Doris Slutsky

Henry Fayette Ferrin was born 10 March 1837 to Joseph Merrill and Chloe Paddock Ferrin in Dorset, Bennington, Vermont. In 1840 the family had settled in Watertown along with other cousins from New England. Mary E. Frazier was born 11 June 1837 to Thomas Jefferson and Angeline Bailey Frazier in Ticonderoga, Essex, New York. They married 8 October 1857 in St. Paul, Minnesota. After attending the Watertown public schools, Henry succeeded his father in the marble/stone cutting business at age 16. Local histories named this the oldest stone business under one management in New York state. "The premises occupied are large and commodious and a full force of marble cutters, sawyers and polishers are busy at all time. Mr. Ferrin is enterprising, progressive, and well merits the success he has achieved.” An undated business card of his stated, "H. J. Ferrin's Marble Works, #2 White's Block Public Square, American and Italian Marble Monuments and Tomb Tables.” One undated and unnamed newspaper picture showed Henry with five of his employees and it mentions the shop was located at 37-39 Court street on the site of the Hall block, next to Hardiman's in 1866. Previous to that date, the shop was at 5 Jackson Street near the Globe store. Another such picture has Henry in a group photo with twelve other men. The caption reads: "In 1901, after approximately 46 years, there went out of existence a local male social club known as the Pen Crew, one of the most unique organizations in the east. It was composed of local men prominent in the industrial, mercantile, professional, and official life of the city, and for 27 years its meeting were held in the small office of John W. Spratt, dealer in stoves, hardware, plumbing, whose place of business was where the Bonadio liquor store now is. The Pen Crew took its name from the fact that the cramped quarters in which the meetings were held were in the nature of a pen. Elisha D. Eames wrote a brief history of the club published at The Herald plant in 1900. Its membership was Republican in complexion and everything from politics to religion was discussed, netting `more wit and wisdom and more heated arguments, than has resulted in any other room of its size and capacity in the country." They lived at 20 Stone Street for most of their married life, moved (or had the house number changed) to 51 1/2 Stone Street and then 44 Massey Street and 31 Emerson St. The couple had eight children, four of whom lived past 1900. Ida May was born in April 1860 and there is an undated headstone in Brookside Cemetery for her in the family plot. Nellie was born in 1862, married a Lucas and had at least three children (Earnest, Jenny, and Alice) Hattie was born at an unknown date and also has an undated headstone. Alice Louise was born 13 July 1867, married Frank Scott, had five children, and died in 1954. Henry Fayette Jr. was born October 1869 and also has an undated headstone in Brookside Cemetery. Lizzie was born in 1871, married a Young, but may have been divorced or widowed at an early age. Do not believe she had children and in 1951 was hospitalized in the Rochester County Home and Infirmary. Jennie has no birthdate and has an undated headstone in Brookside. Edward was born March 1877, became a pharmacist, married a Helen, and had a son William. He also served in the Spanish-American War. Henry, senior, died on 7 December 1906 of a cerebral hemorrhage at home and was buried in Brookside on 9 December. After his death, Mary traveled to Kansas and Minnesota to visit relatives before returning to Rochester to live with Lizzie. She contracted cancer of the colon and was down to 60 pounds before her death. She was hit by a car the September before she died on 6 November 1918 at 319 1/2 Pearl Street, Rochester, New York. The Ferrins were active members of the Stone Street Presbyterian Church in Watertown where Henry taught Sunday School. Mary attended the Rochester South Congregational Church until she died.