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on 02/10/2007The Ferris Family Genealogy Project - 2007 - Thomas Ferris 1830-1887 Biography
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1830 began with Greece gaining full independence from the Ottoman Empire as a result of the Greek War of Indepence on February 3rd. In April on the 16th Joseph Smith Jr and five others organize the Church of Christ, the first formally-organized Church of the Latter Day Saint movement in Northwestern New York. William IV succeeds George IV as King of the United Kingdom. During the previous year of 1829 in Ireland the Catholic Emancipation passed and the Tithe War began. The Catholic peasantry were still called on to pay tithes and also the "Church-rate" or Church-cess, a tax to keep the Protestant churches in repair: and they continued to be harassed by the exactions of tithe-proctors and others, who if the money were not forthcoming seized the poor people's cows, furniture, beds, blankets, kettles, or anything else they could lay hands on.
At last about 1830 there arose a general movement against tithes: the people resisted all through the south of Ireland; and for many years there was a "Tithe war." The military and police were constantly called out to support the collectors in making their seizures: and almost daily there were conflicts, often with loss of life. At Newtownbarry in Wexford, in 1831, thirteen peasants were killed by the yeomanry and police; in 1832 eleven police and several peasants were killed in a tithe-conflict at Carrickshock near Knocktopher in Kilkenny: and many other such fatal encounters took place. Emily Dickinson, the American poet was born on December 10, 1830 and sometime during that same year Thomas Ferris was born to Martin and Mary Ferris. These were tough times to be living in Ireland. The first blight of the potato harvest began in 1845 when Thomas was fifteen and over the next five years saw the beginning of the Great Famine. In August of 1846 saw total failure of the potato harvest and in October of that same year the first deaths from starvation were recorded. Fever spread in 1947 and 1948-49 saw the worst years of the famine. By 848 when Thomas was 18 through emigration and deaths by famine, Ireland's population decreased by more then two million people from 8.5 million to 6.5 millon. It is unknown how Thomas fared through all this turmoil but it certainly affected him in some way.
thomas Ferris arrived as an Irish Immigrant listed at the age of 19 on the 31st of July 1849 in the Port of New York embarked from Galway, Ireland. The 1860 United States Federal Census Records {1860 Census MA Roll508, Wards 1-5, 2nd Ward _ City of Cambridge, County Middlesex, Page 180 MA - 16th of June 1860, Cambridgeport MA} shows Thomas, a 28 year old laborer living with his wife Sarah an Irish born twenty-six year old woman. Records on the census also indicate two children, a W. J. Ferris who is a 5 year old male who attended school within the given year and E. J. Ferris a one year old male. Records show both boys born in Cambridge, MA, USA. This is the first official record we have of Thomas and would indicate that He and Sarah were living in Cambridge in June of 1855 when William J. Ferris was born. Research in the Vital Records of Massachusetts reveal no Marriage Certificate for Thomas and Sarah so we might surmise they might have married before emigrating.
On the ninth of July 1870 Federal Census Records {1870 Census MA Roll 623, Wards 1-2 - 2nd Ward – City of Cambridge- County Middlesex – Page 170 MA, Cambridge, PO} show Thomas still living in Cambridgeport, MA at 32 Harding Street. He is enumerated as the Head of the Household, a thirty-eight white male who earns his living as a vegetable peddler who was born in Ireland. No surprise for someone who left Ireland escaping a tragic famine claiming the lives of millions from starvation. He lives on Harding Street with his wife Sarah a 35 year old female who keeps house. She shows being born in Ireland also. William is fifteen now and still attending school. Edward J now twelve also attends school. Since the last census Sarah Anne Ferris has been born and is 10 years old and also in school. Robert James is a 7 year old male attending school. Charles Alexander is three years old and living at home and finally Esther Jane is a one year old girl living at home. All children have birth records indicating they were born in Cambridge, MA. Thomas owned real estate valued at $4000 during this census.One more child Mary Elizabeth was to come for Thomas and Sarah. She shows up during the 1880 Census Records ( 1880 Soundex T754 #23- Vol 18 – ED 432 Sheet 20 Line 1 ) That census shows William, who would have been 25, not living at home. the 1900 United States Census, {Cambridge ward 3, Middlesex, Mass., Roll:T623 657 Page:21B Enumeration District: 699) lists a Willam born about 1855 at age 45 married eight years to a Mary C who is a 36 year old white woman. Both William's parents are listed as Irish born. William is shown to be a day laborer who was not employed for nine months
Edward, now 21 worked for five months in a glass house. East Cambridge was opened for development in 1809, when the Canal Bridge, adjacent to the present Museum of Science, was completed. The area was the city's major industrial center until the 1880s. Furniture and glass factories were among the industries attracted to East Cambridge by cheap land, water transportation, and close proximity to Boston. The devastating potato blight that struck Ireland in 1845 caused many of that country's rural population to flee. Thousands landed in Boston and Cambridge, destitute and without resources. Many Irish immigrants worked in the clay pits and brickyards of North Cambridge, housed in crowded workers' cottages. The majority of the city's Irish lived in East Cambridge, laboring at unskilled jobs in the glass works and furniture factories. They developed a close-knit community, centered on and supported by the Catholic church. By 1855, twenty-two percent of the adults in East Cambridge were Irish-born. Records show many of the Ferris family worked the glass houses.
