----Source: Thorp Courier (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 11/02/1911

McParland, Peter (10 OCT 1859 - 29 OCT 1911)

Peter McParland died very suddenly at his home in this village (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) about 6 o'clock a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29, 1911. On the evening previous he was about the village apparently enjoying the best of health, and upon his retiring also seemed in the best of spirits to his family. Shortly before he breathed his last his wife woke up and found him unconscious but breathing heavily. A doctor was immediately summoned but the patient was dead before he reached the house. Mr. McParland had been a sufferer with rheumatism, which no doubt affected his heart, but the immediate cause of his death is supposed to be the bursting of a blood vessel in his head, causing hemorrhage and unconsciousness and death.

The sad news of his sudden death cast a shadow over the whole community, for most of his life was spent among us, and every heart was touched with sympathy for the stricken ones from whose fireside he was so suddenly taken. He was invariably a good neighbor, and there was no happier family circle in the land than his. When he died the grief that was felt over the close of his career was widespread and sincere.

Mr. McParland was born in the town of Perth, Lanark Co., Ontario, Canada, on Oct. 10, 1859, and came to Wisconsin in 1872. For many years he followed the vocation of teamster in the woods along the Eau Claire River. On May 18, 1892, he was united in marriage with Miss Melissa Wright, who, with two sons, William, aged 18, and Leland, aged 14, survive him. Other immediate relatives are a brother, Patrick McParland of Rimwood, Wis., two sisters, Mrs. A. Krall of Lake City, Minn., and Sister Gonzaga, a member of St. Joseph's Order stationed at Minneapolis.

The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon, and was conducted by the members of Forest Queen Lodge No. 321, I.O.O.F., of which he had been a member of many years.

The pallbearers were John Daniels, Edward Clapper, W. S. Parks, T. O. Mosher, Wm. Shock and Frank Laurent.

Deceased was also a member of the Independent Order of Foresters and Beaver Reserve Fund Fraternity in each of which order he carried $1000 insurance.