Person:Sylvanus Ferris (1)

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Facts and Events
Name Sylvanus Ferris
Gender Male
Birth[1] Mar 1773 Norway, Herkimer, New York, United States
Marriage 15 Mar 1798 to Sarah Olmsted
Death[1] 13 Jun 1861 Galesburg, Knox, Illinois, United States
References
  1. 1.0 1.1 Family Recorded, in Olmsted, Henry King (1824-1896), and George Kemp Ward (1848-1937). Genealogy of the Olmsted Family in America: Embracing the Descendants of James and Richard Olmstead and Covering a Period of Nearly Three Centuries, 1632-1912. (New York: A. T. DeLaMare, 1912).

    pp 238-239 -
    (4471) SARAH OLMSTED, b. Nov. 26, 1779; d. at Galesburg, Ill., Sept. 6, 1845; m. Mar. 15, 1798, Sylvanus Ferris, of Norway, Herkimer County, N. Y.; b. Mar., 1773; d. June 13, 1861.

    5304, Sylvanus Western +.
    5305, Nathan Olmsted +.
    5306, Sally Maria; b. Nov. 18, 1803; d. infancy.
    5307, Timothy Harvey +.
    5308, William Mead +.
    5309, Henry +.
    5310, Laura; b. 1811; d. 1831.
    5311, Harriet Newell +.
    5312, George Washington Gale +.

    The Ferris family were of Connecticut origin, but moved over the line into Salem, Westchester County, N. Y. at an early date. Sylvanus Ferris came to Herkimer County, N. Y., in 1797, in a two-wheeled vehicle. Mrs. Ferris was a model woman for pioneer life. Her husband was clear-headed and sagacious, and possessed a high order of business talent. Success seemed to attend all his ventures. His large family was carefully reared and well educated for the time in which they lived. The parents were staunch Presbyterians, and inculcated habits of industry, economy and morality. Mr. Ferris moved to Russia, Herkimer County, N. Y., in 1830. In 1834, he became interested in a scheme to purchase lands, found a colony and build a College in the Mississippi Valley, whither the tide of emigration was then turning. The original mover in the project was Rev. George W. Gale, a Presbyterian clergyman, and cousin of Mrs. Ferris. A company was formed, stock subscribed, and a committee appointed to purchase lands. Ferris was one of this committee In 1835 he made an extended tour through the unsettled portion of Illinois. The location selected was Knox County. This choice of land was fortunate, and some 15,000 acres were secured at government price. Mr. Ferris became a man of wealth. He gave in his will $100,000 to the Home Missionary Society of his Church, and a like sum to the American Bible Society. His last vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln.
    — From the Norway, Herkimer County, Tidings.