Ferris Family Bible
Contributed by Annette Campbell
Family Record from the Family Bible of Laura Ann (ANDRUS) Ferris
Marriages
Births
Family of Tryntje Bogardus and John Ferris who were married at the
Presbyterian Church at Greeneville, Greene Co, NY
History of the Ferris Family by Lela Belle Horton
Of my grandfather, Henry Ferris, I heard a great deal about his parents, etc. Tryntje Bogardus (daughter of Jacob Bogardus-AC) married John Ferris in the Presbyterian Church at Greenville, NY. They lived there until their second child was born, Dec. 8, 1803. He was about 12 years old when they moved to Yates Co, NY near Benton. They moved to Bath, Steuben Co, NY in 1822. I saw Mary Ferris about 1902 when I was eleven years old, and she died soon after, at nearly 100 years old. She told my brother Raymond, me, and one of her grandchildren about it. She was capable of caring for her own room and dressing herself, and to us children, her mind seemed clear. I have her picture, with a kerchief around her neck, taken about that time.
She said when they got to where Bath, NY now is, they built a log cabin, as it was all large timber then. At first, they had only greased paper for windows, but soon got glass enough for windows. She said the Indians would look in the window and say "how", as they had heard the white men saying "How do you do".
Henry Ferris and his sister, Phebe, who married Dave Thomas, bought two farms
of the Land Grant at Bath, NY, located on Lent Hill, three miles from Cohocton,
NY. They were so connected in the deed, that if either one failed to make
payments, the Land office at Bath could take both farms. They cleared them
from Virgin timber, and put up log buildings, and each had several children.
Henry Ferris was making his payments, but Dave Thomas moved out in the night,
and Henry Ferris was saddled with both farms, and nearly lost both, as his
children were young and his wife Laura Ann was by that time an invalid, which
she remained to their death at an age of sixty two. He weathered the
crisis with hard work, and later owed just eight hundred dollars, which he's
about to pay, as he had marketed eight hundred bushels of grain to a dealer in
Cohocton. When the grain was all hauled, he asked the dealer for his
pay, the dealer had taken out bankruptcy, and would not even trust Henry to a
pound of tea. Again he thought he would loose his farms. But, he was an
honest, hard working man, so his credit was good and he was allowed time to
pay it. He kept it until about 1883 or 1884, when he sold it, and retired to
Bloomerville, near Wallace, NY, where he lived next to his daughter, Susan
Hyler, in a small house. She helped and did many things for him like baking
his bread, washing clothes etc. Henry died in an accident in Jun 1900 and is
buried in Avoca, NY beside his wife Laura Ann.