Name variations: Ferrel, Farrell, Ferril, Ferrell .

~ Our Family and It's Branches ~

The Gabriel Ferrel Legacy

The Wayne Soldiers, Nancy Wayne and John Thomas Ferrel, 1st

Plantations, Slaves & War in the American Colonies

Descendents of Gabriel Ferrel and Anna Haynes have a legacy established in the American colonies. Ties to colonial plantations, slaves, Daniel Boone, Abraham Lincoln, the War of the Revolution and the Civil War enrich our colorful past; a history that is woven into the fabric of this family. The Civil War photo above displays John Thomas Ferrel 1st (standing far right) with the Wayne soldiers and Nancy, the Wayne matriarch. The soldiers are from Company K 12th Wisconsin Volunteers. The Waynes are decendents of Revolutionary War General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. They were family friends. Many Ferrels, including John Thomas Ferrel, are buried in the old Wayne Cemetery in Boscobel, Wisconsin.

Gabriel and Anne Haynes Ferrel

1700's Colonial America, War of the Revolution

Gabriel Ferrel is our first known American ancestor, born c. 1741-43. He may or may not be our first immigrant ancestor.
In theory, his family came from Longford, Ireland. Gabriel was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, enlisting in Lunenburg
County, Virginia. He and wife Anne established a plantation on Goose Creek in Botetourt County, Virginia where they
raised wheat, flax and tobacco and were holders of slaves (noted in 1804 will). Gabriel and Anna Haynes Ferrel raised
four children, Stephen, Mildred, Abner and Elizabeth. (Click on the William Haynes Colonial Website button below for Anna Haynes lineage).

The Virginia plantation was sold in the early 1900's by descendents of Gabriel Ferrel to purchase Medical Hall Mansion,
in Maryland. Built in the 1700's, Medical Hall was the home of Dr. John Archer, the first medical student to graduate in
Philadelphia and in the American colonies.

Stephen & Nancy Tosh Ferrel

The Indian Wars, late 1700's

A son, Stephen 1st, born 1771, married Nancy Tosh in 1797, from a renown Roanoke, Virginia family. Their home was on the James River. Stephen Ferrel 1st served in Capt. William Preston's Company in the Continental Army during the Wayne Indian Wars, 1792-1795. Stephen and Nancy raised a family of ten children: Melinda, Johathan, Gabriel, Nancy, Edwin, Milton, Stephen, Margaret, Mary and Jesse Asbury. Stephen died in 1824. Years later, his wife Nancy received a 160 acre Bounty Land Grant for his military service.

Stephen & Eliza Todd Ferrel

The Lincoln Years

Stephen and Nancy's son, Stephen 2nd b. 1815, married Eliza Jane Todd in 1840, (pictured right), daughter of Abraham Todd and Melinda Bryan. Eliza was a first cousin to Mary Todd Lincoln. Stephen and Eliza knew Lincoln well. Stephen stated that, " Lincoln was the most honest lawyer he ever knew or heard of." Influenced by Lincoln, Stephen became a lawyer. He was a soldier in the Civil War but was discharged early due to a lung hemorage following an injury. At the time of the Civil War, he was 53 years old. Children of Stephen and Eliza are: John Thomas, William Henry, James Madison, Virginia and Edwin.

- Medieval and Colonial American History Note -

Eliza Jane Todd and her mother, Melinda Bryan Todd descended from King Edward III of England through his 7th son Thomas of Woodstock. Edward III's g-g-g-g grandson Sir Francis Bryan was appointed as Lord General of Ireland in 1540. He was a distinguished Knight Bannerette (a prestigious knight who carries his own banner). Bryan was educated at Oxford and in the French court. He was a poet, the designated "Cup Bearer" to King Henry VIII of medieval England and a cousin to Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, two ill-fated wives of King Henry. Fiercely loyal to Henry, and a favorite, Sir Francis was part of the "inner circle" or "Privy Council." He was refered to by Henry as the "One-Eyed Vicar from Hell"; having lost an eye from a splinter in a jousting match. (This disfigurement may be why no paintings of Bryan exist). Among others, Henry VIII sent Francis to Pope Clement in an effort to have his marriage to Catherine of Aragon annulled so he could marry Francis' cousin, Anne. Eventully, Anne Boleyn became queen, Lady Margaret Bryan (Francis' mother) was the nursemaid to young Elizabeth I. Designated as Captain of the Henchmen, Sir Francis Bryan was the chief mourner at At the funeral of Henry VIII. Some undocumented accounts state that Henry's last words were, "Bryan, all is lost." Francis married into the powerful Irish Fitzgerald family (Joan Fitzgerald Butler, Countess of Ormond from Kilkenny), who descended from Brian Boru, first King of Ireland through her mother's line. Sir Francis died in 1550 (possibly poisoned) and is buried in Waterford, Ireland. Many castles and great estates that Sir Francis resided in still remain operational in Ireland today. The great castle of the Ormonds and Fitzgeralds in Kilkenny as well as the surrounding area is worth exploring.

