Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 517] deceased, whose portrait accompanies this sketch on the opposite page, was one of the early residents of Neshannock township, and was born, reared, and died on the paternal homestead, which is now the residence of his widow. He was born Dec. 4, 1817, and died Jan. 13, 1889. Our subject's father came to Neshannock township in 1806, from his native State, Maryland, and settled on the farm, now occupied by his son's widow; everything was a perfect wilderness, and the settlers were few and far between. He cleared a spot large enough to furnish a site for a log-house and afford a little room for a small garden patch, and lived in this homely, frontier fashion until he had largely cleared his farm, when he erected a frame dwelling to replace the one of logs. As one of the first settlers he took advantage of his intimate knowledge of the country and its needs, and gathered together a very comfortable property. He was an honest, upright man, prompt in the discharge of every obligation, and while he was exacting as to getting his own dues, he was as equally sure to pay the last penny justly due from him to others. He was a Democrat from principle, but never had time to accept office. He married Rebecca Carle of Westmoreland Co., Pa., and their family grew to include seven children: John, who married Margaret Strita of Mercer, Pa., and has three children—Sarilla, Emma, and Orin; Fisher, who married Sophia Fobes and had three children—Samuel, Joseph C., and Sabra, deceased; Taylor, who married Margaret Randall, and was the father of one child, Clark; Joseph C., the subject of this personal history; William, who married Eliza Greer, and has a family of eight, children—Nancy, Carl, Elizabeth, John, William, Wilbur, Emma, and Charles; Mary, who married John Gibson of Neshannock township, and has four children: Ira N., Plimpton, Armetta, and Capitola; and Samuel, deceased. They were members of the Methodist Church, and attended divine services in King's Chapel, Neshannock township. The father died March 15, 1861, and the mother rejoined him and other near and loved ones in the regions across the river, July 1, 1870, aged eighty-five years, having attained a greater age by eight years than her husband.
Joseph C. Ferver was educated in his native township schools, and as a young man worked on the farm, which afterward became his, on which he lived all his life; he became well-off by making diligent use of his opportunities, supplementing them with an uncommon shrewdness and genius for careful and conserving management. He was a Democrat, and was elected at one time supervisor.
May 18, 1847, he was joined in marriage with Nancy Carle, daughter of Joshua Carle, and to Mr. and Mrs. Ferver were given five children, namely: Samuel, deceased; Joshua, deceased; Adaline, who married Perry Maitland of New Castle; Emma; and one that died in infancy. The family are constant attendants of the M. E. Church. Our subject's father was a soldier in the War of 1812.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 11 Jul 2001