Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1008 - 1009 

HENRY J. FERRISON, after the labors of a long and busy life, is now enjoying the comforts of a pleasant home in Wichita, located at No. 1322 South Mead avenue. Here he has eight lots, and aside from this owns five lots in Lincoln's Addition, two on Laura avenue, and two in Butler and Fisher's Addition. In 1886 he erected the handsome residence which he now occupies, and has three other dwellings in the city. As a man and a citizen, he is the object of respect and esteem by all who know him. He and his excellent wife are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which Mr. F. has held the office of Class-Leader for many years.

             A native of Somerset County, Pa., our subject was born on the 26th of November, 1823, was reared on his father's homestead, and received his first rudiments of education in the primitive log school-house. When a child six years of age, his parents removed to Knox County, Ohio, where young Ferrison was reared to manhood, and was united in marriage with Miss Sophia H. Mastellar. Mrs. F. is a native of the same State as her husband, and born in Columbia County, Feb. 20, 1827. Her parents, Jacob and Sarah (Cotner) Mastellar, removed to Ohio in 1837, and the father tilled a portion of the soil of Knox County the remainder of his life. Mr. M. was of German ancestry, and born in Somerset County, Pa., in 1800. The mother was born in Lycoming County, Pa., in June, 1805. Both parents died in 1865, and both had been devoted members of the Lutheran Church. Their children were named respectively; Jacob H., Henry C., John E., George W., Amanda A., Joseph A. and Sarah A.

             The wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Ferrison was celebrated at the home of the bride in Knox County, Ohio, Feb. 28, 1850. Six years later they left the Buckeye State for Nebraska, and our subject purchased 120 acres of land in Pawnee County. Here he carried on farming until 1877, and his next removal was to Southern Kansas, he coming to Sedgwick County and purchasing eighty acres in Waco Township. This he subsequently sold upon his removal to the city.

             Mr. Ferrison during the late war enlisted in Company K, 5th Missouri Cavalry, and after serving one year was so injured by horses running over him that he received his honorable discharge, and was sent home. He is a stanch Republican, politically, and served as Constable in Nebraska four years. The record of his children is as follows: Annette is the wife of Seth Cowperthwait, a farmer of Saline County, this State, and the mother of four children—Harry, Elizabeth, Lilly and Allic. Eldora, Mrs. Andrew Poland, is a resident of Pawnee County, Neb.; she has three children, viz: Lizzie, Eva and Rose. Sarah, Mrs. Reuben Benton, resides in Wichita; Althea is the wife of Andrew Ross, a merchant of Clearwater; Lucy and May S. are at home with their parents; the latter has a claim in Haskell County; Rose L. continues with her parents, and their only son, William H., is also at home.

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