Francis Bryan's grandson would come to the American colonies. His g-g-g-g-g-grandson George Bryan, Melinda Bryans father and Eliza's grandfather, helped establish Bryan Station in Kentucky. George was the son of Morgan Bryan and cousin of Rebecca Bryan wife of Daniel Boone. He lived with them for a time and, as a young man, surveyed with Boone through Kentucky as his chain bearer. George Bryan fought to defend the fort - Bryan Station. He served as an indian fighter and spy during the American Revolution. Bryan was present at the surrender of Cornwallis in Yorktown on October 19, 1781.

Daughters of the American Revolution

John Thomas and Martha Susan Costley Ferrel

Civil War, War of the Rebellion

John Thomas Ferrel 1st (first born in 1841, of Stephen and Eliza) and wife, Martha Susan Costley "Mattie" (left) settled in Boscobel, Wisconsin. He was a farmer and the town clerk. John T. was in all of the battles of his regiment during the Civil War. He fought in the Battle of Atlanta and received his lieutenancy after helping build a bridge over the Savannah River the night before the city was evacuated. A good soldier, he enlisted for a second three-year term. He survived a close call in a skirmish with the heel of his boot shot off. During his service he followed General Sherman to the sea, through the Carolinas, and was in the Grand Review of the Grand Army down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washingrton D.C. at the war's end. John T. was mustered out with the rest of his company. He was in his twenties.

As with other Ferrel family members, Stephen, Eliza and John T. are buried near each other in Wayne Cemetery in Boscobel, Wisconsin. In Boscobel, the G.A.R. Hall (Grand Army of the Republic - established for the soldiers who fought for the north) contains a wealth of Civil War memorabilia for those interested in their Civil War history from that area. This GAR Hall is the only remaining Civil War Hall in the state of Wisconsin. After the last Civil War vetran passed away in 1955 the GAR organization was discontinued. However, many dedicated individuals and volunteers work to preserve this historical Hall. Several Ferrel descendants remain in Boscobel.

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Post War Restoration

The Children of John T & Martha Susan Costley Ferrel c. late 1880's-1890's

The children of John Thomas and Martha Susan, pictured left, are as follows: back row: Frank, Grandpa George, Charles and Will; front row: Dollie, Nellie and Carrie. Throughout their lives, Grandpa George, my father John Thomas Ferrel 2nd, his brothers and sisters have returned to Boscobel to visit family and reminisce the old days. Frank had a barber shop in Boscobel many years ago. Visiting Boscobel is a trip down memory lane. Many of the old sights are still recognizable in the town's historic buildings.

George & Lizzie Pettit Ferrel Soddie & Family Homestead

Prairie Life & Dust Bowls in Eastern Montana c. 1920's

Enticed by the Homestead Act, Grandpa George S. Ferrel, b. 1870, loaded his wife, Lizzie, (Pettit), married in 1907, their belongings and their dreams into a rail car and headed from their home in Boscobel, Wisconsin for eastern Montana seeking the promise of free land and the hope of a better life. There they settled and raised a large family, living in a soddie (sod house, eastern Montana is mostly prairie). It is there that much of George's family has its roots today, including my father, John Thomas Ferrel 2nd.

