Pauline Gertrude, librarian of the University of West Virginia. EBENEZER FERREN. EBENEZER FERREN, one of the oldest and best known citizens of Manchester, died at his home, corner of Lowell and Walnut streets, November 15, 1902, of old age and general debility. Until about four weeks before his death Mr. Ferren was a familiar figure upon the streets of Manchester. His last illness was not painful, but was a steady decline, due to the gradual weakening of the vital forces. His age was 85 years, 9 months and 3 days. Eben Ferren, as he was familiarly called, was a native of Goffstown, N. H., where he was born February 12, 1817. He was a son of Ebenezer and Mary (Eaton) Ferren. On both sides he came of good, patriotic ancestry. His paternal grandfather, Philip Ferren, was a Lieutenant in the Nineth New Hampshire Regiment which did valuable service in the Revolution, and was one of those who passed the memorable winter at Valley Forge. His grandfather on his mother's side, Samuel Eaton, was one of the heroes of Bennington under the heroic Stark. The Ferrens are of English ancestry, and the original ancestor landed in this country about 1640. Mr. Ferren early adopted a talent for trade, and at the age of twenty he was upon the road, carrying two tin trunks filled with "Yankee notions," and later riding upon a "peddler's cart." He followed this vocation several years, making money, so that he was able in 1845 to open a dry goods and carpet store in Manchester. He located on the site of the present Ferren Block, on Elm street, which he built, the lower part of which he used as a store, and the upper story was his home. After twenty years of successful business, he retired with a fair competence. Between 1848 and 1881 he bought considerable real estate which appreciated handsomely. In politics Mr. Ferren was a staunch Prohibitionist, and was a delegate to the National convention of that party at Indianapolis in 1888, and again at Saratoga Springs in 1891. He was frequently a candidate on the State Prohibition ticket. As far back as 1847, he was a member of the Sons of Temperance. He was a member of the First Congregational Church of Manchester, and was Treasurer of the Sunday School for ter. years, from 1883 to 1893. He was a member of the Manchester Board of Trade from the time of its inception in 1890, and became a member of the Manchester Historic Association in January, 1897. The only fraternal organization in which he held membership was the Order of Free and Accepted Masons, being a member of Washington Lodge of Manchester. A man of strong convictions, and of an extremely benevolent disposition, perhaps no better revelation of his personal character is possible than is indicated by the saying attributed to him, "I have a God that is worth more to me than all the money that is made." He married August 7, 1849, Miss Adelaide E. Badger of Warner, who survives him. F. M. C. WILLIAM P. MERRILL. WILLIAM PARKER MERRILL was a native and life-long resi dent of Manchester, and one of its prominent citizens. He came of excellent stock. His great-grandfather and grandmother were Abraham and Mehitable (Stevens) Merrill, from Haverhill, Mass., who were among the earliest settlers of this town. Two of their ten children were born in Haverhill, three in Plaistow, as they journeyed northward, and the last five in what is now Manchester, where the family settled about 1745, at Merrill's Falls, or Merrill's Ferry, as it was frequently called, just below the old Granite bridge, and on or near the site of the Gas Works in more recent years. Abraham Merrill with Thomas George, were the first petitioners for the setting off of a tract of land, lying partly in Chester, partly in London. derry, and other land not heretofore appropriated, to be united and form a new township, which request was granted and the new town incorporated under the name of Derryfield in 1751 |