Mother of author Thyra Ferré Bjorn, who based her bestselling book "Papa's Wife" on her mother's life, calling her "Maria Frantzen". Maria lost her parents at a young age. She was married to the Rev. Frans August Ferré, whom she met when he employed her as a housekeeper, and had eight children with him.

From the Fairport Herald-Mail, August 2, 1961:

Kin of Minister Dies in Rochester

Mrs. Maria Wickman Ferre, age 81, the mother of the Reverend Folke Ferre, pastor of the Raymond Memorial Church of Fairport, passed away Thursday morning, July 27, at the Elmhurst Sanitarium of Rochester. Mrs. Ferre, a native of Sweden, was the wife of the late Reverend Frans A. Ferre, who after several pastorates in Sweden, served as the pastor of the Oak Street Baptist Church of Springfield, Massachusetts from 1924 to 1932. Mrs. Ferre had been a resident of Miami, Florida since 1947. She was the mother of eight children, the oldest of whom is Dr. George Ferre, a surgeon in Miami, Florida. A second son is Dr. Nels F.S. Ferre, Abbott Professor of Theology at Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Center, Mass., who has lectured at the local Colgate Rochester Divinity School. Another son, Dr. Gustave Ferre, is head of the Department of Philosophy at Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas.

There are also four daughters in the family, one of whom is Mrs. Thyra Bjorn, author of several books, the best known of which is "Papa's Wife", the story of the deceased's life. Another daughter, Miss Margaret Ferre, is professor of Romance Languages at Eastern Baptist College, St. David's Pennsylvania. Her daughter Ann is the wife of the Reverend Philip R. Whitaker, pastor of the Judson Memorial Baptist Church of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Still another daughter is Mrs. Karin Herr, wife of an Air Force officer [Clarence Herr] stationed in Labrador.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, July 31, at 2 PM, at the Graham Wallengren Funeral Home, Springfield, Massachusetts.

Married Frans August Ferré, 22 Jul 1903. Eight children, including the author Thyra Ferré Bjorn.

Children:
1. [Frans] George Engelbrekt, b. 26 Apr 1904, d. 31 Jan 1983; m. Elna Dagmar Peterson.
2. Thyra Maria Charlotta, b. 12 Sep 1905, d. 14 Feb 1975; m. Robert Bjorn.
3. Nels Frederick Solomon, b. 8 Jun 1908, d. 6 Feb 1971; m. Katherine Louise Pond.
4. Margaret Victoria Ottilia, b. 3 Jul 1913, d. 16 Oct 1965; never married.
5. Anna Lisa "Ann", b. 9 Mar 1915, d. 23 Nov 2002; m. Philip Russell Whitaker.
6. Folke Torkel, b. 26 Nov 1916, d. 20 May 1987; m. Elaine Youngquist.
7. Karl Gustave "Gus" Adolph, b. 11 Sep 1918, d. 26 Apr 2008; m. Dorothy Elizabeth Fredericks.
8. Karin Kristina, b. 20 Aug 1920, d. 10 May 1998; m. first, [Clarence] Chester Herr (d. 1972); m. second, Joseph Krusiensky.