James Rieman Macfarlane was born in Towanda, Bedford Co., Pennsylvania on April 20, 1858, the son of James and Mary (Overton) Macfarlane. In 1891 he was admitted to the Allegheny County Bar. James Macfarlane was elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas Court No. 1 in the Autumn of 1902, and re-elected in 1912 and 1922. On April 30, 1930 James Macfarlane became President Judge; he retired from the bench in January 1934. In addition to his responsibilities as Judge, Macfarlane was a lecturer at the University of Pittsburgh Law School, President of the Allegheny County Board of Prison Inspectors, a Trustee of the Carnegie Institute of Technology, and a member of the City of Pittsburgh Board of Public Education. After marrying in 1888, James R. Macfarlane was widowed by his first wife, Lizzie Montanye. His second wife, Ruth Fletcher, was originally from Indianapolis, the daughter of an engine manufacturer. James and Ruth Macfarlane had four children: Elizabeth, Malcolm F., James W. and Jesse. James Rieman Macfarlane died on December 2, 1938. Elizabeth Macfarlane attended Miss Porter's School for Girls in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut from 1913-1915.
From the description of Papers of the Macfarlane family, 1897-1945. (University of Pittsburgh). WorldCat record id: 40655233
