Frank P. Ferree, farmer and stockman, Gratz, Pennsylvania, was born in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 25 May 1853.
Isaac Ferree, the great-grandfather of Frank P. Ferree, was a native of France and a descendant of the Huguenots who were expelled from that country. He came to America and settled in Lancaster County, where he was a farmer and where he died.
Isaac Ferree II, grandfather of Frank P. Ferree, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was also a farmer. He took part in the War of 1812. He came to Dauphin County and located in Lykens Valley and took up one thousand acres of timber land. He laid out the town of Lykens and was extensively interested in farming and stock raising. He was much disturbed by Indian outbreaks and was repeatedly compelled to take up arms…. He owned a powder mill at Lykens. He was an influential man, widely known and highly esteemed, and was an ardent Democrat. He held membership in the Reformed church. He married in the township and was the father of ten children, among whom was George Washington Ferree, the father of Frank P. Ferree.
George Washington Ferree was born in Lykens Valley, Washington Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 21 November 1810. He attended the subscription schools of the township, grew up on his father’s farm, and was for twenty five years employed in the coal mines at Wiconisco. Later he bought a farm of thirty-three acres in Lykens Township, and during the remainder of his life was engaged in agriculture. Mr. George W. Ferree was married, in Lykens Township, in 1834, to Leah Umholtz, born in Lykens Valley, Lykens Township, 7 February 1815, daughter of Henry Umholtz, a farmer of that township. They had ten children:
Cyrus Ferree, deceased;
Uriah Ferree, deceased;
Mary A. Ferree, deceased, wife of Isaac Burd;
Elizabeth Ferree;
Henry Ferree, miner;
Leah Ferree, died in infancy;
Sarah Ferree, deceased, wife of N. Bressler;
George W. Ferree, deceased;
Frank P. Ferree; and
Ethel E. Ferree, deceased, wife of John Rush.
Mr. George W. Ferree died on the homestead, 5 November 1873. He was a Democrat and was very active as a local leader in his party. His wife died in 1885.
Frank P. Ferree attended the common schools and was also a pupil at the Berrysburg Seminary for four terms. He became a teacher and taught the township school during the winter months and worked on the home farm in the summer. He always remained no the homestead and took charge of the farm after the death of his mother. He was also at intervals engaged in working in the mines, and up to the present time is occasionally employed in this work at the mines at Wiconisco.
Frank P. Ferree was married in Lykens Township in 1878, to Catherine Salada, born in Lykens Township, 12 March 1860, daughter of Henry Salada, a brick maker, and Elizabeth [Siloe] Salada. They have four children:
Sarah Edith “Eta” Ferree, born 20 November 1879;
Joseph A. Ferree, born 17 December 1885;
Lizzie L. Ferree, born 1 April 1890; and
Henry U. Ferree, born 20 April 1892.
Mr. Frank P. Ferree is a Democrat and was elected justice of the peace and served two terms, seven years, and was an acceptable officer. He is a member of the Reformed church, in which he has served as deacon and Sunday-school teacher and superintendent. He is of good reputation and character as man and as citizen, is well and widely known and universally respected.
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The above information was modified/edited from Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, published in 1896 by J. M. Runk and Company of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. A free download is available from the Internet Archive.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
Note: Frank P. Ferree died in Brady Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, 23 September 1938, at the home of his daughter, Sarah Edith [Ferree] Amich. His death certificate, from Ancestry.com, is pictured at the top of this post.