Union County IL Archives Biographies.....FERRILL, GEORGE W. aft. 1803 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Tim Casey timcasey5@gmail.com and Andy Anderson oxdrover@mindspring.com June 8, 2008, 6:26 am

Author: History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties Illinois



GEORGE W. FERRILL, farmer and fruit raiser, P. O. Cobden. The ancestry of
our subject can be traced back only to John F. Ferrill, who was born in
North Carolina about Christmas, 1767, and died in October, 1849. He was an
orphan child, and during the Revolutionary War lost sight of his relatives,
so knew nothing of his ancestry. About 1804 he moved to Tennessee, and died
at the old homestead in Stewart County.

His son Thomas, the father of our subject, was born in North Carolina June
12, 1795, and was married in Tennessee to Elizabeth Anderson, who was born
in that State September 28, 1803.

In December, 1819, they moved to this county and settled on the farm now
owned by Cornelius Anderson. In the spring of 1838 they moved to Toledo, in
this precinct, where he kept the post office for a number of years, and
where he died August 6, 1849. After his death, his widow was appointed
postmistress, and our subject attended to the business for her. His
occupation was that of farmer, but he served as constable for some time,
also as deputy sheriff, and was one of the commissioners of the county for
many years.

Mrs. Ferrill still lives on the old homestead at Toledo. They were the
parents of eleven children, nine of whom are still living. Our subject is
the oldest of the family. His early life was spent in helping to improve
the farm. His opportunities for an education were of the most limited kind,
the schoolhouses being of the rudest sort. However, he continued to apply
himself till he became an excellent penman, and till he could teach school,
which occupation he followed for some time. From 1846 till 1869 he was
elder of the Toledo Christian Church, but in 1869 his health broke down and
he quit the ministry. His support, however, he has always obtained from the
farm.

In 1842 he settled on a farm in Section 18, and remained there till January,
1857, when he came to his present home, and has resided here since. For
three years, from July 1877 till October 1880, he superintended the Grange
mill at Cobden.

March 6, 1842, he was married in this county to Matilda Zimmerman. She was
born in the county May 6, 1824, to Jacob and Catherine (Rhoades) Zimmerman.
They were both natives of Kentucky, he born September 12, 1802; she
September 6, 1792. He died February 12, 1859, and she some years afterward.
He was one of the oldest settlers in the county, living here almost all his
life, and for one term was a member of the Illinois State Legislature. Of
the family of seven girls and two boys, only two are now living.

Mr. and Mrs. Ferrill have six children, four sons and two daughters -
Lucetta (Griffith), Marinda (Griffith), John J., Thomas J., Otis J. and
Albert W. The two daughters married brothers. In politics, Mr. Ferrill is
Democratic.


Additional Comments:
Andy Anderson submitted the Biography I believe is Cobden Township.

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