Elijah Ferris

Citations

1. [S5] William Wade Hinshaw, Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Volume III: page 117 - New York Monthly Meeting - Elijah Ferris m. 1 day 2nd month 1791 Phebe Haviland, d/o Ebenezer & Jane, She d. 5/19/1801, age 30 years; Anna [2/26/1793]. Phebe Jane [9/06/1797], John Haviland [11/17/1799] & Elijah [6/10/1790].
2. [S10] Elizabeth Seaman Leggett, Journals of Elizabeth Seaman Leggett, "Uncle Elijah was a splendid looking man much too as mother used to describe her father. "The master", he too was called, and was the same as I have said by nature a mild sort of autocrat and his wife, the second she, I knew, petted him much in the way that as he said his mother had petted his father. Uncle Elijah like his father was sort of noble of the manor always a plate was set for the stranger that might come at meal time, always a beautiful table. At one end the famous hams, which was a part of the institution of the house.
        So uncle and his big brass spectacles with round glasses sat in the most comfortable chair in the room. Aunt Amelia on the other side of the fire place knitting, big cat on the rug and the younger ones disposed in many ways on the great sofa or floor. All know it was the evening for the "tasting" - smelt the sausage cooking - then old Dilly with her flounced cap, the flounce yellow from smoke hanging in great fullness half over her eyes.
        "Mr. Ferris, get ready," she said, "then (?) sausage must be et not - no stoppin to finish enny reedin."
        So "git-reddy" was the word. "then," said Dilly, with a peculiar emphasis as much as to say, "I suppose you'll find fault" - of course Mr. Ferris always did - then the spectacles were pushed to the top of the head - and the bit of dry bread and hot sausage. I don't believe you ever saw an old man try to taste the fine flavor of anything, such a sort of looking up to the ceiling for fear he might not just get the too full of too little of the seasoning. "Well," impatiently comes from Dilly. "Dilly, it isn't right, I don't know just what it wants, it doesn't some up to my mothers seasoning." Dilly breaks in "your mother, sposo not" - well Mr. Ferris what do they want?" Always this with a growl. "I guess Dilly it had better lay over til tomorrow perhaps a trifle of salt." "Yes, yes, I knowed it, and all that mess of most to be worked over again, I think its right just as it is." "try it again Dilly, bring in some hot ones." So we waited while Dilly skipped about, mad, coming in pretty soon - with the nice brown things. Dilly always "carved" these days but Uncle felt it was sort of better to find his little fault. Just this today as I have said that this beloved uncle Elija always has held the placed in my heart as grandfather - as grandfather, living as he did at the old homestead - with all the old fashioned bits of furniture, hospitable, very, and as I have called him the mild autocrat - the door yard was large and persons could be seen coming some minutes before they reached the house, although it was said, "Friends are coming." No one stirred from their seat except uncle - it was a rule with hi to welcome friends himself if at home - he would rise quickly from his seat, put down his paper, push his spectacles on the top of his head and get to the front door by the time the company got there - and then the welcome. "I'm heartily glad to see you?" taking both hands of the first comer and so on. Now just look at the old gentleman, it is summer, and a good breeze comes from the Sounds, the back door is open, the gracious garden high with flowers, sending sweetness thro and thro. The smile on the dear face, followed bya genial laugh - the white hair in hundreds of little rings of curls fall below the blad - has blown by the fresh breeze - and all the time showers of tiny petals from the multiflora Rose skimming thro the hall as tho they too wanted to add to the genial greeting then the family found time to take the hands and make, more and more the welcome. This was always the way, as I have said on the table always a plate for the stranger, always some delicate good thing in reserve to be brot on the table. Aunt Amelia was a good housekeeper - she made doughnuts and ginger nuts for "every day cake" by the firkin full, while the rich plum cake was deposited in a great earthen jar lined in brown sugar to keep it moist. It would keep good and fresh for always; but generally it was expected to last a year only to be taken when company came - choice bit - I was once at a friend's house and I said, "Cousin Mary, how is it that always thee has plum cake?" "Well," she replied, "thee sees dear - the doctor likes a hearty meal - and is somewhat of an epicure so our friends have satisfied their hunger before it is time to pop the cake, then I always make good gingerbread which is passes first, if the cake after that - jumbles and when it is time to pass the plum cake our friends generally say, "well really, you have so much that is nice - but I will take a small bit of that rich cake, Mary, thee does always tempt us so." And very little is eaten of it. So with Aunt Amelia all excellent things in readiness - in the cool cellar a jar of cream in winter ready made with a little bit of lemon in it - an egg or more broken then sweetened and a good flavor of brandy - the small whip churn - beside it and a great bowl of the delicious foamy luxury was ready in "a few minutes to add to a plain desert. Like my old grandmother Anna - chicken ready to be tossed on the hot coals - and the weekly ham - so that a sort or "company dinner" ever at a minutes warning - I have told thee that always then ham must be a year old before it was eaten and the process of simmering the whole day, then set away to get cold. Uncle was famous for his receipt for curing hams - proud he was but never expected to have anyone ask a second time for it at a meal, always it was the bit to flavor the other most on the table, exactly two inches as a rule was the allowance - it had to last the week out. At the marriage of any one of his neices - one of these hams was the wedding gift with strong direction regarding the cooking, "Now mind thee never lets it boil."" When thy grandmother Eliza, (thats me) he sent me one of his finest also altho it was the 23rd of November - great water melons - really they were an ornament to the table, the black waiters plumed themselves on cutting them fancifully..."
   "My Uncle Elijah Ferris had a sort of lingering weakness, no especial disease. He too died at Grove Farm, the good, genial, hospitable, beautiful old man.