Ephraim D. Ferree, born in 1827, learned blacksmithing in his brother's shop near Greencastle, reached Lexington, Missouri, in 1846, and by 1858 was working as a blacksmith and wagon maker at Shaw's Shop, the place later called Morton; his son William W. Ferree kept a blacksmith shop and wagon factory there. F. M. Ferree, born in 1821 and orphaned young, lived in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan before coming to Morton in 1867. He later farmed in township 53, range 26, kept a large apiary and belonged to the Masonic lodge at Millville, and his son Boyd W. Ferree opened his own blacksmith shop at Russellville in 1878. Every fact below is cited to a public-domain Ray County history.
Earliest in the record
F. M. Ferreeborn 1821Most recent in our records
William W. Ferreeborn 1851Each number matches a section below. Tap a name to jump to that person.
Blacksmith and wagon maker, Morton
EPHRAIM D. FERREE.
Is a blacksmith and wagon-maker, and was born on the loth day of April, 1827, in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. He received the privileges of the public schools of his native state, and in them acquired his education. He served an apprenticeship of two years and a half in the shop of his brother, in Franklin county, three miles west of Greencastle, Pa. At the expiration of this time he immigrated to Missouri, arriving at Lexington, Lafayette count) on the 20th day of October, 1846. Here he went to work at his trade and remained five years. He then came to Richmond, Ray county, and continued the business of blacksmithing and wagon-making. In the spring of 1857 he went to Daviess county, Missouri, but the following year came back to Ray county and located at what was then called " Shaw's Shop," now the enterprising town of Morton. Mr. Ferree was married in December, of the year 1850, to Miss Mary A. Griffin, of Lafayette county, a native of the state of Kentucky. The issue of this union is six children: William W., Margaret A., Charles W., John W., Frank Y., and George C, now living. Mr. Ferree is a most excellent workman in his branch of business, and is the recipient of a large and lucrative custom. He is a good and substantial citizen, and one that the people of Morton and vicinity would be very sorry to lose from their midst.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Blacksmith and wagon maker, Morton
WILLIAM W. FERREE.
Was born in Lafayette county, Missouri, November 18, 1851. His parents came to Richmond, Ray county, when he was yet a small child. They lived at Richmond for about five years, and then moved to Daviess county, Missouri, where they remained for two years. They then came again to Ray county and located in the town of Morton, then known as Shaw's Shop, where Mr. Ferree was educated. After leaving school he learned the trade of blacksmithing, and has always worked at that business since. Mr. Ferree was married on the 3d day of February, 1876, to Miss Louise J. Weeks, a resident of Caldwell county, Missouri, and a native of Virginia. The offspring of this marriage is two children: Fred W., and Urah Pearl. Mr. Ferree is an excellent mechanic, and enjoys the proceeds of a large and constantly increasing patronage. He also conducts a wagon manufactory in connection with his blacksmith shop. He is a good citizen, and an indispensable adjunct to the town of Morton.
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Carpenter, blacksmith, farmer and beekeeper
F. M. FERREE.
F. M. Ferree was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1821, and lived in that vicinity until he was nineteen years old. His parents died when he was very young, and he was thrown upon his own resources, in the world alone. At the age of thirteen years he began to learn the carpenter's and joiner's trade, and, after finishing his apprenticeship, followed that avocation for about twenty-one years, and during the last fifteen years of that time, carried on the business quite extensively. In 1843 he went to Wayne county, Ohio, and spent about a year; then to Tippecanoe county Indiana, where he lived about the same length of time. From Indiana he removed to Monroe county, Michigan, and lived there for the space of twenty years. In the spring of 1865, he moved from Michigan to Seneca county, Ohio, and lived there until 1867, when he came to Ray county, Missouri, and located at Morton. After remaining at Morton for four years, he removed to Russellville, and lived there during the same period of time as at Morton. In the month of December, 1874, he moved to his present location, section 16, township 53, range 26, where he has about eighty acres of fine farming land, nearly all in cultivation and unusually well fenced. This farm is abundantly watered, having seven good wells, besides running streams all the year. Mr. Ferree has a comfortable house, a very convenient and large barn, an orchard of choice fruit trees, and a vineyard. He owns, beside this home place, 190 acres of land, of which 160 acres are in cultivation. Mr. Ferree takes great interest in bees, and has a large, handsome apiary, well filled with hives. He is thoroughly acquainted with the business of handling bees, having been engaged at it for thirty years. Some of his hives yield more than one hundred pounds of honey in one season. He learned the wagon making and blacksmithing trade, in 1859, and conducted a business of that kind until two years ago. Mr. Ferree was married in the year 1848, to Miss Deborah A. Watkins, a native of the state of New York. They became the parents of nine children, seven of whom are now living: Boyd W., Mary A., James E., Hall, Milton T., Guy and Anna; one son, and an infant daughter are dead. Mr. Ferree is a worthy member of Myrtle Lodge, of A. F. & A. M., at Millville. He is a successful, prosperous farmer, and a good citizen.
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Blacksmith, Russellville
BOYD W. FERREE.
Boyd W. Ferree, son of F. M. Ferree, was born in the state of Michigan on the lath day of October, 1850. There he lived until he was fourteen years of age, and then went with his parents to Seneca county, Ohio, where they remained about two years. In the spring of 1867, he came to Ray county, Missouri, and located temporarily, at the town of Morton. Three years afterward he went to Russellville, Ray county, and there engaged in blacksmithing. In January, 1878, he opened a shop on his own account at Russellville, and has since conducted the blacksmithing business in that place. He now owns a comfortable residence with a small orchard, and is doing a good business at his shop. He also has several other lots besides the one upon which his residence and shop are situated. Mr. Ferree was married in the year 1876, to Miss Nancy W. Belcher, a native of Virginia. Mrs. Ferree is a consistent member of the Christian Church. Mr. Ferree is a skillful workman and commands an extensive patronage.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
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