Ella A. Parker

October 4, 1849 - February 1897

Born on October 4, 1849; Ella A. (nee Ferris) Parker, was the oldest daughter of Philo and Lucinda (nee Rawson) Ferris.  Her mother had previously married a William Kellog in New York State on September 22, 1836 and by that marriage had three children:  Abigail, William and Harvey.  Presumably after William Kellog died, Lucinda Rawson-Kellog married Philo Ferris on September 27, 1848.  Philo and Lucinda Ferris had three children:  Ella, William and Emma.¹  The 1870 Federal Census for the Village of Princeton in Green Lake County, Wisconsin lists a seamstress named Lucinda Ferris (55) living with her daughters, Ella (20) and Emma (16).  This same Census shows that Ella was born in Illinois.

It is unknown when she came to the Clark County area.  However, an excerpt from issues of the Republican and Press implies that she taught school in the York Township area.  The following is a paragraph from the York Lispings column of the January 27, 1881 issue:  "The district schools all seem to be in progress except District No. 3, which has been closed on account of the sickness of the teacher, Miss Ella Ferris.  Hope she will be able to continue her good work soon."  Likewise, the following is a paragraph from the York Center news in the January 5, 1888 issue of that newspaper: "Miss Ferris is quite sick with a cold.  Her school has been closed the past week."  In addition, information from a Merry Vale School (District No. 3 in York Township) Reunion Booklet indicates that an E. A. Ferris and/or Ella Ferris taught at Merry Vale School at the following start times:  May 1886 (for four months, at $26 per month), November 1886 (for four months, at $30 per month) and May 1887 (for two months, at $25 per month).

The death notice from March 1897 issue of the Republican and Press indicates that her body was brought back from the Dakotas for burial at York Center Cemetery.  Therefore, sometime during the late 1880s or early 1890s, Ella Ferris must have married and relocated to the Dakota Territory.

Other immediate relatives of Ella Parker that are buried in York Center Cemetery include her sister, Emma (nee Ferris) Smith; her brother-in-law, Clarendon Smith; her nephew, Guy Smith; her nephew's wife, Belle (nee Benedict) Smith; and her grand-nephew, Robert Smith.

[1] Family genealogy database of William Haverty