"By 10 September 1859, Robert McFarland was in Auraria (now part of Denver), where he purchased shares of Boulder City from one of the original shareholders, W. B. Moore. By 1869, Robert had acquired 20 Boulder town lots, and 260 acres in the Valmont area just east of Boulder." (page 3).
On August 19, 1874, Robert enlisted in Company D of the Third Colorado Cavalry. His neighbor, David H. Nichols, was chosen Captain. They marched south and joined with Col. John Chivington's troops and on November 29th attacked an Indian encampment at Sand Creek. Robert was one of ten soldiers and approximately one hundred fifty Indians killed that day.
Loana McFarland died before Robert, and their two children, George (6) and Adella (3 1/2) were orphaned. George was sent to relatives in Vermont and Adella was raised in the Valmont community by Robert and Mary Moore.
From the description of Life and death on the frontier : the Robert and Loana McFarland Family of Boulder Valley, Colorado. 1825-1927. (Boulder Public Library). WorldCat record id: 427286144
