Prince Edward County’s Newspaper of Record
May 9, 2024
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1974: MAYOR HARVEY J. McFARLAND IS DEAD

Gazette writers pay tribute to the late mayor
<p>Mayor Harvey J. McFarland (1904-74)</p>
Mayor Harvey J. McFarland (1904-74)

JACK EVANS: As a philanthropist, it would be impossible to list in one article the record of Mr. McFarland’s generosity. It could honestly be said that he has supported every single worthy cause in the entire county of Prince Edward–churches, charities, sports. Outstanding was his donation of the land on which the new Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital now stands. The children throughout the county knew him well as the man who would supply the treats at any gathering where youngsters were involved.

PHIL DODDS: Harvey J. McFarland died as he probably would have wished–in harness. He was not one who could easily endure idleness and ease it was foreign to his nature. His interests were too varied and too wide to be easily relinquished, and he was happiest when engaged in some aspect of public service and promotion. Though having accomplished much, he was always looking ahead and his energy and vision will be sadly missed. His activities here may have come to an end, but the results of his efforts, his work, his generosity, his dreams which he helped make come true, the lives which he enriched, will live on as memorials, and his influence will long be felt.

HARRY EVANS: I’ve followed the saga of HJ for 27 years and through fact and fable back to the rags and riches struggle from farm boy—tough, ham-fisted with that remorseless drive, he punched, kicked, cajoled and drove and reached the shinin’ peak and created an empire.

Harvey knew a lot of you people in this county. If he didn’t, he made it his business to find out about us, and nobody loved playing Santa Claus better.

He left one hell of a bunch of moments behind. He gouged out mountains, filled swamps, bridged chasms. There’s a lot of shining ribbons across Ontario. There’s a lot of bridges spanning gorges. He dreamed of canals and waterways and access to outlying islands and future developments.

I could go on and on but there isn’t enough copy to cover his accomplishments. And so, Good bye Harvey.

This text is from the Volume 194 No. 3 edition of The Picton Gazette
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