Utah Biographies ~ Farrell to Forrester

Farrell, William George

Will G. Farrell, one of the most successful life insurance men in the Western country, was born in Logan, Cache County, Utah, May 24, 1864, and has been a life-long resident of this State.

His father, George Lionel Farrell, was a native of England, a descendant of the McFarrells of Scotland. He emigrated in his youth to America with his mother and three sisters, first going to Iowa, and later settling in Utah, where he became the original "dry farmer" and president of the Farmers' Union in Cache County, Utah, being the first man to be successful with that form of farming which has since grown to marvelous proportions, and is indispensable in the inter-mountain country.

His mother was the daughter of a well-to-do Swedish mechanic and inventor, Solomon Lunberg, who made his home in Utah in 1860. The elder Farrell first conceived the idea that the rich lands of Utah could be made to produce crops by proper tilling without irrigation, and he set about to prove it, and did. And he lived to see the arid wastes displace the watered fields, and Utah leading out to teach Western civilization to utilize her dry and fruitless wastes.

Will G. Farrell was educated at the University of Deseret, now the University of Utah, where he took the normal course, having passed the examination in 1880. After graduation his first occupation was as clerk to his father in the bishop's storehouse of the Mormon Church at Logan, Utah. Later he held the position of secretary and treasurer of the Oneida Mercantile Union of Franklin, Idaho. He was recorder of deeds at Cache County for several years, and up to 1896 was official abstractor of land titles in the same county. He next became traveling auditor for the Cooperative Wagon and Machine Company, and later held the same position with the Studebaker Bros. Company, of Utah. He had studied insurance a great deal, and he decided next to enter that field and turned his attention in that direction, achieving such success as to attract the attention of the managers of the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company of Philadelphia, who, in 1904, offered him a co-partnership in the general agency for Utah, and he has successfully represented that company ever since. He devotes most of his time to life-insurance underwriting, and in 1907 his agency stood third in production, of legal-reserve Eastern companies doing business in Utah.

Mr. Farrell is also secretary and treasurer and director of the Iosepa Agricultural and Stock Company, a Utah corporation; and vice-president and director of the George L. Farrell Corporation, "Dry Farmers," also a Utah corporation. He attends to the business end of both companies.

Mr. Farrell held the position of United States court commissioner under President Grover Cleveland. Mr. Farrell spent several years in the Sandwich Islands, and speaks the Hawaiian language. He is a member of the Commercial Club, B. P. 0. Elks, president of the Utah Association Life Underwriters, chairman Executive Committee of the Hawaiian Missionary Society, and director of the Civic Improvement League, all of Salt Lake City. Mr. Farrell was married to Miss Florence Nightingale Caine, a daughter of Hon. John T. and Margaret N. Caine. They have two children, William Caine Farrell and Frederick Nightingale Farrell.

Ferry, Edward Payson

Edward Payson Ferry was born April 16, 1837, at Grand Haven, Michigan, his father being William Montague Ferry, Presbyterian missionary to the Indians at Mackinac Island and pioneer settler of Ottawa County, Michigan. His mother was Amanda W. Ferry.

His father had to civilize the Indians before he had them ready to Christianize and it took him several years. But he educated them in the ordinary branches of English, got them to the point where they could read it and have some understanding of it. In time the Indians were so grounded in the language and in the doctrines of Christianity that some of the better educated ones were sent to other Indian tribes to do for those tribes what had been done for them. This was one of the most successful missions ever sent out by the Presbyterians among the Indians, and its influence has long continued.

Edward Payson Ferry early showed aptitude for commercialism and branched out into the lumber trade, engaging in the saw mill busi-ness and acquiring timber lands. The business grew to such proportions that the matter of transportation became an important need and a line of lake steamers was acquired. Meanwhile he became interested in banking and was elected president of the First National Bank of Grand Haven.

Mr. Ferry early became impressed with the mining possibilities of the West. He located in Park City, Utah, in 1878, with the intention of superintending the investments of himself and associates. Later he acquired mining ground by discovery, or by grubstaking prospectors, or by actual purchase.

He married Clara V. White in Michigan in 1870, and five children were born to them. Of these one died and two sons and two daughters are living and married, as follows: W. Mont. Ferry, Edward Stewart Ferry, Miriam Ferry Reynolds, and Edith Ferry Merrill. His chief interests now are in the Silver King Coalition Mines Company, Walker Brothers, Bankers, and the Utah Savings and Trust Company. He has other mining interests and has much Salt Lake real estate. In politics he is Republican nationally. Locally he was identified with the old Liberal party and was one of its first members in the State Legislature.

In his busy life he has spared time for and enjoyed the amenities of social life. He is a member of the Alta Club, and honorary member of the University Club, and a Knight Templar.

