out Jim Brewster’s presentation on yDNA, see link below. Jim is part of Clan McAlister of America (CMA), and works at Family Tree DNA (FTDNA). FTDNA hosts CMW’s MacFarlane yDNA project.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19-s6qFHPgoPMPl9MwEvlxSBgMsILSge-/view
While Family Tree DNA testing is go to lab for MacFarlane DNA project, one can benefit from testing with Ancestry. Ancestry generally provides genetic genealogy research hints through its Thru-Lines feature. However, note the hints provided are only as good as the validity of referenced trees.
Note: CMW’s TNG genealogy database (GDB) is being updated to mirror Andrew’s legacy TNG GDB with respect to Cadet lines, and associated SNPs. Plus new CMW member pedigrees are being merged into our GDB. This is a work in progress so patience please, but please share any issues noted during its use.
Lineage DNA Updates
Member #1097 Linda Blanchard’s cousin Albert McFarland’s FTDNA BigY results were published in February. He matched an existing John and Catherine Buie McFaland descendant, Kim McFarland, Carrie McFarland is daughter manages his kit. Linda, and Albert’s most distant ancestors Murdock, and Jane McFarland relationship with Kim is TBD; Murdock, and John share a common ancestor about 1750. Kim’s kit BigY test is in process. This upgrade should clarify their connection.
Members #804 John Todd Mcwho has a paper trail to Purthe Mackfarlin submitted a FTDNA BigY kit that completed in Sept 2024. It solidified Purthe Mackfarlin place with the cadet descendants of Duncan, and Christian Campbell MacFarlane 6th Baron of Arrochar 3rd Clan Chief about 1360 to 1426. Molly MacFarland Gardner, Member 826, and Heather MacFarland are also Purthe descendants. John, and Molly’s pedigree is shared below in Most Recent Pedigrees – September 2024.
Most Recent Pedigrees: We had twelve new members join CMW since December of 2025. Those completing CMW genealogy forms, and genealogy team building out a first draft family tree are noted below.
McFarland (NC): Brad Hunt discovered his Thomas Hunt to William and Keziah McFarland connection exploring our TNG genealogy database. We connected him with the two primary Hunt researchers, Deason, and Susan Hunt. His pedigree is Jim Iverson Hunt (TX) to Herman Ross Hunt (TX) to William Marshal Hunt Jr (TX) to William Marshall Hunt Sr (NC to SC to TX) to Thomas Hunt Sr. This is CMW lineage WiM02.
McFarland (NC): Linda Blanchard, and cousin Albert McFarland are new members of John and Catherine Buie McFarland line respresenting ~five CMW members. Their pedigree is John and Ruth McFarland Logan (Ok to Ca) to Albert, and Doratha McFarland (TX to OK) to James, and Mary McFarland (AR to TX) to Daniel and Elizabeth McFarland (AL to AR to TX) to Murdock, and Jane McFarland (NC to AR) to common John and Catherine Buie McFaland Ancestor (Scotland to NC). CMW lineage MuM01 is Murdock McFarland. The Buie-McFarland branch is JoM04
McKercher/MacFarlane(SCT/CAN0: Paul Barritt-Flatt to James, and Edna Flatt (CAN) to George, and Janet MacFarlane Eakins (CAN) to Robert, and Charlotte McFarlane (CAN) to John, and Margaret Macfarlan (SCT to CAN) to John, and Helen McFarlane McKercher (SCT) B:1735. John’s wife Helen’s maiden name was McFarlane. He change his last name to McFarlane registering all but their first child Robert McFarlane. This is CMW lineage JoM28.
Robb (SCT/NY): Marsha Robb Devine to Joyce Elizabeth Robb to John Frederick Robb (Aberdeen, Scotland) to Charles Middleton, and Elizabeth Black McRobb Robb (Aberdeen, Scotland to NY) to George, and Margaret Robertson Robb (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) to Alexander, and Barbara Gray Robb (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) to James, and Jean/Jane Sim Robb (Aberdeenshire, Scotland). This is CMW lineage JaR02.
MacFarlane (SCT/ARG): Anthony (Tony) Franco Jr is a descendant of Duncan MacFarlane 6th Baron of Arrochar 3rd Can Chief as follows: Edith Unsworth, and Anthony Franco (ARG to NY) to Colin, and Maria Hernandez Unsworth(ARG to NY) to Tomas, and Johanna MacFarlane (SCT to ARG) to Parlane, and Jane McKillop MacFarlane (SCT to ARG) to Dugal, and Janet Paton MacFarlane (Tarbet, SCT) to Parlane, and Agnes McCalman MacFarlane (Luss, SCT) to Parlane, and Isobel MacFarlane (Luss, SCT) to John, and Isobel McCallum McFarlan (Luss, SCT) to Robert, and Agnes McNair MacFarlane (EKA SNP BY108200) descendant of Duncan, and Christian Campbell MacFarlane 6th Baron of Arrochar 3rd Clan Chief. This is CMW lineage DuM09.
