Kendall County, Illinois Genealogy

William H. Ferriss' Obituary

William H. Ferriss' Obituary

Published in the Kendall County Record, May 20, 1908
Edited by Elmer Dickson

At his residence in Bristol Village, Saturday, May 16, 1908, William Hazard Ferriss died after a brief illness, in his 84^th year. Interment at Oak Grove Cemetery Monday. Reverend Edwin Lee of the Bristol Methodist Church officiating.

Mr. Ferriss was the last of nine children of Jonathan "Reed" and Lydia (Ricketson) Ferriss who settled at Long Grove in 1833. For six generations or more the family had been ship builders and carpenters. Reed and his sons built many of the early farmhouses, barns and schoolhouses of the county. In an early day, William and his brother David built the first reapers invented, at their shop near Long Grove. William built ferryboats and ran them at Yorkville when the bridges were carried away about 1856. He then lived upon a farm south of Yorkville, now owned by William Collman, but moved to Bristol Station the following year and became a dealer in grain and livestock. Of late years he followed the nursery business in a small way. More for amusement than as an occupation.

Mr. Ferriss was married to Eliza M. Brown, daughter of the late Stephen W. Brown, Christmas day, 1848, who with her daughter Jessie resides at the old home in Bristol.