Melissa McFarland

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ID: I443 Name: Melissa Hard Sex: F Birth: 07 APR 1803 in Franklin, Franklin co, Vermont Reference Number: 443 Death: 08 MAR 1885 in Viola, Mercer co, Illinois Note: MELISSA (HARD) MCFARLAND (1803 to 1885) (Research by Peter Folsom McFarlin - May, 2012)

Melissa was a daughter of Lysander Hard and the first of his three wives, whose name is unknown to me. Melissa's father was born 25 March, 1769, in New Milford, Connecticut , the sixth child of Abraham Hard and Charity Munsee. Lysander shows up in the 1800 Huntsburg, Vermont census with wife and four children. They are living near the Lemuel Roberts family and, after Melissa's mother dies, he apparently marries one of Lemuel's daughters, Rosamond Roberts in 1808. He has yet a third wife (Hannah Holcomb) by 1813. Melissa is likely one of the two Hard daughters under ten, listed in the 1810 Franklin, Vermont census, where the family is raising sheep and are taxed for a loom. Sometime from 1810 to 1820, the family moved to Ohio, perhaps staying in or near Coitsville for a while, where Melissa met and married James McFarland. Lysander Hard's brother, Abraham Hard (b1766), and his family do appear in the (incomplete) 1820 Wadsworth, Ohio census, and even though the NARA index shows Lysander to be on that census page also, his data do not show there. He reportedly lived until 1851, but I could not locate him in any census listing after 1820. It appears that Melissa Hard and James were married about 1819-1820, because the 1820 census in Coitsville shows James and one female (age 16-26), Melissa, and one female (age 45+), very likely Margery (Anderson) McFarland, but no children yet. His mother Margery lives with them for fifteen more years. In 1830 the family continues to grow, with one son and three daughters by then. In 1835, widow Margery dies, at age seventy-nine. Three years later, Melissa is widowed by her husband James' death, his age forty-three (*1). During the probate of his estate (*2), some goods were set off to widow and children, debts were collected, and at the vendue (sale) in July, 1838, Melissa was one of the buyers, probably the home-farm, since she is listed as head of family and likely owns real estate. By 1840, at age thirty-seven, she is head of her family, with six children, ages three to eighteen. It is possible that the older male (age 20-30) that is also listed there, is William Brackenridge, who has just married Melissa's oldest daughter, Mary, and may be staying on to help until they can afford their own homestead. Ten years later, in 1850, Melissa is still living in Coitsville, but now only with her unmarried sons John (age 29), and Lysander (age 15, at school) (both farmers), and daughter Sarah (age 17, at school). Living at the farm next door now, is William Breckenridge (age 40, farmer) and his wife Mary (age 28, Melissa's daughter), along with their five children. In 1860, Melissa age fifty-seven, is still living with her son John (farmer, age 36), and his wife and three children. And, once again, living next door, is another of her daughters; Sarah (age 27), with her husband Leonard Hogg and their two young children. By 1870, Melissa and the Leonard Hogg family have moved to Viola, Illinois, still farming. In 1880, Melissa and her widowed daughter Mary Brackenridge, are sharing a home together in Viola, next door to the Crawford Breckenridge family. Crawford is Mary's son and Melissa's grandson. However, Melissa is now "disabled" with "consumption" and, in 1885, she dies at age eighty-two.

PFM's SOURCES for Melissa (Hard) McFarland; Weaver? 1810 census; Huntsburg, Franklin co, Vermont p 269; with her father Lysander Hard (her age under 10) 1820 census; Westfield, Wadsworth, Medina co, Ohio p 104 (Lysander Hard listed originally just after Abraham Hard?) 1820 census; Coitsville, Trumbull co, Ohio p 239; (her age 16-26) 1830 census; Coitsville, Trumbull co, Ohio p 249; with James McFarland, her age 20-30 1840 census; Coitsville, Trumbull co, Ohio p 190; Melissa McFarland a 30-40 with her children 1850 census; Coitsville, Mahoning co, Ohio p 580b; John McFarlane farmer a 29 b Ohio, Sarah McF a 17 b O, Lysander McFa a 15 b O, Melissa McF a 48 b VT 1860 census; Coitsville, Mahoning co, Ohio p 15; John McFarland farmer a 36 b O, Lovina McF a 27 b O, Grant W McF a 3 b O, William J McF a 1 b O, Melissa McFarland a 57 b VT 1870 census; Viola, Green, Mercer co, Illinois p 197; (her age 64sic, born in Vermont) 1880 census; Viola, Green, Mercer co, Illinois p 288; with Mary Breckenridge (Melissa's age 77, born in Vermont, both par b in Vt)

Other REFERENCES

• 1 Henry R Baldwin Records
• 2 Trumbull co probate records; 9-266, 9-313, 9-316, 11-61, 11-150, and 11-168

Marriage 1 James McFarland b: 1795 in county Tyrone? Ireland Married: ABT 1820 in Coitsville? Ohio Children Has Children Mary Jane McFarland b: 18 OCT 1821 in Coitsville, Trumbull co, (later Mahoning co), Ohio Has Children John Anderson McFarland b: 03 JUN 1823 in Coitsville, Trumbull co, (later Mahoning co), Ohio Has Children Louisa McFarland b: JUL 1826 in Coitsville, Trumbull co (later Mahoning co), Ohio Has Children Sarah M McFarland b: OCT 1832 in Coitsville, Trumbull co (later Mahoning co), Ohio Has Children Lysander J McFarland b: 1835 in Coitsville, Trumbull co (later Mahoning co), Ohio Has No Children Margery McFarland b: ABT 1830 in Coitsville, Trumbull co. (later Mahoning co), Ohio?