John Ferrel 1800-1833
My 3rd great grand-uncle
[son of James Ferrel 1770-1822]
John Ferrel was born about 1800. He was the son of James Ferrel. It is unclear whether his mother was Hannah Kennison or Rosanna Ray. James was living in Jefferson County, Kentucky in 1799, and married Rosanna in July of 1800 in Hamilton County, Ohio. James Ferrel had 3 known children with Hannah ( who he married in 1789 in Jefferson County, Kentucky): Andrew, Samuel, and James Jr. My assumption is that if John Ferrel was born before 1801, he would have been Hannah’s son. If he was born a few months or more after his father’s marriage to Rosanna, then he would have been her son.
In the 1820 Vigo County, Indiana Census, John was listed as living alone at age 19-25. His household is between his oldest brother, Andrew, and his father, James Ferrel.
On 26 February 1822, John Ferrel married Rebecca Noblet in Vigo County, Indiana. His father, James, died that year.
I have not been able to locate an 1830 Census for John Ferrel. He and Rebecca had a daughter, Anna, born about 1831 in Indiana, and a son, Thomas, born about 1833 in Illinois.
John Ferrel appears to have died about 1833. His wife, Rebecca, married James Cox on 15 September 1834 in Crawford County, Illinois. In 1830, James Cox was listed with a wife and 2 young girls. Rebecca and James had 4 children: Deborah, Mary, James Jessie, and Joseph. The children of John Ferrel and Rebecca carried the Cox name throughout their lives.
I was only able to find that John Ferrel had any children with Rebecca by finding her marriage to James Cox and noting that Anna and Thomas Cox were born before he married Rebecca. I have not found when Rebecca died, only that she is buried in Randolph Cemetery in Crawford County, Illinois
So now to get to the real reason why I did this search. Most importantly, I learned that John Ferrel did have children.
Anna Ferrel/Cox married John Thomas Musgrave on 14 April 1863. She was 32 years old, and he was 57 years old. At the time they married, John Musgrave had four children aged 22, 19, 17, and 15. John Musgrave died in 1870. It appears that they did not have children together.
The 1870 Census shows Anna Musgrave, age 39, with her stepson Thomas Musgrave, age 21, and Debory Cox, age 51.
The last I knew of Anna was that she was still alive in 1877, when the following deed was recorded in court. It shows Anna giving her stepson Thomas 36 acres.
22 May 1877 Deed Shows: The deed begins: “Grantor Anna Musgrave of the County of Crawford and State of Illinois…”
The grantee is Thomas J. Musgrave. The deed conveys land to: “Thomas J. Musgrave his heirs and assigns…”
The land: 36 acres in Section 36, Township 8N, Range 14W-“A part of the South West Quarter of the South West Quarter of Section 36… containing thirty‑six acres, more or less…”
Anna waives her homestead rights “hereby releasing and waiving all rights under and by virtue of the Homestead Exemption laws…”
Witnesses include Potter Pastlemart, J.P.
And that is the last I know of Anna Ferrel, daughter of John Ferrel.
Now onto John Ferrel’s son Thomas Ferrel:
Thomas Ferrel was born on 22 August 1833 in Illinois. That means that the family had moved from Indiana. His father, John Ferrel, died the same year. The following year, 1834, his mother, Rebecca, remarried. She married James Cox. I have not found any record of James Cox adopting Anna and Thomas, so I assume he didn’t. Like Anna, Thomas also went by Cox for his last name.
In 1850, Thomas was 16 years old and living with his mother and stepfather, along with his sister Anna, and his four half-siblings. He was working the farm with his stepfather.
Thomas married 3 times. The first was in 1858 when he married Margaret Calvert. They had 5 children: James William, born 1860; John W., born 1862; Joseph Martin, born 1864; Mary Jane, born 1865; and Rachel Rebecca, born 1867.
In 1870, Thomas and Margaret’s son John W.died in 1863. The census was taken on 20 July 1870. Margaret, Thomas’s wife died in November of 1870, leaving him with 4 young children.
Thomas remarried in 1872 to Nancy Todd, who had been widowed in December of 1870. It appears that she raised her husband’s nephew, Edward Todd, who appeared in the 1870 and 1880 Censuses with her. Nancy died in 1893.
Thomas married for the 3rd time in 1898 to Mary E Prior.
Thomas died 16 December 1903. He was 70 years old.
5 July 1905
Jasper County Probate Court — Estate of Thomas Cox Final Report & Discharge of Administrator: July Term, 5 July 1905
Isaiah Stewart, administrator of the estate of Thomas Cox, deceased, appears in court and: Files his final report-Petitions to be discharged from further duty. The court: The report is approved and confirmed in all respects.The court orders that the remaining personal property listed in the final report be vested in the heirs at law, who may take possession of it wherever found.
Remaining Assets: 1 stack of hay — appraised at $12.00-1 “ent twater” (likely entwater or entwatter — possibly a small implement or tool) — appraised at $0.40-1 cider mill — appraised at $0.15. These items were not sold earlier and now pass directly to the heirs.
Any uncollected debts owed to Thomas Cox are now vested in the heirs, who may sue to recover them.
The administrator is ordered to pay: A. Seventh-Class Claim (Heirs’ Joint Claim)-To be paid jointly to: Joseph M. Cox-James W. Cox-Mary Tipton-;Rachel R. Jones; Amount: $101.34 To Mary E. Cox, widow: $64.90 — her 5th class claim-$18.80 — her distributive share of the 7th class claim. This is in addition to the $526.30 she already received for her homestead + dower in January 1905.
This officially closes the estate.
This means the full heir set is: Widow-Mary E. Cox; Children / Heirs: William Cox (appears earlier but not in this final distribution — likely already compensated or not part of the 7th class claim)-Mollie J. Tipton-Martin Cox (appears earlier but not in this final distribution — likely no claim)-Rachel R. Jones-Joseph M. Cox-James W. Cox. This confirms six heirs, not four.
Confirms the estate was insolvent: Only a few small items remained, All heirs received only claim payments, not property, The land had already been sold to pay debts. Confirms the widow’s full compensation: Homestead + dower: $526.30-5th class claim: $64.90-Share of 7th class claim: $18.80-Total: $610.00+
I have found great satisfaction in finding the descendants of John Ferrel. I have been trying to do this for many, many years!! I hope that he is proud of his family!
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