Macfarlane (SCT/NZ): Don Macfarlane lineage is Ian Trenwith, and Primrose Macfarlane (ZA to NZ) to Trenwith, and Louise Macfarlane (NZ to ZA) to John and Julia Macfarlane (SCT to NZ) to John, and Anne Macfarlane (NI to SCT) to John and Elizabeth Macfarlane. This is CMW lineage JoM27.
McFarland(NI/WA): Margaret McFarland Owens, Wilfred Nelson and Sharon McFarland B:1947 (WA), William McFarland B:1899 and Galdys Summers (WY to WA), George Wyatt McFarland B: 1861and Jessie Swain(TX to MT to WY), George McFarland B: 1830 and Mary Beasley (AL to TX), James McFarland B: 1789 and Margaret Dial (Atrim, Ireland to SC to AL to MS to DeWitt TX, John McFarland B: 1741 and Nancy Ann Patterson (Antrim, N Ireland to SC). This is CMW lineage JaM07.
Note: Margaret’s family shares James, and Margaret Dial McFarland ancestors with Jimmy Wood McFarland, whose lineage is noted below. Margaret, and Jimmy’s line is a Cadet of Duncan, and Christian Campbell MacFarlane 6th Baron of Arrochar 3rd Clan Chief.
McFarland: Wesley McFarland; Jimmy Wood McF., William Harper McF. (TX to NM), John Harper McF. (TX), Travis McF. (TX), David Montgomery McF. (Mississippi to Texas), Jame McFarland, born 1789 in Antrim, Ireland, married Margaret Dial in South Carolina, died in 1852 in DeWitt Co. Texas.
Most Recent Pedigrees – September 2024 (Mary Helen Haines).
MACFARLAND: Molly MacFarland Gardner; William A MacFarland Jr. (Plymouth Co. Massachusetts to Washoe Co. Nevada), William A. MacFarland Sr. (Massachusetts), Alvah F. MacFarland (Mass.), Daniel Woods MacFarland (Mass.), Elijah McFarland IV (Mass.), Elijah McFarlin III (Mass), Elijah McFarland Jr. (Mass.), Elijah McFarlin (Mass.), Solomon McFarlin (Mass.), Purthe (Purdy) Macfarlin (MacFarland), PuM01, born abt. 1640-44 in Scotland, married Patience Russell in 1667 in Hingham, Massachusetts, died 1721 in Hingham. Molly is related to two other CMW members who have submitted their genealogy forms, and now we are waiting for Big 700 upgrades to see what we can learn about this very first MacFarland to come to the shores of America. (PEM: See Lineage DNA Update for more details.)
MCFARLAND: Thomas G Bruckmann; George Robert Bruckmann (Hamilton, Ohio), Lorna Doon Franklin (Ohio), James Arthur Franklin (Ohio), John Blacksmith Franklin (Allegheny PA to Noble Ohio), Mary McFarland, born abt. 1796/8 in Pennsylvania, married to John Benjamin Franklin in 1818 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. It is possible that she is the daughter of a William and Isabella McFarland or a Robert McFarland who was living in the area also. So far, no proof for either connection.
MCFARLAND: Victoria Cooper; William Penfield Cooper (Texas to California), Elsie Penfield (Texas), Jessie O McFarland (Texas), Thomas Jefferson McFarland (Alabama to Texas), Gasaway Davis McFarland, GaM01, born 1808 in Georgia, married to Mary Poe in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, died in 1881 in Hazlehurst, Copiah Co. Mississippi. Gasaway appears to be the son of James D. McFarland and Rachel Jones.
MCFARLANE: Jody Wilkes; son of CMW member Vivian Rebecca Shaw, Derek Shaw (Lancashire England to Orange Co. Florida), Elsie Blake (Cheshire, England to Orange, Florida), Annie Elizabeth Wilson (Lancashire, England), Hannah McFarlane, HaM01, born 1839 in Carlisle, Cumberland, England, married James Wilson, (b. 1845 in Scotland). Hannah died after 1881
MCFARLAND: Lynn McFarland Renlund; Kenneth Arthur McFarland (Wisconsin to Colorado), Burr Knight McFarland (Iowa), William Arthur McFarland (Iowa), William Knight McFarland (Ohio to Indiana to Iowa), Enoch McFarland (Ohio to Indiana), William McFarland (VA to Greene, Ohio), Robert McFarland (PA to KY), John McFarland (northern Ireland to VA or TN), Robert McFarland, I1, b. abt. 1675 in northern Ireland, m. Jennet in Ireland, died in 1751 in Donegal township, Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania. Lynn is the 82nd CMW member from this line. We did not know the connection until we had Big Y 700 testing from this line that proved the connection.
