The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-06
HAMPTON [. FERRILL DEAD.
JUDGE Orr COURT OFT ORDINARY
DIED OF ACUTE PNEUMONIA.

Worse Came During the Morning
and FIR um That Time He Sank
Rapidly For Seventeen Years He
Had Be,m Ordinary, Succeeding
His Brother, John o. Ferrill, in
ISs4-DtsG harged the Duties of the
OHice with Rare Ability.
Hon. Hampton L. FerriH judge OF the
Court Of Ord inary of Chatham county,
died at his res jdencC, the De Soto atS40
o'clock yesterd Ry afternoon, after an ill
ness extending over a week, but which
developed very dangerous symptoms only
a few hours be fore the end.
The announcement of bis death, that
flashed with marvellous rapidity over the
city, and, In what sc emed a few minutes.
was heard by m,pst of those whose priv
ilege 1t was to- claim Judge Ferrills
friendship with profound regret. II was
the hour of the day when Judge Ferrilps
professional and personal friends were re-
turning to their offic,ss and everywhere
the news was discussed; everywhere sor-
row was expressed.
For few had known or realized the dam
gerous nature of Judge Ferrill's illness.
When he closed his, office Saturday, a
week ago, he closed it for the last time.
Sunday he did not rise from his bed
and a physician was summoned. Though
he rallied sufficiently Wednesday to adj
minister the oath of office to the members
of the new Board of County Commits
sioners. he was not then able to sign his
name to their qualification and postponed
this formal duty until such time as he
would be able to leave his room and re-
turn to his Office.
So he continued the remainder OF the
week and until yesterday morning. when
indications of approaching dissolution be-
gan TO be apparent to his physician, Dr.
Van Marter, and to the members Of his
family
Along towards the end he was delrious
at times and evidently was not in entire
possession of his faculties during the early
hours of the morning. At 2 o'clock, how
ever he was entirely conscious and
tional and conversed briefly with those
who were nearest and dearest to him. He
was fully aware of his condition and
knew that his death was fast approach
ing. He faced it with the calm fortitude
that had distinguished his endurance of
whatever ills had come to him in life.
There was no trembling in the face of
that inevitable end. Comforted with the
hope that in the after world the tangled
skein of earthly things would be unrav-
elled. he laid him down to die like one
who draws the drapery of his couch about
him and lies down to pleasant dreams"
Shortly after o'clock Judge Ferrill be-
came unconscious, and at ga o'clock
passed, calmly and peacefully. away.
His death is assigned to acute pneu-
monia, following a complication of other
diseases. For the past two years Judge
Ferrills health has not been good, and
his weakened constitution succumbed at
last.
Feb A. 1891, Judge Ferrill married Miss
Margaret Martin Smith, of Vineville near
Macon. Mrs. Ferrill survives her hus-
band, and there are two dear little girls,
Eleanor and Margaret who are the fruits
of this happy union
Mrs. Matilda c. FerriI, Judge Ferrills
mother, who, on Tuesday win be 80 years
of age, survives her son. He leaves also
two sisters, Mrs. Maria V. Demere and
Mrs. Mary E. d'Antignac, and a brother
Mr.. Roberton c. Ferrill, of Sapelo Island
There are many other near relations, most
of whom VIII reach Savannah from their
homes, in time to attend the funeral
The funeral will take place from the
Independent Presbyterian Church to-mor-
row, but the exact hour, in the absence
of exact inforna tion as to the time of
rival in Savannah of some of Judge Fer
rilTs relatives and connections, who have
wired their intention of attending, has not
yet been set. The services will be con-
Quoted by Rev DR.. James Y. Fair pas
tor of the church. This morning the body
will be removed from the De Soto to the
old family residence on Ebert Square,
where it will rest until the hour of the
funeral.
In this old home, from which his body
will be borne to the church for the flu
neral rites, Hampton Llllibridge Ferrill
was born Oct. 10, 1S49. He has just enter
ed, therefore, upon his fifty-second year,
when death terminated a useful and hon
orable career.
His father was John C. Ferrill. Esq.
for many years cashier of the old Bank
of commerce and a prominent citizen of
Savannah. Judge FerrilPs early education
was CLEANED at the hands of private tu-
tors and in some of the excellent private
institutions of learning that then existed
in Savannah Shortly after the war the
boy was sent to Col. Richard Malcolm
Johnston's school at Sparta.
In 1867 he and his younger brother,
Roberton, took ship, for England, to en-
ter an English school on the Isle Of Man.
1t was a sailing vessel, the Consol, upon
which they embarked, and it had but
reached Tybee Roads when it was dis
covered to be afire. Hampton Ferrin and
his brother escaped, barely with their
lives, and had to return to Savannah.
Two weeks later passage in a second
vessel the Screamer, was secured for the
two boys, and in this the voyage to Eng
land was successfully completed. Thence
the brothers took ship for the Isle of
Man and entered as students at Strathalan
Hall.
Judge Ferrill was four years at this
celebrated institution, at which several
other Savannah boys were being educated
at the same time Subsequently he took
a course of lectures at Paris, and attend
ed others at Frankfort on-the-Main. For
some months, after completing his stud
aes he Travelled upon the continent of
Europe returning to Savannah in 1872.
For more than a quarter of a century
he had been connected with the Court OF
Ordinary. lie entered it as a member OF
the clerical force of his brother the late
John O. Ferrill, who was then ordinary
of the county, and afterwards became. and
for a number Of years. was clerk of the
court.
John o. Ferrill died April is, 1884. and
six days later the County Commissioners
elected Hampton L. Ferrill to the ad in
serium term. His first commission, under
this ad interium appointment, was issued
by Gov. Henry d. Mcdaniel on April a
1884
On May / the County Commissioners is
sued call for an election to ill the I'M
expired term OF the late ordinary, which
was held on May p, when Judge Ferrin
was elected by the people. At the regular