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 Steward 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.
Extracted 26 Apr 2020 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union, and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part V, page 125.
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