Daily Republican., 1882-09-08
THIRD EDITION.
The Lat. John Ferris.

Under the heal .! "a Man," rela-
tive of the lale John Ferris contributes
the following to the Morning News:
John Ferris WAS born in WILMINGTON
Septemb Der q, 1901, He was the only
child of John Ferris who fell sacri-
flee at the. early age OF "a in his devotion
to the cause Of humanity. When the
yellow fever in 1902 was so Tatal that
few escaped it who were exposed 10 lts
deadly influence, this young man, on
the threshold of bright and prosper
GUS career, with loving wife BY bis
side and dear friends around him,
turned away and entered the abode oi
the Door, aud with untiring and sleep
less attention to their wants never left
them till death struck him down, we
may say, at their very feet What
must have been the feeling of the lone
ly mother as she held her babe for the
last time to gaze upon the cold features
of such father Little did she then
know that the child who leaned so
helplessly upon her bosom would one
day be a comfort to her 30 dear that no
words can express the joy of her heart
as she saw him, year after year, IN all
the trials, all the vicissit"des OF lie, a
model man, in honor, i'll attectlon' II
wisdom and IN his devotion to her lone
ly home. .o Ill.,
Let us trace, though very briefly, his
bright career. After spending lew
years at the common school, he was
sent while mere boy to Philadelphia
to learn a mechanical business, because
he had manifested an early tondness
II, yil Il, fhA Dt
tools. But what is city life to an ap-
prentice boy? 1t has many roads The
paths of dissipation, OF ldleness and
ruin are open to all. But these had no
attractions for him. There are nobler
walks that attract the few. These he
found and loved and followed. Young
Ferris, even in early life, had massive
development of the intellectual and
moral regions of the brain. To minds
of thi cast schools are not essential.
The boy educates himself. Access to a
library is all he asks. When his task
was finished in the city and he came to
his native place to establish himself in
business he was astonished to find that
his reput ltion as man OF nigh moral
worth and stern integrity had reached
the town before him. He was offered,
without solicitation, all the money he
needed to engage in business. He sue
Ceeded beyond his most sanguine an
ticipations. He had scarcely passed
the prime of life when an ample for
tune induced him to retire from his
profession.
But not to rest Then, as 1t ever
will be, presume, many widows need
Gu wise, honest and patient counsel
or. And whenever they enquired for
one they were generally advised, above
all others, to go to John Ferris And
these were his clients that kept him
busy even to the last month of his
eventful life. Yes, without compensa-
ton, in the storms of winter, and in the
burning heats of summer, he was ever
faithful, ever watchful Of their interests
and welfare His extensive learning,
his unquestioned ability, and great ex-
perienCe enabled him to answer many
abstruse questions, which perplexed
and worried even astute lawyers. He
spoke from an intuitive comprehension
OF what the law should be. And after
days OF toll among their books, the law
yers, to their surprise, generally found
that he was correct. AS far as l can
recollect he hever held a public office ;
never was a candidate for public favor.
He saw that hypocrisy, deceit and low
cunning too often control the primary
elections. These traits were revolving
to his better nature. With a mind
capable of moulding into harmony the
discordant element of an empire, he
turned from all worldly preferment,
and in the seclusion Of a happy home,
every moment, not absorbed by bust.
ness or company, was devoted to the
acquisition of knowledge. Scarcely a
work of any value escaped him. With
memory seldom equaled by others,
he made himself acquainted with the
arts and sciences, with history, govern
ment, biography, travels and general
literature.
What lesson his life should be to
every fatherless boy. Will you not
learn from him that solid foundation
of unblemished integrity, laid in early
manhood, is of inestimable value
through life? And also learn that pros
perity and honor, and the profound re-
spect and love of others cannot be con-
ferred upon you by family, by friends
or by fortune, equal to that which can
be won by industry, by self-reliance,
and decent regard for all the feelings
all the retinements of society.
We cannot close this sketch without
few words upon the kindness of his
heart. Honest and sincere charity
never appealed to him in vain. And
there was scarcely little child or horse
or dog in his neighborhood that did not
know him Well aud did not listen, with
evident pleasure, for pleasant word
from him as he passed them by. This
was the result OF true COntentment and
the harmonious development of all the
nobler faculties of his nature.
He was certainly n remarkable man.
His self.gOvernmeut seemed absolute
and perfect The passions and PFC
pensities of the mind were held in stern
subsection by an indomitable will.
Hence the more you associated with
him the more you learned to love,
honor and respect him. To the stranger
this picture may seem too strongly
drawn, but not 80 to those who were
intimately acquainted with him, And
who should know him better than l
do? His mother was sister of my
father, and from that cause alone we
were thrown very much together My
affections had 10 brother but him all
the days of my life. He was the first
to teach me to fly kite, to set snare,
to sail miniature frigate upon the
placid waters of my rural home. Yes,
l see him now, as those days rise before
me, always walking upriGhtly in the
sunshine of mothers love.
A RELATIVE.
Wilmington, Sept. 6. 1882.