Life in a sod house was not easy but families managed and were happy. Each child was given one pair of shoes each fall when school began. They had to last all year. The children (10 of them: Emil, Allie, Dolly, Ruth, John Thomas, Genevieve, Ellen, Charles, Nina Pearl, and George) ran bare foot through the summer months but received another pair of shoes the next fall. The Depression and dust bowl days were hard times; food and jobs were scarce. Gift giving was made-up of homemade goods and toys. Pictured left are George and Lizzie Pettit Ferrel and 8 of the ten children in front of their homestead in Montana. My father, Tommy Ferrel (John Thomas Ferrel 2nd, b. 1915) is standing on the far right, a young boy. Though times were lean and work was difficult, families were close. Adversity had a way of uniting families and friends. The Ferrel's lost the homestead during the Depression. There was no grass to feed the livestock. Cattle had to be shot. It was a dustbowl all the way to Texas. Remnants of the old home have faded away outside of Cabin Creek. George and Lizzie are buried in the Ollie Cemetery along with other Ferrel family members from the Ollie and Baker, Montana area (see cemetery/grave listings).

- Colonial American History Note -

Tom & Irene Rost Ferrel, Tom, b. 1915; Irene 1920-1998

Life on a Shoestring, Making Memories

My parents, John Thomas Ferrel 2nd (Tommy, born 1915) and Irene Norma Rost Ferrel, (pictured at left) lived in a sheep wagon for a short time when first married, but then young lovers don't care much about where they live, as long as they are together. Their first "real homes together" were established in Cabin Creek near Ollie and later, Baker, Montana. They were married in a double wedding ceremony in Hardin, Montana with Tommy's brother Allie and his wife Florence (a cousin to my mother) in 1937. Brother's married cousins making our blood ties closer than most relatives. Tommy and Irene raised five children together: Larry b. 1938 d. 1939, Myrna b. 1940, David b. 1945, Cheri (that's me) b. 1950 and Kim b. 1957.

Tom worked for Montana Dakota Utilites as a skilled arc welder, following the pipline through Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas. It was a secure job and allowed him to be a good father and family man.

Irene attended Black Hills Teacher's College in Spearfish, South Dakota. She taught or substitute taught in a one room country school for a short time in the mid 1950's. I remember her showing the children coins and teaching them how to make change correcly. Some of the children had never held coins before. Irene was a talented artist and found time to draw portraits of us children. She inspired me to become a professional artist.

Childhood memories in Baker recall a home where apple boxes covered with a cloth served as low side-tables, telephone party lines where the operators said, "number please," Slim Niccum's mainstreet barbershop, the Red Owl store, buying shoes at Russells, the ice cream shop with a giant ice cream cone on top, getting store bought clothes at J.C. Penny's, the Flint's movie theater, shopping at La Cross's grocery store when a couple bags of groceries cost $5, postage stamps that cost 3 cents and a kindly kindergarten teacher named Mrs. Loveless. Printed flour sacks, old overcoats and skirts from hand-me-down dresses were great for remaking into children's clothes. My brother and I had a matching shirt and dress made from the flour sacks. It was very special to have something that matched with my older brother! Card playing with family and neighbors and evening desserts were the most common form of entertainment. Many nights I fell asleep on a pile of coats in a guest room where we were visiting. Shivaries and barn dances (the older generation teaching the younger to dance) church socials; the laughter of friends and the taste of hot cocoa after a fall hayride; the sounds, the smell, the taste, the memories linger; they are the stuff family histories are made of! Thanks for sharing mine.

After 23 years, Tom and Irene went their separate ways but remained friends until Irene's passing in 1998.
Tom continues to live in Baker along with a son, two sisters and a brother and numerous nieces and nephews.

Click photo to go to Cheri's page

Cheri and Bruce

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- Medieval History Notes -

Lineage from William Marshall

Our medieval grandfather, William Marshall was a 13th Century knight, distinguished in battle, a Magna Charta baron and devoted servant of the crown of medieval England. William Marshall was one of history's most remarkable knights, serving four kings with such loyalty that his position of trust eventually placed him in the highest office of the land, Regent of England. His history reads like a novel. In marriage he was matched with a bride of equal prestige, Isabel, daughter of Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare, earl of Pembroke. With her came wealth, land and titles.

One of the best books about William Marshall is "William Marshall" by Sidney Painter.

