Age 55. 52 Mansfield Street, Allston (Boston), MA. Born 5/26/1887, in Fall River, MA. Died of burns (death certificate). Brake inspector, Boston & Albany Railroad. In a gathering of 15 known as the "Allston-Brighton Sewing Circle" party with his wife Margaret, age 52, all but one died (source of the group name was never ascertained, but first appeared in next-day news coverage). Lone party survivor was Frederick Harrington, age 52 (Born 9/21/1890. Died 4/21/1972, age 81. Last residence Dorchester, MA), of Brighton (Boston), MA. Group was celebrating the 29th wedding anniversary of Mr. John Murray, age 52, and his wife Alice, age 48, also the 5th wedding anniversary of Mr. William Whitmarsh, age 32, and wife Mildred, age 28 (the latter a daughter of the above Murrays), all of Dorchester. Also observing the 11th anniversary of another married couple, Mr. and Mrs. John and Josephine Donovan, ages 34 and 33 respectively, of West Roxbury (Boston), MA, all above dead. Group was seated at combined tables in the main dining room to the right of the rolling wooden dance floor. His remains were identified with those of his wife at Northern Mortuary in Boston. Status was optimistically misreported in the 11/30/1942 Boston Globe as "slightly injured." Was raised in the Bay State port city of Fall River. Married in 1915, in Fall River. Veteran of WWI. From Fall River to Boston with his wife in 1918. Senior member of the large ill-fated social circle gathering, at age 55 years, 6 months. With his wife were two of 20 Grove patrons aged 50 or older to perish (out of 464 total guest casualties). "Military honors were accorded Mr. and Mrs. James J. McFarlin...at double funeral services held Wednesday morning..." (The Item, Brighton-Allston, MA, 12/05/1942). Late parents Mr. and Mrs. James, Sr., and Mary E. (Harwood) McFarlin. Burial with his wife at St. Joseph's Cemetery, West Roxbury (Boston), MA. Couple were two of 24 fatalities interred at the above cemetery, the second-greatest final resting grounds for all Grove deaths (after Mount or "Old" Calvary and its connected New Calvary Cemetery, also in Boston, latter a combined total of 30 burials).

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