Bio: Barland, Thomas Rev. (1881)

Contact: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Barland, Wilson, Keith, Birney, Town, Hodgeboom

----Source: History of Northern Wisconsin (Eau Claire County, Wis.) 1881, pages 314-315

REV. THOMAS BARLAND, Eau Claire. Was born in Perth, Scotland, in March, 1810, and educated in Perth Seminary, Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities, and was one year in the Glasgow Andersonian Medical College. In Latin, French and mathematics, he received high honors. He came to America when about twenty-three years of age, and located in Jacksonville, Ill., and engaged in preaching and farming there for nine years; then went to Kane County, and lived in St. Charles and vicinity for over a year, teaching, preaching and farming, acting as missionary preacher. He taught school in Chicago about seven months; then received a commission from the American Tract Society in Central Illinois, and was, for two years, engaged in distributing their religious books. He then bought a farm in Logon Co., Ill., and engaged in farming for five years. In 1849, he came to Eau Claire, and has lived here and in this vicinity ever since, preaching more or less. He was the first preacher here. He was married in Glasgow, Scotland, in May, 1833, to Margaret Wilson, who was a native of that city, and who died July 23, 1877. Mr. Barland has six children — Agnes, now Mrs. John Keith; John C, Birney R., Isabella, now Mrs. Fred. Town; Margaret, now Mrs. Dr. Charles Hodgeboom, of Eau Claire, and George.