Edward P. Ferry's activities in the entire West were so extensive and so widely comprehensive that before he was here many years he recognized the inevitable empire of this region. He was active in the organization of the Trans-Mississippi Congress, and was made president of that organization in Denver in 1891. He served the congress with credit to himself and to the Territory of Utah which he represented.

He is now 72 years of age, and for a number of years his health has been impaired and he has not actively engaged in business. His extensive interests are managed by his sons, W. Mont Ferry and Edward Stewart Ferry.

Ferry, William Montague

Born in Grand Haven, Michigan, March 12, 1871, William Montague Ferry grew to manhood in the Wolverine State, securing 1 his early education in the public schools of Michigan and in the Michigan State Military Academy. Afterwards he entered Olivet College, graduating from that institution in 1891, with the degree of Bachelor of Science. He is now a trustee of his Alma mater.

Shortly after his graduation he came to Utah, in 1893, going to Park City, where he became identified with mining interests and engaged in business with his father. For a while he was with the famous Silver King Mine, now known as the Silver King Coalition, one of the greatest dividend-payers in Utah or the country. Concluding that he would devote his life and energy to the mining industry, he entered the Colorado State School of Mines at Golden, taking a course in mining and metallurgy.

After leaving the School of Mines he again came to Utah and entered the service of the Ontario Mining Company, a property which has paid thirteen million dollars in dividends, and was assigned to the Marsac mill in the leaching and refining department, and later in the refining department alone. In 1898 he left Park City, locating in Salt Lake. He later became identified with Walker Brothers, Bankers, the Utah Savings and Trust Company, the Mason Valley Mines Company, the Silver -King Coalition Mines Company (director in each), and other mining companies.

Mr. Ferry is a Republican in National politics. Locally, that is, on State and city issues, he is an American, having been elected a member of the city council of Salt Lake by the American party in 1905, for a term of four years. He is chairman of the finance committee of the council.

He was married at Nashville, Michigan, June 3, 1896, to Miss Ednah Truman. The fruit of this union is twin sons, William Montague, Jr., and Sanford Truman, who were born October 4, 1898.

Mr. Ferry is a member of the Alta, Commercial, Country and University clubs of Salt Lake City, president of the Civic League of the city, and a director of the Young Men's Christian Association. With his family he resides in a handsome home at 453 East South Temple Street, Salt Lake City.

Forrester, Robert

Robert Forrester, one of the most eminent and progressive geologists and mining engineers in the United States, and one whose services are constantly in demand, owing to his superior knowledge of minerals and rock formation, is a native of Balmalcolm, Kings Kettle, Fifeshire, Scotland, at which place he was born, November 22, 1864. He inherits from his father, John Forrester, his aptitude in geology and mining, and from childhood he made it a study, until to-day he has perfected himself so thoroughly in his chosen profession that he is considered an absolute authority and expert in geology, mining engineering, and in the coal industry, of which he has made a special study. Mr. Forrester was educated in the common schools of West Calder, and later took the course at the University of Edinburgh, from which he graduated with honors. He immigrated to this country in 1887, going first to Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, where he made a thorough study of the coal industry.

In 1888 he superintended the building of a street railway in Kansas City, Mo., and while there had charge of the first mining 1 exhibit ever held in that city.

He came to Utah in December, 1889, and became associated with the Pleasant Valley Coal Company. In 1892 he was appointed United States Inspector of Mines for Utah, which duties required much careful investigation, and it is fair to state that everything recommended by him was indorsed and promptly carried out.

Mr. Forrester is consulting engineer for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, by whom his services are greatly valued, and he is geologist for the Utah Fuel Company, the most important concern in the coal industry in the West.

Mr. Forrester has opened the Sunnyside, Linierset, Castle Gate, Clear Creek, and Winter Quarters coal mines of the Utah Fuel Company; the Diamond Coal and Coke Company, owned by the Amalgamated Copper Company; the Morrison Mine, for the Sterling Coal and Coke Company; Persions Peak Mine, for the Calumet Fuel Company of Colorado; and the Home Fuel Company's Mine, at Coalville. Mr. Forrester has made a special study of geology and the economic features of engineering, and in the performance of his professional duties has always applied good business tact and judgment as well as his scientific knowledge and technical skill. Mr. Forrester enlisted in the Second Volunteer Cavalry in the War with Spain, in 1898, and was mustered out in October, as a sergeant. He is a member of the F. G. S. E., N. Geological Society; A. A. A. S. Col. Sci. Society; A. I. M. E. and the M. M. S. A.; also of the Alta Club, Commercial Club, and Denver Athletic Club. He was married September 11, 1890, to his first wife, and to his present wife June 8, 1903.

Index

Source: Sketches of the Inter-Mountain States, Utah, Idaho and Nevada, Published by The Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1909