Sarah, listed as Anne after her middle name was now a ninteen year old working in rubber factory for seven months of the previous year. She liked to be known as Annie rather then Sarah it seems. Robert James also worked in a glass house for two months that year like his older brother Edward and was now seventeen. Charles, twelve years old, Esther, nine years old, and Mary E. six years old all attended school. Matthew Hall a white thrty-two year old cooper from Ireland was shown as a boarder in the household. He is listed as married but there is no mention of his wife.
Not making the census records were George Matthew Ferris who was born on October 13, 1865 but only lived until July 4th , 1867. George was buried in one of two Family burial plots Thomas had puchased in the Cambridge Cemetery on 76 Coolidge Avenue in Cambridge. George was the first family member to be interred there on 245 Myrtle Path. Another George M ( middle name Martha ) Ferris was born on September 25, 1871 and perishing one year and four days later on the 30th of September of 1872. He joined his brother in the plot.
In 1880 on the November 16th Thomas' oldest son Edward J married Grace D. Hatfield in Cambridge. Grace's parents name were Elias S Hatfield and her mother Mary. Edward and Grace has their first child on October 19th 1881 making Thomas a grandfather for the first time. Grace was born in Somerville, MA. In 1882 on December 15th George T Ferris was born to the couple.
His oldest daughter Sarah Ann married Richard Matthew Porteus from born: 7 OCT 1859 in Drumholm Parish, Mullancross, County Donegal, Ireland, Ireland on March 29th of 1883 and settled in Cambridge. records show a Sarah M Porteus dying August 27th of 1884 and buried in 245 Myrtle Path, Cambridge Cemetery. Sarah and Richard would not have another child until Florence M Porteus is born in June of 1886. During November of 1886 Robert James Ferris met his Sarah M Porteus. She was Richard M Porteus' sister who was married to Robert's sister Sarah A Ferris who the family called Annie. Sarah Porteus was visiting from a finishing school in England. She had a home on a dairy farm in Drumholm Parish, Mullancross, County Donegal, Ireland and against her family's wishes she married Robert. May 18th 1887 Robert James and Sarah Mae Porteus had their first child. They named her after Robert's mother and grandmother, Sarah Mae Ferris.
On June 7th 1887 Thomas died of pneumonia. He was 57 years old and had firmly established the Ferris family in the United States.
The grave was opened in July to bury him with the previously interred deceased children of his family.
Thomas' wife Sarah Mae Mcfarland would later marry William McLean another irishborn laborer. September of 1888 Charles T Porteus was born to Sarah Annie Ferris and Richard Porteus. In November of that same year Robert James and Sarah Mae Porteus would name their new child Thomas after his grandfather. Robert Sarah would name their new baby Robert J Jr in 1889. In June of 1890 Sarah Mae McFarland Ferris would see her daughter Esther Jane, then twenty-one years old marry George K. Crocker. In May of 1891 Richard Porteus III would be born to Sarah Annie and Richard Porteus Jr., Richard naming his newest son after his father. Mary Elizabeth Ferris, age 19 would marry Samuel Griffiths in April of 1893. On March 28th of 1894 Charles Perley Ferris was born to Charles Alexander Ferris and Margaret Dearmond. IN October of 1894 Mary Elizabeth and Samuel Griffiths would name their first child William S. Griffiths.
On April 11, 1895 at the age of fity-seven years and eight months Sarah died in Cambridge from gastritis and was buried alongside her husband Thomas and other family members. Thus ends that generation of the Ferris family who traveled from Ireland to America to start their family in a new country away from the turmoil and starvation left behind in the native home country of Ireland.
The Above information was gathered by John J Ferris Sr through reseach of the United States Federal Census Bureau Records in Waltham, MA and at the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, MA. Also State Archives were researched using indexes and vital records of birth, death and marriages in MA from 1850 to present. Interviews with living members of the Ferris family helped fill in some stories and finally the fantastic web site of Sweet and Dacy at Roots Web: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=SHOW&db=redondophil&recno=0 was both invaluable as a resource but also personally enjoyable for their wonderful assistance. It is not often you find as informative and gracious a couple as they who are working on the same family as you are. Their years of well documented research has been an inspiration to me and I am grateful they found me using this website you are viewing.
© 2007 John Joseph Ferris Sr.