MCFARLAND: Bradley Pittman; Marion Malinda Howell (Tarrant Co. Texas), Marrion F. Shannon (Tarrant, TX), Mary Alice Wiggins (TX), Mary Ann McFarland (TX), Albert McFarland (St. Francois Missouri to Fannin Co. TX), James E. McFarland (Jefferson Co. TN to Fannin Co. TX), Senator John McFarland (Bedford Co. VA to Ste. Genevieve Co. Missouri), John McFarland (Lancaster Co. PA to Haywood Co. NC), John McFarland (northern Ireland to VA or TN), Robert McFarland, I1, b. abt. 1675 in northern Ireland, m. Jennet in Ireland, died in 1751 in Donegal township, Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania. Brad is the 83rd CMW member who descends from Robert!
MCFARLAND: Paul Crouchley Ryder; Helen Louise Barbour (Ontario Canada to Fresno California), Roydon MacFarlane Barbour (Ontario, Canada), Bessie Foster MacFarlane (New Brunswick, to Ontario, Canada), Foster MacFarlane (New Brunswick CA), Matthew McFarland (Tyrone, Ireland to Canada), James McFarland, JaM04, born in 1777 in Fermanagh or Tyrone, married Elizabeth…, died aft. 1819 in New Brunswick Canada. Paul is related to one CMW member for sure, and if we get an upgrade to Big 700, there are other members as well.
STEWART: Leslie Mueller Stewart, wife of James A. Stewart; Donald A. Stewart (Minnesota), Frederick A. Stewart (Minnesota), Alexander J. Stewart (Iowa to Minnesota), William Henry Stewart (Donegal Ireland to Fillmore, Minnesota), John Stewart, JoSt01, b. 1767 in either Scotland or Ireland, m. Mary Lewis, died 1848 in Windsor, Vermont. While Stewart is not a Sept, this Stewart line is part of the Cadet MacFarlane line through DNA testing. We don’t have the final results from the Big 700 yet.
MCFARLANE: Monique McFarlane; Alexander McFarlane (Glasgow, Scotland to Wales, UK), James Carson McFarlane (Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland), Alexander McFarlane (Co. Antrim, Ireland to Glasgow), Hugh McFarlane (Glasgow), Hugh McFarlane, HuM02, abt. 1790 in Co. Tyrone, Ireland, m. to Sarah Wilson, died in 1856 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. This lineage has been mixed together with two other lineages, so there are lots of mistakes in public trees that need to be cleaned up. It would be helpful to have some Y-DNA testing from the two CMW members’ male relatives to verify this lineage and connection.
MCFARLAND: Andrea Wade Hughes; Agnes Elizabeth Weeks (Georgia), Mary Hyacinth McFarland (GA to SC), John Wesley McFarland (GA), Thomas Allen McFarland (GA), John G. McFarland (VA to GA), Robert McFarland, RoM04, born abt. 1770 and married to Mary Quarles in Virginia, died in 1844 in Franklin Co. Georgia. We are still on the search for Robert’s beginnings. We have one dna male tester but need to have more.
PARLIN: Donna Parlin Spilman; Joseph Bryon Parlin (California), Elmaer Warren Parlin (CA), Joseph Bassett Parlin (Maine to California), Stephen Parlin (Bingham, Somerset, Maine), Abel Parlin (Bingham, Somerset, Maine), Silas Parlin (Concord, Middlesex, Mass. To Maine), John Parlin (Concord, Middlesex, Mass. To Maine), John Parlin (Concord, Middlesex, Mass.), John Parlin (Middlesex, Mass.), Nicholas Parlin, NiP01, b. abt. 1640, married Sarah Hanmore in 1665 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, died 1750 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Donna is related to two other descendants in CMW. This is another line that we need to have a male Parlin test his Y-DNA.
MACFARLANE: Susan MacFarlane; Ramsay Wm. McFarlane (Ontario), Charles McFarlane (Morayshire Scotland to Ontario Canada), James McFarlane (King Edward, Aberdeenshire to Ontario), John McFarlane, King Edward, Aberdeenshire), John McFarlane, JoM09,(b. abt. 1810 in Aberdeenshire, married Barbara Rogers in 1829 in Aberdeenshire, was a crofter in King Edward, Aberdeenshire, died 1878 in Aberdeenshire. When John died in 1878, his son who signed his death certificate, could not name his grandparents, so we do not have proof for the lineage above this John. We have another CMW member from this Canadian line.
As always, we look forward to working with you.
The CMW Genealogy Committee:
Andrew Macfarlane:
Chevalier Terrance Gach MacFarlane:
Peter E. McFarland: