Deborah A. Watkins m. Frederick Ferree, Monroe Co., MI 1848
Deborah and Frederick were my great grandparents. I have the Ferree line pretty well filled in but have not been able to find anything about Deborah's parents, siblings, etc. In the census records it states Deborah was born in NY in 1833, her father was born in MA, and her mother was born in CT. In the 1903 "History of Northern Idaho", Western Historical Publishing Co., there is a biographical sketch of Deborah and Frederick's son James Edward Ferree which states that Deborah's "parents were pioneers in Monroe County, Michigan". The family was in the 1860 census in Monroe Co., MI and in the 1880 census in Ray Co., MO. Frederick died in Carroll Co., AR in 1888. Deborah was in the 1900 census in Elk Co., KS, living with my grandparents. She died in KS in 1901. In the 1860 MI census there is a George Olney living with the family. Three pages later there is an Olney family with a Wm. Watkins living with them, so there may be a Watkins/Olney connection. In the 1913 "History of Monroe County Michigan", Lewis Publishing Co., there is a notation that in the first election for township officers for Bedford Twp. in 1836 a Nathan G. Watkins was elected Justice of the Peace. That's all the Watkins information that I have been able to find in connection with Monroe Co., MI. If anyone has any information on this family I would love to hear from you. I have lots of Ferree information to share.
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Re: Deborah A. Watkins m. Frederick Ferree, Monroe Co., MI 1848
Thomas Kerwin 8/17/03