Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-02-18

us, preceding but few hours tina
of Vice-President Wilson, and fol
lowing so closely that of Sumner anC
ex-senator Buckingham, and other
iIIustrious in the national councils
heightens and emphasizes the be
reavement. The death of Mr.. Ferry
is peculiar loss to the State that he
served and honOred, and whose mem
ory she chcrishes with an affecr ion
ate admiration. Throughout the
Commonwealth, among the learned
the founders of our academies, uni
versi,ies, in our common schools,
among the ministers of religion, and
the humble Worshippers of God
along ali its hills, in the Sunday.
schools that be loved, among learn.
ed judges and eminent counselors,
! among The SONS of toll for whom he
spoke, among the good and the great,
end in every outage of the poor
there is great sadness.
Twice within few IN 'nths death
has invaded the sanctuary of our
hearts. and taken from us our trust
ed public servants and most honor
| ed citizens. No two men of this gem
Grafton, among all the honored
names of our Commonwealth, could
touch so many homes with a sense
of personal loss. While their work
here is finished, there is left to us
the reflection that for this life our
pleas: mt relations are severed forev-
er.
| Around us each discovered chain
In sparkling ruin lies,
And earthly hands can ne'er again
Unite the broken ties.
Mr.. Ferry was born in the town
of Bethel, Fail field Co., on the 18th
of August, 1923. His father, Starr
Ferry, was an enterprising business
man of that town, a citizen known
for his good sense, integrity, and So
cial position in community remark
able for its Intelligence and culture.
He was early apprenticed to his
fathers trade, and in after-life he
had Just pride of his proficiency in
his calling. An incident occurred at
the last session of Congress that IL
illustrates his character. As an adyo-
cate was explaining before the Com
mittee on Patents the mysteries of
a certain invention, he was surprised
TO learn that the chairman of the
committee had learned the art when
boy and was still in advance of
the advocates and experts in the thor
oughness of his knowledge of the
subject. Early, however, the love
of books and of study took posses
sion of him, and he left histrade and
entered on course of preparation
for college. OF this the learned and
distinguished gentleman from Mass
achusetts4Mr. Seelye-the compan-
ion of his boyhood, can more appro-
priately speak. In passing, 1t is suf-
ficient to remark that as boy he
gave high promise of success.
At the age of seventeen he enter
ed Yale College, and here says one
we'll qualified to judged, "his fine
powers of mind soon found appreci-
ative recognition. particularly in the
department of literature and debate.
He early became one of the editors
of the Yale Literary Magazine; was
also a successful competitor for the
Townsend literary prize; and uni
formly stood among the very high
est in anything that required elabo-
rate or extemporaneous address. His
prestige thus gained in letters, to;
gether with his hearty social quail
ties, and bis fine personal appear
anee, secured for him a marked pop
ulaFity as well in circles without as
within the college"
He graduated in 1874 at the age
of tyenty-oue, and after year he
entered the law Office of the late
Chief Justice Thomas B. Butler as a
student at law, was soon admitted
to the bar and became his partner.
Here his associations were most
fortunate. Judge Butler was re:
markable, not only for his legal
learn ng, but for his varied acquire
ments, his love of justice, and his
generous social qualities. Mr.. Fer
ry's advent to the bar was in other
respects fortunate in its surround
ings. The bar of Fairfield County
and the adjoining counties of New
Haven and Lltchield at this time
had many eminent lawyers. There
were the venerable Charles Hawley,
Roger Sherman Baldwin, the Inger-
soils, Judges Butler, Seymour, Dut-
ton-all learned in the mysteries of
jurisprudence, the first two becom-
Ing chief justices Of our high court.
Besides these, there were score of
younger men, Minor, Beardsley,
Loomis, White, Garter, Beach, Har-
rison, and others, near his oyn age,
of rare ability. At no time in our
history has there been greater ar
ray of talent at the bar than this. 1t
is a sufficient commentator of Mr..
Ferry, and not little remarkable,
that within few years from his ad-
mission to the bar he placed himself
at the head of his profession.
Soon after his admission to the
bar Mr.. Ferry married the daughter
of Governor Bissell, and the daugh-
ter and wife, in womaply virtues, i'll
social culture, and in the sweet
graces of charity and religion, is
worthy of her lllustrious father and
husband.
When yet young mal he was
early honored at home. He was sue
cessively chosen Judge of Probate,
State Attorney and State Senator
Each of these positions he filed
well.
1t was my good fortune to be
member of the judiciary committee
of which he was chairman. Itwas
then oftea a subject of remark
among men eminent at the blr that
MIR. Ferfy-then but thirty-two--not
only as a debater, but a legislator,
had the rarest ability, and at that
early day he gave full promise of
those great qualities which have for
eight years past been the admiration