Ancestors of
Martha Ellen Ferrell
and
William Elliott Brown
July 2010
The kind of ancestors we have is not as important as the kind of descendants our ancestors will have. — Phyllis A. Wallace
This brief paper will attempt to construct a factual story about the ancestors of Martha Ellen Ferrell and William Elliott Brown. Official documents such as U.S. Census Reports, Chataigne’s Directory of the Streets, Houses, and Occupants of the City of Richmond, and death certificates were the starting points for preparing this paper.
On July 11, 1870, the ninth census of the United States listed the grandparents of Martha Ellen Ferrell; they were Benjamin and Louisa Ferrell. Louisa Ferrell was reported to be 50 years old, and Benjamin Ferrell was reported to be 60 years old. The 1870 census shows a listing of their ten children. Their ages ranged from 26 years old to 6 years old. The Ferrell family resided in the Upper Revenue District, Hanover County, Virginia; they are shown in the table below.
Benjamin and Louisa Ferrell’s Family in 1870
Ancestors | Age | Occupation | Able to Read? | Able to Write? |
1 Benjamin Ferrell | 60 | Farmer | No | No |
2 Louisa Ferrell | 50 | Keeping House | No | No |
3 Elizabeth Ferrell | 26 | Domestic Servant | No | No |
4 Boston Ferrell | 22 | Farm Laborer | No | No |
5 Robert Ferrell | 20 | Farm Laborer | No | No |
6 Benjamin Ferrell | 18 | Farm Laborer | No | No |
7 Thomas Ferrell | 16 | Farm Laborer | No | No |
8 Chastine Ferrell | 14 | Farm Laborer | No | No |
9 Bettie Ferrell | 12 | Domestic Servant | No | No |
. Fannie Ferrell | 10 | Domestic Servant | No | No |
1 Mary Ferrell | 8 | - | No | No |
1 Charlotte Ferrell | 6 | - | No | No |
It is significant to note that the 1870 U.S. Census was the first deliberate recording of Black people by name, age, and occupation. U.S. Census records for the years 1810-1860 may have included information on free black households; slave schedules listed enslave Black people under the names of their slave masters, but only by age and sex. After 1860 all residents were recorded. Benjamin and Louisa Ferrell’s family was not recorded in the U.S. Census of 1860. It is not known whether they were free or enslaved.
Benjamin and Louisa’s second oldest child, Boston Ferrell, was reported to be 22 years old in 1870; he is the father of Martha Ellen Ferrell. The tenth census of the United States, taken in 1880, lists Boston Ferrell as a farm laborer in Beaver Dam, Hanover County, Virginia. However, Chataigne’s Directory of the Streets, Houses, and Occupants of the City of Richmond indicated that Boston Ferrell worked in Richmond around 1877. So, between 1870 and 1880, Boston must have traveled between Beaver Dam and Richmond to work.
Either way, at some point, Boston Ferrell left Beaver Dam and made a home in Richmond. He was listed in Chataigne’s Directory of the Streets, Houses, and Occupants of the City of Richmond, dated 1877-1881, as an hourly paid laborer and resided at 417 North Adams. Boston Ferrell was also listed in Chataigne’s Directory of the Streets, Houses, and Occupants of the City of Richmond, dated 1891-1892, as an hourly paid teamster and resided at 814-½ North 7th. We can assume that Boston Ferrell learned a variety of useful skills while working as a farm laborer and gained a good reputation for his work in Richmond.
There’s evidence that Boston Ferrell’s brothers, Robert and Benjamin, also lived in Richmond. They are also listed in Chataigne’s Directory of the Streets, Houses, and Occupants of the City of Richmond, dated 1891-1892. Benjamin was listed as an hourly paid laborer and lived at 220 West Charity, and Robert was listed as an hourly paid baggerman and lived at 307 East Franklin.
Information about Bertha Gaskins, Martha’s Mother, has not been recorded and very little is known of Bertha Gaskins. The 1870 U.S. Census Report, taken on June 13, 1870, shows Bertha Gaskins in Alexandria, Virginia, and lists her at 12 years old working as a domestic servant in the household of Susan and Jacob Harrison. The 1880 U.S. Census Report , taken on June 1, 1880, shows Bertha Gaskins as still living in Alexandria, Virginia with her family; she is listed at 18 years old and working as a domestic servant. The Gaskins Family shown on the 1880 U.S. Census Report is shown below.
