Obit: Ferris, Mrs. Reca Mason Murphy (1863 - 1938)

Contact:  Crystal Wendt

Surnames: Ferris, Murphy, Anderson, Maxwell, Rogers, Ruchaber, Meyer, Meier

----Sources: Neillsville Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 28 July 1938

Ferris, Mrs. J. W. (9 Mar 1863 - 21 July 1938)

Mrs. J. W. Ferris, 76, who for 14 years made her summer home at the beautiful cottage and grounds on the Mrs. Minnie Murphy farm, passed away Thursday evening at 8 o’clock with a stroke of paralysis, shortly after she and members of the family had taken a walk about the garden.

Mrs. Ferris made a number of steadfast friends in this city who were shocked and grieved to learn of her demise. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Ruchaber attended the rites which were held at her home at La Crosse at 3 o’clock Monday, Mr. Ruchaber acting as a pallbearer. The remains were laid to rest beside her husband in the cemetery at La Crosse (Oakland Cemetery).

During the entire time that Mrs. Ferris made her summer home at the Lake she maintained a beautiful landscaped garden with Mr. August Anderson as caretaker, her faithful gardener passing away the day following her death. Mrs. Myrtle Maxwell of this city had also been in the employ of Mrs. Ferris of ten years. There is no stronger proof of character than this - her employees were always treated as friends.

Deceased leaves a daughter, Mrs. J. B. Rogers, of Excelsior Springs, Mo., who arrived early last week and was with her mother when the end came; one son, Lindsey Murphy, and two grandchildren, Eddie Murphy and Rica Rogers, all of whom with their families were here for the funeral.

*Reca, the daughter of J. L. & Kate (Rich) Mason married John T. Murphy April 14, 1880 in Louisville, Kentucky where they also made their home.  Their son, William Lindsey Murphy, was born Aug 1883 and a daughter, Leon Sarah, was born June, 1886.  Following John's death, Reca and the children moved to Chicago, Illinois.  July 16, 1906, Reca married William John Ferris in Hamilton County, Tennessee.  They'd first met in Louisville and he later took a room in a boarding house Reca ran in Chicago. After their marriage,  they made their home in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.  About 1926, William retired from the General Electirc company where he'd worked for over nineteen years.  Eight years later, William Ferris died June 1, 1934 at the Kahler Hospital which was associated with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Olmstead Co., Minnesota.  Reca then moved to Neillsville, Clark County, Wisconsin to live with her son, Lindsey and his family.  Both Reca and William are buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery, LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Stone of Reca Ferris in Oakland Cemetery, LaCrosse, Wis.

*William Lindsey Murphy married Louise Meyer.  He died August 24, 1949, and is buried in the Neillsville, Wisconsin City Cemetery.

1910 Federal Census, La Crosse Ward 4, La Crosse, Wisconsin, Family #191, pg. 8

Ricka Ferris, white married female
birthplace: Kentucky
father's birthplace: Virginia
mother's birthplace: Virginia

Household Members
self William J Ferris M 49y (1861 Scotland)
wife Ricka Ferris F 48y (1863 Kentucky)
Hanna Riley F 67y Ireland

1920 Federal Census, Clark, Wisconsin

William L Murphy, white, married, male
father's birthplace: Kentucky
mother's birthplace: Kentucky

Household Members
self Henry Meyers F 68y Germany
William L Murphy M 37y (1883 Kentucky)
Daughter: Minnie Murphy F 37y Germany
Edward L Murphy M 4years, 4months in Wisconsin

1930 Federal Census, Dewhurst, Clark, Wisconsin, enumeration district # 0007, family # 1, sheet number and letter: 1A, line # 1

Lindsey W Murphy (son of Rica Ferris)
gender: Male
age: 48
marital status: Married
race: White
birthplace: Kentucky
father's birthplace: Kentucky
mother's birthplace: Kentucky

Household Members
head Lindsey W Murphy M 48 (1882 Kentucky)
wife Minnie H Murphy F 47 Germany
son Edward L Murphy M 14 Wisconsin
mother-in-law Dorothy M Meier F 77 Germany

1930 Federal Census, La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin, enumeration district # 0016, family # 50, sheet number and letter: 2B, line # 75

Wm J Ferris, white, married male
immigration year: 1878
father's birthplace: Scotland
mother's birthplace: Scotland

Household Members
head Wm J Ferris M 68 (1862 Scotland)
wife Reca Ferris F 66 (1864 Alabama), both parents b. Virginia
servant May Kinsela F 50 Wisconsin

WWII Draft Registration

William Lindsey Murphy (son of Ricka Ferris?)
event: Draft Registration
event date: 1942
event place: Dewhurst, Clark, Wisconsin
gender: Male
birth date: 30 Aug 1883
World War II Draft Cards (4th Registration) for the State of Wisconsin

 

 


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