Steven  D. Ferren

First Generation

Stephen D.  Ferren was born in Arkansas abt 1854.  Sam Ferren, a son, said that he was born in Lousiana, but on a census   Stephen Ferren put Arkansas, but said his parents were born in Louisiana. It is not known where or when Stephen died. Some of the extended family thought he had gone down to Texas and had died there. Any questions concerning this man, please contact me: Sheri Siebold, sherigen@yahoo.com

He married three times.  He married M.E. Griffin, Faulkner Co. AR, 27 Feb 1876.  He married Rebecca Jane Kirkman, date unknown, daughter of Alfred and Elizabeth Kirkman, Van Buren Co. Ark.  He married for the third time, Mrs. Sarah Olds in Dardanelle Yell Co. AR, November 8, 1898.

Stephen was listed as living with another family at the age of 5 yrs. on the 1860 Census at Plant, Pulaski Co. ARK.  Stephen was living with:

James P. Venable   32, Farmer,  GA; Harriet E.  Venable   21, Housewife   ARK; William Sherman   2 1/2,  ARK; Stephen Ferrin,  5,  ARK; John Whaley,  19,  farmhand, ALA; Mathew Masengale,   35, Physician   ALA. The Venable Family were one of the earliest settlers in Conway County, Arkansas. Hon. James P. Venable and his wife, H. Elizabeth (Hardin) lived in Pulaski Co. Ar from 1857 to sometime after the Civil War. Mrs. Venable was known to "lend a helping hand to all matters of public improvement and has always been an advocate of schools and churches." [source:Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas, Goodspeed Publishers, 1891, p 122).

Note: At this time, we have no clue to why Stephen is living with this family. He was not noted as a servant boy, or a student as he was very young.  NEW INFORMATION:  Father was Edward W. FERREN/Ferrin .... more information later.

In the 1870 Census for Faulkner Co. AR, Stephen is shown as being a domestic servent for another family related to the Venables. The Kirkman family is also residing in the area. At a VERY young age of 16 or 17 he marries.    Stephen was listed as the head of a family on the 1880 Census in Wiley's Cove Searcy Co. AR.  House 58-59:

FERRIN, Stephen  wm  26  m f. lab.   AR  LA  LA

, Jane 26  wife  keeping house   AR LA  TN

, Enoch 8   son AR  AR  AR;; Samuel; 4, son;; Idah; 6, dau.;; Calah, 2 dau.

He is living in between Edward Sooter, and Mathew Sooter. Ferrin may be working on this family's farm.

He was ordained a minister by the Missionary Baptist Church of Christ --Zion's Light  in Searcy Co. AR, August 1889.  His credentials was revoked by order of Pilgrim's Rest Church, Fowler, Yello Co. AR, October, 1897. He resided in Dardanelle Bottoms Yell Co.  In the 1890's, in Mandly Deadening (Fowler area), he ran a store.

From:  Lest We Forget, Pg. 41 (see source) FOWLER, AR  (Yell Co.) Mr. Calab Cotton was the owner of a cotton gin near the stores in Fowler.

S.D. Ferren gives a Mortgage with Power of Sale of his 120 acres, as colateral in case he can't pay back $200, plus 10% interest to C.B. Cotton.

C.B. Cotton was also living in Leslie, Searcy Co. AR, where Ferren had lived before. [ I believe that these two men were involved in various business transactions at both areas. See Census readout for Ferren. Ferren always worked as a clerk in a store.]

Quoting from Searcy County My Dear - A History of Searcy County, Arkansas, by Orville J. McInturff, Published by Marshall Mountain Wave, Marshall, AR, pp 108-116.:

;Old Matt Sooter built the first flour (roller) mill in Marshall at the turn of the century. In 1903 it was owned by Sooter, J.E. Treece and C.B. Cotton.

A debt is paid off by giving up his homestead in Mt. View Searcy Co. AR. "S.D. Ferren and wife, Rebecca J. Ferren; to David W. Lutt: December 31, 1890," pp 54,55.

1...release my right of dower and of homestead

2... in debt due to two (2) mules

3. N.E. 1/2 of the NW quarter and N.W. quarter of the N.W. quarter of the N.E. quarter sec. 28 twp 16 NR 16:  120 acres

He was tried in criminal court in Ft. Smith AR, February 24, 1891 for selling liquor to Indians in Hartshorne, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory.  He was a clerk in the store. He was tried before "Hanging Judge Parker" in Ft. Smith, AR. He was sentenced to $100 fine, and 3 months in jail. He claimed that he was innocent. He thought he was selling medicine (bitters & rum) not liquor.

Stephen D. Ferren and Rebecca Jane Kirk____  had the following children:

2        ii. Enoch Ferren.  b. about; 1872, (Wiley's Cove, Searcy Co. AR)

3       iii. Ida Adele Ferren was born in Wiley's Cove  Searcy Co. AR June 10, 1875.  Ida died April 18, 1962 at 86 years of age.  Her body was interred 1962 Holdenville Cemetery.   She married Fletcher Kelton December 16,1893 Yell Co. AR.

+          4.      iv. Samuel Terrell Ferren was born February 26, 1877.

+         5        v. Mary Callie Ferren was born in Wiley's Cove  Searcy Co. AR October 22, 1878.  Mary died January 9, 1961 in Dustin Hughes Co. OK, at 82 years of age.  Her body was interred January 1961 in Dustin Hughes Co. OK.  She married three times.  She married William Reece in Carden Bottoms Yell Co AR, October 21, 1894.  She married ______Compton in OK, 1944.  She married Tom McKellop in OK, 1947.

6       vi. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Ferren was born October 25, 1881.  Elizabeth died June 13, 1922 in Tokio, Terry Co. TX, at 40 years of age.  She married Joseph Thomas Pippin April 26, 1896. Their children: Wilburn Y., b. abt 1899, AR; Dovie(?), TX, Nellie M., Bernice, Ira E, Emma A., Ida M., Alfred A., Mary E. [Source: 1920 Texas Census, Terry Co.]

+         7      vii. Tennessee (Tinnie) Ferren was born (1883).  Tennessee died ?? in Southgate CA (last residence).  She married J.P. Neely in Neely Yell Co. AR, February 23, 1897, Yell Co. AR. She was only 14 years old; he was 23. They were married by her father. Their children:  Myrtle, Tom, Claud, Rory & Ross (twins). Joseph Neely, b. 3-23-1885, d. 12-28-67, Los Angeles, CA.

8     viii. Daniel Ferren was born in Dardanelle, Yell Co. AR 1891.  Daniel died 1910 in Beaver Haskell Co. OK, at 19 years of age, of Meningitis.  His body was interred 1910 in Atwood OK.  Daniel was single on the 1910 Census in Beaver Haskell Co. OK. He worked as a clerk in a store.

Stephen D. Ferren and Molly Kirk____ had the following children:

10        x. Minnie Ferren.  She married Thomas Wilson.

11        xi. Nellie Ferren.  She married (?) Carson. At one time they resided in Windom, Fannin Co. TX.

Second Generation

5.  Samuel Terrell2 Ferren (Stephen D.1) was born in Wiley's Cove, Searcy Co. AR February 26, 1877.  Samuel died October 21, 1964 in Mendota Fresno Co. CA, at 87 years of age.  His body was interred October 27, 1964 in Mendota Fresno Co. CA, Golden Sunset Memorial Pk.  He married Rebecca (Becky) Terry, January 28,1897, Yell Co. AR.

Samuel Terrell Ferren and Rebecca (Becky) Terry had the following child:

12         i. Eric3 Ferren was born 1904.