| Home Surname List Name Index Sources Email Us | Sixth Generation18. William H. FERRIES was born on 25 December 1833 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA.1,6,9,11,14 An article about him in the "Biographical History of La Crosse, Monroe and Juneau Counties" listed his birth date as December 1836. The Oak Grove Cemetery records list his year of birth as "ca 1830." His age was listed as 16 in the 1850 Census and as 25 in 1860, indicating a year of birth of about 1834 or 1835. His birth place was listed as Pennsylvania in the article and in both census records. His family surname was listed as "Ferris" in the 1850, 1860 and 1900 Census' and as "Farris" in 1880. In the 1900 Census for his son Charles, William's birth place was listed as New York. He appeared in the census in 1850 in Paris Township, Kenosha County, WI.14 Between 1860 and 1880 he was a farmer in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.5,6,9 He also opened a hardware store on 1883, and two years later a furniture and funeral home. He closed his business in 1898. He was the first mayor of Wilton. William appeared in the census in 1860 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.6 His household consisted of William H.; his wife, Margaret; and their daughter, Margeline. They lived next door to his father, William J. (His surname was listed as "Ferris.") . (His surname was listed as "Farris.") It is not known where he was at the time of the 1900 Census; he is not listed in Wilton Township. He may have been in Kenosha County, where he went to marry his second wife, Katie. He died on 6 November 1905 at the age of 71 in Monroe County, WI.11,35,39,40 Biographical Sketch: "William H. Ferries came to Monroe County, Wisconsin, with his father in 1855, and has been a resident of the county since that time, a period of thirty-seven years. He was engaged in farming for many years on land which his father entered for him, and he still owns his original place in Wilton Township. He established his hardware business in 1883, to which, two years later, he added furniture and undertaking, and his stock in both branches is very complete. Mr. Ferries was married July 15, 1856, to Margaret Harlan, a daughter of Simon Harlan, who had a short time previously removed with his family from Dane County, Wisconsin, to Monroe County. They were formerly from St. Lawrence County, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Harlan subsequently settled in Wilton Township, where they resided until death. Mr. Ferries was bereft of his wife by death February 1, 1882, and he afterward married Katie J. Owens, a native of Lewis County, New York. Their marriage took place in Kenosha, Wisconsin, whither she had gone from her native State to visit with friends. Mr. Ferries is the father of four sons and a daughter by his first wife, viz.: Margeline, wife of John Kerigan, of North La Crosse; William J., who resided on the homestead farm; Edward is in the employ of Charles Coleman, a lumberman of La Crosse; Ellsworth, named after Colonel Ellsworth, who was killed at Alexandria early in the rebellion, is the next in order of birth; Charles is the youngest of the family. Mr. Ferries lost a daughter, Caroline E., his first-born, and also a son, Francis H. Mrs. Ferries has one son, Charles A. Pratt, who was born in Lewis County, New York, and is now a resident of Chicago. Our subject, as has been seen, is a representative of one of the earliest pioneer families of Monroe County, and all his mature life has been spent within its borders. He well remembers the early days when all was new, and improvements in the county had scarcely begun, and has been prominently identified with its growth and development. He is a successful and energetic businessman, and is respected and esteemed as a citizen." . He was buried in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.35 in the Oak Grove Cemetery. William H. FERRIES and Margaret HARLAND were married on 19 July 1856 in Wilton, Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.5,11,41,42,43,44 William's sister, Elizabeth, married Margaret's brother, Edward. Margaret HARLAND, daughter of Simon HARLAND and Elizabeth UNKNOWN (HARLAND), was born on 16 December 1836 in St. Lawrence County, NY.6,9,45,46 (She was listed as "Margaretha" in the church marriage record of her son Charles.) She appeared in the census in 1850 in York Township, Dane County, WI.47 She appeared in the census in 1860 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.6 Margaret appeared in the census in 1870 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.8 She appeared in the census in 1875 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.38 She appeared in the census in 1880 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.9 Margaret died on 1 February 1882 at the age of 45 in Monroe County, WI.11,45,48 Article in the Tomah Journal, February 4, 1882: "The wife of Wm. H. Ferris died on Wednesday, Feb. 1st, at 1 o'clock, after one week's illness. Funeral services will be held in Tomah tomorrow." She was buried on 5 February 1882 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.37,48 in the Oak Grove Cemetery. William H. FERRIES and Margaret HARLAND had the following children:
William H. FERRIES and Katie J. OWENS were married about 1884 in Kenosha, Kenosha County, WI.11 Katie J. OWENS, daughter of (Unknown) OWENS and (Unknown) UNKNOWN (OWENS), was born in April 1845 in Wales, United Kingdom.11,31 She appeared in the census in 1900 in Wilton, Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.31 She was listed as a widow and was the head of the household which included her son John, age 38, single, born in New York; her granddaughter, Carrie Ferris, age 7, born in Wisconsin; and her sister, Mary Evans, age 60, a widow, born in Wales. She died on 28 July 1902 at the age of 57 in Monroe County, WI.39,40 (Her surname is spelled as "Ferris" in the Wisconsin Vital Records.) |