- Ancient Irish History Note -

Ancient Stories from a Beautiful Land

~ Prodesse Non Nocere ~

-To Do Good, Not Evil -

Longford, Ireland - The Ferrel's Ancestral Home

Situated in the heart of Ireland, the Midlands, lies county Longford. The land is farm land with rolling landscape and pastures for grazing cattle with areas of wetlands and bogs. The town of Longford is a bustling community of 6,000 plus inhabitants and is the county seat. Though the O'Farrells were in the area before the town, the town originated with the O'Farrell stronghold about 1400, the village springing up around the protection of the fort.

Fearghal, King of Conmacne, Powerful Grandfather of the O'Farrells

Princes of Annaly, Men of Valor

The Farrell chieftans were Princes of Annaly (O Fearghaill - Gaelic) decendants of Fearghal, King of Conmacne, lord of a vast empire surrounding the Longford area of Ireland. They were the ruling family of Annaly and some of the surrounding counties for over five hundred years and are mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters. The name of their fortification was Longphuirt Ul Fhearghail, or "Farrell Fortress.' The named evolved to be Longford. Their crest states "Prodesse Non Nocere" - to do good not evil. Fearghal which means Men of Valor, was slain at the Battle of Clontarf (Dublin) in 1014. Fearghals decendants would change the surname to O'Farrell. The Farrells (and the land) were divided into two branches, the O'Farrell Boy (yellow) and O'Farrell Bane (fair). Our Ferrels would have come from the O'Farrell Boy, the protestant arm of the family. O'Farrells were prominent in the affairs of the Longford area into the 17th century and Farrell remains the most prominent family name in county Longford today.

It is clear that our Ferrel's left Ireland prior to 1740 when Gabriel Ferrel first appears in the American colonies in Virginia, maybe even as early as the time of Cromwell's invasion of Ireland or during the time of James I.

Ruins of Farrell Castle

Ancient Walls Hold Past Glories

Possibly occupied between the 14th and 16th centuries. Farrell castle (also called Mornin Castle) is situated in the midlands about six miles outside of Longford Town, Ireland. On the right side of the structure the arched doorway is visible. The castle is solidly constructed with two feet thick rock walls. Though the castle sits on solid ground, the area surrounding it is wet bogland. For scale, on close inspection you can see a person (it is me) looking into the arched doorway. Once inside, looking up at the ceiling, or floor above the inside doorway, there is a hole about a foot square. This hole is common to many castles, including this type of tower castle. The opening is for viewing from above those entering the castle below. Friend or foe makes a big difference. This opening is called a "murder hole" and is used to stop those who are not welcome before they can proceed any further into the castle. By comparing this to other similar tower castles, we can assume that the lower floor was mainly a gathering place. The second floor was likely the dining area, the third floor would be the kitchen and the upper floors would be for sleeping. Tower castles were used for lookouts and to send warnings. If a castle was under attack, a fire would be built on top of the castle. It could be seen for about fifty miles to the next tower castle. Warnings of attacks were sent along in this way. In ancient times, tower castles were spaced about fifty miles apart and the ruins can be seen periodically as you travel throughout Ireland.

To the left of the entrance is the opening to a very narrow and tightly spiraling rock staircase. The stairs spiral upward in a clockwise fashion for a purpose. If you are a right handed intruder ascending the stairs, you must turn your body to expose more of it to use your sword, making you more vulnerable and a bigger target to those above.

A couple of years ago, according to the current landowner who has had the castle in his family for the last 100 years (the previous owner had it for 300 years), a cow wandered inside the castle entrance and attempted to go up the spiral staircase. Cows will go up but not back down stairs. A large hole had to be punched into the inside wall of the second level staircase to lower the cow to the castle floor.

The old Fortress in Longford Town still houses the remains of the orginal Farrell settlement marketplace. The fort is used today as a military outpost. Across the street from the fort is the Church of Ireland, an old church where several Farrell's were martyred during Cromwell's time. Many other interesting sites remain in the Longford area if you are ever in the market for a wonderful trip. Ireland is a place like no other! Go if you can.

Moydow Church

Last Resting Place of Many Farrells

Old, Moydow church cemetery is the last resting place of many Farrell's. (Farrell is catholic and Ferrel is protestant). The oldest headstone here is dated 1640. The church is located about two miles from the ruins of Farrell Castle. The person walking in the cemetery is me during a visit to Ireland to explore and discover more about the wonderful history of our family, October 2001.

Site reviewed or updated 05/22/05