The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-11-22
Iohr Ferris Who Was Sailor in Eng
Hsh and American Navies is
Laid to Rest This After
noon.
WAS BORN IN IRELAND
He Held Membership in Masonic
Order, and Was Oldest Mason
in Keokuk in Point Of
Years.

John Ferris, resident of Keokuk for
forty years and veteran sailor of the
English and United States navies.
who died at his home Saturday at
2:15 O'Clock, was laid to rest this
afternoon at o'clock sin Oakland
cemetery. Services were held at the
residence, 722 South Fourteenth
street. the Rev. Mr.. Lohr, Of the
United Presbyterian church, officl-
ating. with the Masonic lodge hold
ing its ceremonies at the grave. The
pall-bearers were members of Tor
renee post of the G. A. R. and from
the Masonic lodge, of which latter
order the old sailor was the Oldest
member in Keokuk.
The death of Mr.. Ferris came as
the result OF pleurisy, with which he
had been ill only two days. Tuesday
Of last week he was down town, ap-
parently in the best of health. When
he completed hts business he walked
to his home on South Fourteenth
street from the downtown district as
easily as man many years younger
might have done. He was elghty-slx
years old, well preserved and in good
health up until the last two days OF
his life.
Lived Here Since 1881.
Since 1881 Mr.. Ferris has lived IN
Keokuk, and during those years ne
became well known to large num-
Der Of people. He was always an m
teresting character. due to the fact
that he had enjoyed so many roman
tic experiences in his former life as
= sailor in the English navy around
Bombay and Australia and practically
over the Seven seas" and later in
the navy of the United States during
the civil war. For the last twenty
wears he has been retired from active
business but before that time he en-
gagged in the painting trade in this
city.
M. Ferris held the distinction Of
holding the oldest membership in the
Keokuk lodge of Masons of any Ma
/ son in the city at the present time,
and his affiliations with this order
!, number fifty-five years. He was also
a member of Terrence post OF the
ia. A. r. and member of the United
Presbyterian church.
Veteran Of Four Wars.
Veteran of four wars and an inter
ested party in fifth and sixth, is the
record which John Ferris held. HIS
first experiences along this line came
to him when he was quite young, serv'
ing as a sailor in the English navy.
He was following this occupation
when the British were in war with
Persia. and it was here he had his
first taste of it. During the Crimean
war he was seeing service with the
British navy, stationed at Sevasto-
mole. When the Indian mutiny broke
ont. he was with 100 bluejackets at
bombay, and here he saw great deai
Ioi fighting.
Mr.. Ferris was the only citizen OF
Keokuk to have served in the navy
during the civil war, and at the time
Iof that struggle he was stationed on
board the United States ships Hart
ford and Pensacola. He enlisted from
from New York and was discharged
from the service June 6, 1884. Al
together, he served eighteen years IN
THE American navy, leaving it for the
last time in the early eighties and
coming to Keokuk.
Born in ireland.
John Ferris was born in Belfast
Ireland, July 81, 1884. When young
boy he ran away to sea, which was
the beginning of his many and varied
Experiences as sailor. When ne
first came to the United States he
landed at New York City, where he
lived until his entrance into the navy
here. After leaving the navy, he came
to Keokuk, where he spent the rest
of his days. On December 10. 1884.
he married Miss Mamie McCluey. OF
this city, who survives him. They
were the parents of five children,
-four of whom are living.
The survivors are the wife and
four children. Clarence, John and
Clyde Ferris and Sadie Weber, and
nine grandchildren, one grandson OF