Thomas and Maria Gaskins’ Family in 1880
Possible Ancestors | Age | Occupation | Able to Read? | Able to Write? |
1 Thomas Gaskins | 45 | No | No | |
2 Maria Gaskins | 40 | Keeping House | No | No |
3 James Gaskins | 20 | Working at Reservoir | No | No |
4 Bertha Gaskins | 18 | Servant | No | No |
5 Mary Lucy | 15 | Servant | No | No |
6 Martha Gaskins | 13 | Servant | No | No |
7 Carrie Gaskins | 7 | At Home | No | No |
8 Emma Gaskins | 9/12 | At Home | No | No |
It cannot be substantiated whether the Bertha Gaskins found on the 1870 and 1880 census reports is the same person or an ancestor. However, there is a good possibility that Martha’s Mother is the Bertha Gaskins listed above.
Sometime between 1880 and 1890, we can assume that Boston Ferrell met and married Bertha Gaskins.
Around 1890, could have been 1891 or 1892, Boston Ferrell and Bertha Gaskins became the parents of one child, Martha Ellen Ferrell. Bertha Gaskins died when Martha Ellen Ferrell was a child; Martha was subsequently raised by her relatives. It can be assumed that Boston remained in Richmond, working hard to support and help raise his daughter, Martha. It is unknown whether Martha was raised by her Mother’s relatives or her Father’s relatives.
Boston Ferrell and Bertha Gaskins Ferrell in 1890, 1891, or 1892
Ancestors | Age | Occupation | Able to Read? | Able to Write? |
1 Boston Ferrell | 42 | Laborer | No | No |
2 Bertha Gaskins | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
3 Martha Ferrell | Infant | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Martha Ellen Ferrell’s death certificate indicates she died on October 26, 1967 at age 75 years old. The death certificate shows her birthdate was October 2. Therefore, according to the information provided by Martha Ellen Brown Pressey to the undertaker who prepared Martha Ellen Ferrell’s death certificate, she was born in 1892. We can therefore assume that Martha Ellen Ferrell’s birth date was October 2, 1892. As reported on her death certificate, Martha Ellen Ferrell’s mother’s name was Bertha Gaskins, and her father’s name was Boston Ferrell.
According to William Elliott Brown’s death certificate he died on May 27, 1936 at 45 years old. The death certificate also indicates his birthday was April 29. Therefore, according to the information provided by Virginia Brown Buford to the undertaker who prepared William Elliott Brown’s death certificate, he was born in 1891. Hence, from this information, we can assume that William Elliott’s birth date was April 29, 1891. William Elliott Brown’s mother’s name was Rosa Johnson, and his father’s name was William Brown.
William Brown and Rosa Johnson Brown in Early 1891
Ancestors | Age | Occupation | Able to Read? | Able to Write? |
1 William Brown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
2 Rosa Brown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
3 William Elliott Brown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
4 Fannie Brown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
We know that Martha Ellen Ferrell and William Elliott Brown were born in Virginia sometime during the 19th century’s closing decade. Official documents are conflicting regarding their births. The 1910, 1920, and 1930 U.S. Census Reports present conflicting information regarding the year of their births. The death certificates for Martha Ellen Ferrell and William Elliott Brown provide different birth date information too. A handwritten family tree document that was presumably prepared by Martha Ellen Ferrell Brown named the birth year for Martha and William as 1890. The handwritten document also lists their marriage date on March 17, 1910. It states under the category of marriages the following:
“On March 17, 1910 Mr. William E. Brown to Miss Martha Ellen Ferrell in Richmond, VA Pastor Rev. A. ?. Thomas.”
The 1910 U.S. Census Report, dated April 18, 1910, shows the young Brown newlyweds living at
214 West Duvale Street as indicated below.
William and Martha Brown in 1910
Ancestors | Age | Occupation | Able to Read? | Able to Write? |
1 William Elliott Brown | 23 | Laborer - Stove Works | Yes | Yes |
2 Martha Ellen Brown | 22 | None | Yes | Yes |
Boston Ferrell lived close by; the 1910 U.S. Census Report, dated April 18, 1910, shows he lived at
210 West Duvale Street as shown below.
Boston Ferrell in 1910
Ancestor | Age | Occupation | Able to Read? | Able to Write? |
. Boston Ferrell | 47 | Wood Sawyer | No | No |
The 1920 U.S. Census Report, dated January 21, 1920, shows William and Martha and their first four children living on North Price Street; it reported that Boston lived with his daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren.
William and Martha Brown’s Family in 1920
Ancestors | Age | Occupation | Able to Read? | Able to Write? |
1 William Elliott Brown | 31 | Laborer – Brass Worker | Yes | Yes |
2 Martha Ellen Brown | 29 | None | Yes | Yes |
3 Virginia R Brown | 9 | None | In School | In School |
4 William E. Brown, Jr. | 7 | None | In School | In School |
5 Martha Ellen Brown | 4-2/12 | None | N/A | N/A |
6 Robert L. Brown | 1-5/12 | None | N/A | N/A |
7 Boston Ferrell | 68 | None | Yes | Yes |
