WPA Record:

FERREL, John
Born: 1822
Died: 26 NOV 1888
Cemetery: ALLERTON
Location: ALLERTON
County: WAYNE CO. - IOWA
Record Notes: B. WASHINGTON CO. PA. LOT 2. H/O REBECCA REES. S/O EDW. & REBECCA REES. ALLERTON NEWS 11-30-1888.

Nov. 19, 1888: "Uncle John" Ferrell was thrown from his wagon Monday, at the depot at Corydon, his horses becoming freightened, and at first it was thought he was killed. He lay for some hours unconscious. He received two shocking scalp wounds which almost dismembered his scalp and two ugly gashes in his arm. It is now hoped by his many friends that he may recover, but he is in a dangerous condition. It was miraculous that he was not killed outright. The wounded man is at the reesidence of his sister, Mrs. Thos. Beal, at Corydon where all that can be done to help him is being done.



Nov. 25, 1888: The funeral services of the late Mr. Jno. Ferrel, Sr., will be held at the Christian Church next Lord's day at 11 o'clock a. m.. Elder Hedrix will be home to conduct the obituary exercises. A full attendance of the relatives friends and neighbors is desired.

Lige, Jerry and Joe Ferrel returned on Saturday night last from Allerton, Iowa, where they had been summoned to the bedside of a dying father. The old gentleman had started for town with a load of apples which he intended to ship to his boys on the prairies of Nebraska, when his team became frightened and ran away, throwing him out of the wagon, which passed over his head and the upper part of his body. His injuries were not thought to be fatal for the first day or two, but being quite heavy and well along in years, he passed away on the fifth day after the accident, his three sons from Hay Springs not arriving in time to bid him farewell. Mr. Ferrell was an old settler in town, respected by all who knew him and was an earnest, intelligent christian man. The boys have the sympathy of the entire community in the hour of their sad bereavement.

The Biographical and Historical Record of Wayne and Appanoose Counties Iowa Originally published 1886, Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, IL

John FERREL, farmer and stock-raiser, Benton Township, residing on section 35, was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, July 4, 1822, a son of Edward and Rebecca (Rees) Ferrel, of whom the father is deceased. John Ferrel was reared on a farm, receiving his education in the rude log-cabin subscription schools of his district. He came with his parents to Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1828, where he lived till 1840. He then located at Athens County, Ohio, and in 1844 returned to his native county in Pennsylvania, where he was married in 1850 to Rebecca Rees, daughter of Thomas Rees, who is now deceased. This union was blessed with thirteen children, of whom nine yet survive -- Elijah, Henry, John, Jerry, Joseph, Andrew, Harvey, Lizzie and Mary. In the same year of his marriage, 1850, Mr. Ferrel returned to Athens County, Ohio, with his wife, where they resided till 1855. He then removed with his family to Wayne County, Iowa, spending the first winter in Corydon Township, and in the spring of 1856 settled on the farm where he has since resided with the exception of one summer spent in Henry County, Iowa. He was bereaved by the death of his wife in 1874, and for his second wife he married Rebecca Hamilton in 1875, she being the daughter of John Hamilton, deceased. Mr. Ferrel began life for himself without capital, but in all his undertakings has been universally successful, and by his industry, combined with good business qualifications, has become possessed of a large property, being now the owner of 500 acres. When he first came to Iowa he lived in a log-cabin 10 x 12 feet in size. Snakes were very numerous, and they killed a great number in their cabin during the summer. The following fall Mr. Ferrel built a house sixteen feet square, and while away from home to get the brick for his chimney, snow began to fall, and when he reached home it was over a foot deep, and many of his chicken were frozen. Both he and his wife are members of the Christian church.