John Duncan MacFarlane was born in Gargunnock, Stirling, Scotland on 27 July 1892. He emigrated to Canada in 1910, settling near Houghton, Saskatchewan. In 1912 he enrolled in Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan - the first class in that college. He earned his diploma in Agriculture in 1916; and that year enlisted in the Army Service Corps, later transferring to the Royal Flying Corps (RAF). Following the war, MacFarlane returned to Canada and farmed near Alysham. He was active in various aspects of farming, including registered seed, shorthorn cattle, Yorkshire hogs and Clydesdale horses. Active within his community, he served on the Alysham School Board, the Board of Trade, and was MLA for the Melfort constituency from 1934-1938. A director of the United Grain Growers, MacFarlane was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1979. He married Jean Gray in 1920. Childless, around 1935 following the deaths within a short period of time of John's brother Robert MacFarlane and his wife Elsie Grandfield MacFarlane, they took on guardianship of Robert and Elsie's four children - Len, Bob, John and Agnes. John Duncan MacFarlane died on 8 December 1982.