Albert F. McFarland was born in Platte county, Missouri, near Weston, August 5, 1838, and resided there until he was twenty-three years old, receiving his education in the common schools and at Pleasant Ridge College, of that county. He pursued a course of medical studies at St. Louis, Missouri, during the years 1860, ’61, ’62 and ’63, and began practice in the general army hospital in 1863, where he continued to practice until the close of the war, in 1865. In 1866 he made a trip across the plains to Salt Lake City, Utah, and to Virginia City, Montana, returning in the fall of that year. In December, 1867, he settled in Daviess county and commenced the practice of medicine.
On the 19th day of November, 1868, Dr. McFarland was united in marriage to Miss Fannie, daughter of Theodore Peniston. He practiced his profession in the eastern part of Daviess county until November, 1874, when he was elected, on the Democratic ticket, clerk of the Circuit Court; was re-elected in 1878 to the same office, which he now holds and most credibly fills and performs the duties which devolve upon him to the satisfaction of the court and county.