Person:Elisha Ferry (3)

He was admitted to the Indiana State Bar in 1845. He moved his family to Waukegan, Illinois, in 1846 and practiced law there until 1869.

Lake County, Illinois, 1850 census:^[2]

Parsons, Benjamin F. 30 yrs "Cong. Clergyman" (real estate = $300) b. Maine

      Sarah J. 29 yrs b. Maine

      Sarah F. 2 yrs b. Illinois

Urskins, Maria 24 yrs b. Maine

Ferry, Elisha P. 25 yrs Lawyer (real estate = $800) b. Michigan

      Sarah B. 23 yrs b. Maine

      Edwin P. 6/12 yr b. Illinois

He served as a Republican presidential elector in 1852 & 1856. He was elected first mayor of Waukegan after its incorporation in 1859. He was a Republican delegate from the Waukegan district to the Illinois state constitutional convention in 1861, and served as Illinois State Bank Commissioner, 1861-63.

In 1861, he was appointed colonel in the militia, serving as assistant adjutant-general to Gov. Richard Yates, with responsibility for organizing and equipping Illinois regiments in the field. During this service, he became good friends with militia Col. Ulysses Grant, who was working in the adjutant general's office in the first few months of the war. (This close relationship would define the remainder of his political career.)

In 1869, he was appointed Surveyor General of Washington Territory by Pres. Grant, and packed up his family, moved to the Northwest, and entered upon his new duties in 1870. After two years in this job, Pres. Grant appointed him Governor of Washington Territory, in which position he served two full terms (1872-1880). He was influential in negotiating the San Juan de Fuca Strait boundary with British Columbia, and sponsored progressive legislation concerning the territory's economic affairs, taxation, equality of women, treatment of prisoners, and railroad expansion.

Thurston County, Washington Territory, 1870 census:^[3]

Ferry, Elisha P. 44 yrs Lawyer (real estate = $4,000; personal estate = $2,000) b. Michigan

      Sarah P. 42 yrs Keeping House b. Maine

      Eliza P. 18 yrs Attending School b. Illinois

      James P. 16 yrs Attending School b. Illinois

      Lincoln P. 10 yrs Attending School b. Illinois

      Julia P. 7 yrs At Home b. Illinois

      Pierre P. 2 yrs At Home b. Illinois

Ferry [sic], Henrietta [BLACK] 40 yrs Domestic Service b. Virginia

Thurston County, Washington Territory, 1871 territorial census:^[4]

Ferry, Elisha P. 45 yrs Lawyer b. Michigan

      Sarah P. 43 yrs b. Maine

      Eliza P. 19 yrs b. Illinois

      James P. 17 yrs b. Illinois

      Lincoln P. 11 yrs b. Illinois

      Julia P. 8 yrs b. Illinois

      Pierre P. 3 yrs b. Illinois

Ferry [sic], Henrietta [BLACK] 41 yrs b. Virgnina

Thurston County, Washington Territory, 1880 census:^[5]

Ferry, E. P. 54 yrs "Lawyer & Gov. of Terr." b. Michigan (parents, b. France/Wales)

      Sarah P. 52 yrs Wife Keeping house b. Maine (parents, b. Mass./Maine)

      Jas. P. 26 yrs Son Printer b. Illinois (parents, b. Michigan/Maine)

      Eliza P. 27 yrs Dau At home b. Illinois (parents, b. Michigan/Maine)

      Lincoln P. 20 yrs Son At home b. Illinois (parents, b. Michigan/Maine)

      Julia P. 17 yrs Dau At home b. Illinois (parents, b. Michigan/Maine)

      Pierre 12 yrs Son At home b. Illinois (parents, b. Michigan/Maine)

In the fall of 1880, he resumed private law practice with the firm of McKnaught, Ferry, McKnaught & Mitchell. In 1887, he retired from the law to serve as vice president of Puget Sound National Bank.

King County, Washington Territory, 1887 territorial census:^[6]

Ferry, E. P. 62 yrs "Laborer" (marr.) b. Michigan

      Sarah 60 yrs (marr.) b. Maine

      Lizzie 35 yrs b. Illinois

      James 32 yrs Printer b. Illinois

      A. L. 24 yrs Merchant (marr.) b. Illinois

      Jessie [no age] (marr.) b. Illinois

      "Baby" [no age] b. "Seattle"

      Julia 24 yrs b. Illinois

      Pressie[?] 19 yrs Student b. Illinois

[NOTE: "Laborer" appears in the line above E.P., in a different family, and his occupation is recorded as "Do:"; this is undoubtedly a clerical error.]

In the fall of 1889, he was elected the first governor of Washington State, taking office immediately upon Pres. Harrison's signing of the statehood proclamation. He served a single four-year term, then retired due to increasing health problems

1. ↑ Find A Grave.

   Find-a-Grave

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Lake, Illinois, United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration)
   p. 136A, 296/313.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Thurston, Washington, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   p. 228A, ---/302.
4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 Thurston, Washington, United States. 1871 Washington Territorial Census
   p. 6.
5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Thurston, Washington, United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   ED 15, p. 115D, 267/268.
6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 King, Washington, United States. 1887 Washington Territorial Census
   [no. page no.].