Cynthia Ann Elizabeth Bagley Ferris

Abstracted from a summary written by Gene Mallory (Eugene H. Mallory II), a son and edited further by Eugene H. Mallory) a grandson. Much of his information was taken from information in his mother s diary. His mother referred to John Ferris as "Gramp ", the grandfather of her children - but her father. Some information was also taken from the memoirs of Ben Ferris (John s brother). For a time in 2005 this information was posted on an internet website at: http://www.lasermail.com/genes-stuff/Genealogy/MALLORY.HTM)

Elizabeth Ann Bagley (Cynthia Ann Eliza Bagley), was born in May 13, 1849 in Southhampton, York, New Brunswick, daughter of Edward Cyrenus Bagley and Julia Ann Grant. She married John Charles Ferris 22 Feb, 1866 in Idaho. Unknown if sanctioned or an elopement. It was a difficult marriage with John having great ideas but not being able to care well for his family. In Elizabeth's words, "He was always making himself illustrious instead of looking after his family."

Prior to his marriage, John and his brother Ben had roamed over much of the west and into Mexico. They had participated in the "western Civil War" and John later received a pension for that service. John and Elizabeth had five children. They were Mary Finnette (b Jan 5, 1867, d Oct 8, 1942), Henry Edward (b Apr 22, 1870, d Jan 9, 1906), John Charles Jr. (b 1874, d 1889), Frank Morton (b Aug 22, 1876, d April 14, 1934), and Edna Claire (b May 6, 1878, d 1931). Her first child, Mary Finnette, (Aunt Nettie or Auntie) was born on a winter trek into Idaho. There was no help or shelter about, but John was not at a loss. He found a little stack of hay on the prairie, burned it, and spread a buffalo robe on the warm ashes. The child born there was to outlive the four children that followed. For a time they owned a ranch in Wyoming and during that time John was elected to the territorial legislature. Elizabeth was often at the ranch with just the children. Her daughter Nettie remembered her mother negotiating with Indians who were asking for food. One morning Elizabeth found a dead outlaw, hung by a vigilante posse, hanging on the barn. The ranch was eventually sold.

John next ran a wood yard to supply fuel for the Union Pacific Railroad. But fire destroyed it and ended that venture. By this time Elizabeth had acquired some furs, which she sold and bought a team of mules. She leased the mules out to a grading contractor on the railroad. She also started a boarding house to feed the Irish laborers (whom she described as worse than animals). But she was never again without money of her own for the rest of her life. They next owned a farm near Bristow in Butler Co, Iowa but it was also sold. John and his brothers (Sol and Ben) moved to Hampton, Iowa and all started nurseries. The local farmers needed frait trees, and their wives longed for a few shrubs or roses. Sol's nursery prospered and continued into modern times. John's did not, and dwindled gradually away Elizabeth bought an old house in her name on the west side of Hampton. She remodeled it and added a second story and attic. While this was being done, she partitioned off a part of the hayloft in the large square bam, and told John he could live there. John didn't accept Elizabeth's offer. He went to Montana and eventually to California. (Cynthia) Elizabeth Ann Bagley died September 13, 1928. John was nearly 100 years old and living with or near a son, in Califomia, when he fell downstairs and broke his arm and some ribs. Pneumonia deprived him of a three digit birthday. He died November 3, 1934 in San Diego, California.