Hosea V. Ferrell was born on October 6, 1880, in Carterville, Illinois to Dr. Hosea V. Ferrell (1844-1918) and Mildred Cassandra Davis (1888-xxxx). Dr. Ferrell was a civil war veteran and prominent figure in the Carterville area. When the First National Bank of Carterville was organized in 1905, Dr. Ferrell served as its Vice President and in 1908 was elected the bank’s President with J.V. Walker as Vice President.
Hosea grew up in Carterville attending public schools. His higher education was obtained at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri law school from which institution he was graduated with the class of 1902. Hosea was a member of Phi Gamma Delta and Phi Delta Phi fraternities. The next year he spent at Northwestern University in Evanston, IIIinois, and was graduated from the law department in 1903.
He then entered the law office of Attorney W. A. Schwartz at Carbondale, and remained with this prominent Jackson county attorney for three years, and then went to Marion, where he entered the law partnership with Attorney Leon A. Colp, the firm being styled Colp & Ferrell. This partnership continued for five years, when it was dissolved by mutual agreement. Attorney Ferrell established a law office of his own.
On July 2, 1906 when the Eldorado, Marion and Southwestern Railroad was organized, Ferrell served as Secretary, Attorney and the Illinois Agent for the transfer of stock according to the Annual Report, Volume 1 by the Illinois Railroad and Warehouse Commission.
In late 1906, he appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court on the case of C & EI Railroad vs Frank Snedaker. Ferrel was serving with attorneys William Schwartz and William Warder against E.E. Denison. William Warder would later become Ferrell’s father-in-law.
On December 10, 1906 James A. Rose, Secretary of State of Illinois certified the organization of “Thorne Place Club” at 601 E. Thorn St. as a legally organized corporation of the State of Illinois. Hosea V. Ferrell, Leon A. Colp, and Paul R. Colp transferred Lots 1 and 2 Block 7 Thorne Place to the Thorne Place Club on January 1, 1907. Thorne Place Club consisted of five men – Hosea V. Ferrell, Leon A. Colp, Paul R. Colp, Dr. Dausa D. Hartwell, and Frank Powell.
A 1907 Marion city directory listed Hosea as a notary located at 804 Public Square.
In the 1910 census, Ferrell was 30 years old and still single. He was listed as a lawyer with his own office, presumably still 804 Public Square. Hosea was lodging in the home of Charles Gent at 301 S. Market Street.
He published in book form, “Revised laws and ordinances of Marion, Illinois, 1911” by authority of the City Council of the city of Marion, Illinois on March 27, 1911.
In 1912, Ferrell married Evelyn Warder who went by the name “Velce”. So far I haven’t found her maiden name. The couple purchased a home located at 200 E. College Street.
In September of 1918, when Hosea filled out his WWI draft registration, he was 37 years old and married. He claimed to be a lawyer practicing by himself. He was described as medium height, slender build with brown eyes and brown hair. His contact person was his wife Evelyn at 200 E. College St.
In 1919, Ferrell served as Secretary for the Civilian Relief Committee formed during WWI.
A 1922 Marion business directory found Ferrell located in an office on the second floor of the First National Bank. In April of 1923, when the Lion’s club of Marion was formed, he was a charter member and listed himself with the Lion’s as an abstractor at that location.
In the 1930 federal census, the couple’s home address was the same. They claimed a value on the home of $7,000 which they owned clear. Hosea was aged 49, Velsie was 42 and they had two children at home, Evelyn aged 16 and William H. Ferrell aged 15. I suspect that his wife started going by “Velsie” after they named their daughter Evelyn to avoid confusion. Hosea listed himself as a lawyer at general practice.
The depression of the 1930’s must have been somewhat problematic for the family because the 1940 federal census indicated that the family had relocated to Carterville in the mid 30’s and were living there in 1935.
A 1939 directory indicates that the Ferrell’s were not only back in Marion, but that Hosea had gone into a partnership with Attorney John Hay at 1204 Public Square, over the J.V. Walker Clothing Store near the old City Hall. John Hay was the son of C.W. Hay who owned Hay Mercantile on the west side of the First National Bank building.
The 1940 federal census confirms that they were back at their E. College home again with both children; Billie now aged 25 and Evelyn now 26. He valued their home now at $8,000.
When Hosea registered for the WWII draft in April of 1942 he was 62. His workplace was 1204 Public Square. He was described as 5’9” tall, 165 lbs., with blue eyes, grey hair and a light complexion. His eye color is different from his WWI registration.
Ferrell continued his partnership with John Hay in their law office on the square until his retirement in 1950.
According to the book, “Williamson County in the World War, 1919” Hosea V. Ferrell was regarded in Southern Illinois as an authority on corporation and municipal law.
Hosea Ferrell passed away in January 1955 and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery.
An article in the Daily Republican regarding the 1964 fire on the square that damaged J.V. Walker Clothing store and Cline-Vick Pharmacy stated, “Mrs. H.V. Ferrell, owner of the building housing Walker’s said that no plans have been made at this time to re-build. She said she will await the arrival of her son, William H. Ferrell of Belleville, a St. Louis attorney, who is on business in California, before making a decision.”
A 1965 Marion street directory indicated that their daughter Evelyn A. Ferrell had been married and was then living in the family home at 200 E. College Street under the name Evelyn A. McElhattan. She appears to have been widowed with the death of her husband Daniel F. McElhattan in 1951. Evelyn was born August 23, 1913 and died in March 1979. She is interred with her parents in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Velsie Ferrell, Hosea’s wife, moved to Belleville after the death of her daughter Evelyn to be close to her son William in Belleville, Illinois and this is where she passed away in April 1983. Her body was returned to Marion and she was interred next to Hosea and Evelyn at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Their son, William H. Ferrell, followed in his father’s footsteps and was a career lawyer in Belleville, Illinois. He was born on October 10, 1914 and died in Belleville on October 10, 2001 at age 87.
Sam’s Notes: I have no proof at the moment but suspect that since Hosea wrote the book on City Regulation’s for the year 1911 that he was likely serving as Marion’s city attorney.
(Data extracted from Williamson County in the World War, 1919; University of Missouri 1902 yearbook; Annual Report, Volume 1 by the Illinois Railroad and Warehouse Commission; Illinois State University library; Illinois law cases; Marion city directories; Federal census records; Marion city cemetery records; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 08/06/2013)