Ernest McFarland - Florence's Greatest Resident

In this issue we are going to tell you about a man considered by many to be Florence's greatest resident - Ernest "Mac" McFarland.

Ernest was born in 1894 in Oklahoma and grew up living on a farm. After high school he attended the East Central State Normal School, earning a teaching certificate. He followed this with attendance at the University of Oklahoma , where he studied pre-law.

During WW1 he joined the Navy, but was honorably discharged after a year, as he spent most of his enlistment ill in a hospital. After the Navy he worked at a bank in Phoenix for a period and then attended Stanford Law School. In 1922 he returned to Arizona and was admitted to the Arizona Bar. During this period he worked as a lawyer in Casa Grande and assisted with George Hunt's campaign for Governor. After Hunt won the election, McFarland was appointed assistant attorney general.

In 1924 McFarland ran for Pinal County Attorney and won, requiring him to move to Florence. Around this time Ernest's personal life began to change. He married Clair Collins in 1926 and the couple had a son William in 1927. In 1929 the son died. Two days later Clair gave birth to a daughter, who died two days after that. After losing two children just days apart Clair suffered from depression and the couple traveled to find solice. In 1930 the couple had another child, but the child was stillborn. Eight days later Clair passed away. In just two years Ernest lost all three of his children and his wife. During this difficult time in his life the town rallied around him and he managed to keep his life on track. He spent his spare time on community projects and assisting others, which was greatly appreciated, as this was the time of the Great Depression.

Ernest McFarland on Horseback for the Junior Parada Parade.

Judge Ernest McFarland at the Bench

The year 1930 was also a challenging year for his career. He represented the state in Eva Dugals final appeal (see last month's HHN for more on Eva) that sent her to the gallows. Finding that this type of work was not for him, he switched sides and became a defense attorney. In 1934 he defended Winnie Ruth Judd, a woman who had murdered both her roommates, and successfully convinced a court that she was insane. During this time he was also farming; growing cotton and alfalfa in the Florence area.

Ernest's career continued to develop. In 1934 he became a judge in Pinal County, presiding in the courthouse at Pinal and 12th Street (the second Pinal County Courthouse). His personal life also started to pick up. In 1939 he remarried, taking the hand of widow Edna Smith, and adopting her young daughter. In 1940 he ran for U.S. Senate and won, taking office in 1941. By 1951 he was the Senate Majority Leader. As senator Ernest worked on several committees, but is best know for his work on the GI bill, funding education for soldiers returning from WWII. From 1954-1958 Ernest served as the Governor of Arizona. With this accomplishment Ernest became one of the few people to play significant roles in all three branches of the government. As Governor he was known for his work with education and the Glen Canyon Dam project. As his last career position in government service he was elected Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court in 1964.

After government service Ernest served as director of a bank and ran a TV station. Ernest died in June of 1984. In his memory McFarland State Park (the first county courthouse) in Florence was named for him.

Upcoming Christmas Party!

Our annual Christmas Party Fundraiser is coming up! For this year it will be on the evening of December 11th (not the 18th, as originally announced) at the GreenTree Inn and Suites in Florence.

The doors open at 6 pm and the theme is "Cactus Christmas Constillation" (think "cowboy with bling").

Ticket Information:

•        Individual Tickets: $45 (Non-members) / $40 (Members)

•        Tickets for Two: $85 (Non-members) / $75 (Members)

•        Table for Eight: $400 (Non-members) / $350 (Members) - Reserve a table with

your individual or company's name.

Tickets can be purchased at the museum and we will soon have a link for purchasing on-line. The ticket includes dinner and we will have more details coming.

The museum will be holding a silent auction as part of the party. The museum is collecting gift baskets for the auction, and any other donations are appreciated. We are working on getting the auction on-line and will have a link for you soon for on-line bidding.

The museum has a toy box for toy donations. Just drop off your unwrapped toy and we will make sure it gets to a child in need. In addition, we are taking donations for the Pinal County Animal Shelter, including dog/cat food, blankets, etc. All donations are welcome!

We look forward to seeing you at the party!

Thank You for the Sucessful Yard Sale!

A big thank-you to all of you who donated or purchased items at our yard sale last Saturday. It was a big success, with the museum raising $1,046! This money goes towards funding museum operating expenses and helps us keep a visit to our museum a wonderful experience!

Third Fridays in Florence!

The "Third Fridays" event takes place on the third Friday of each month through April. This event takes place at Padilla Park from 5-8 pm. The fun includes food trucks, live music, and various vendors (one of which is the museum gift shop!). Stop by and say Hello!

Looking for some great Christmas ideas? Check out our gift shop for gifts, stocking stuffers, and ornaments. We have a wide range of items for the young and the young at heart. Many of our gift shop items are made by local artisans!

We welcome you to our Gift Shop Tuesday-Saturday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.