Oliver Ferris was born in Greenwich, Conn., Nov. 22, 1753, the son ofjosiah, and through John, Jr. , and John, was descended from Jeffrey Ferris, the ancestor of that family in this country. Oliver Ferris was married to Abigail, daughter of Enos Lockwood on the 10th of Feb., 1776, by the Rev. Blackleach Burritt, who, on the 17th of the following June was taken prisoner and carried away to be incarcerated in the old Sugar House Prison on account of his staunch patriotism. Captain Ferris did good service in the Connecticut Militia, and after the Revolution came over to Tarry town and purchased the historic Maj'or Jacob Van Tassel place, the date of the transfer being March 31, 1802. He died Aug. 17, 1825, and his sou, Benson Ferris, Sr., in 1835, sold the homestead, comprising ten acres, to Washington Irving, who re-built it, and gave it the title of Wolfert's Roost. Mr. Benson Ferris, son of Benson, Sr. , and grandson of Capt. Oliver Ferris, was born there. The records of the Pension Office at Washington show that Oliver Ferris enlisted May 10, 1775, and was in the expedition to Canada under Gen. Montgomery; was in Col. John Mead's Regt. from Aug. 14, to Sept. 25, 1776 ; in Col. Wooster's Regt 177 7 ; in 1778

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES

Quartermaster in Col. John Mead's Regt. ; March 9, 1779, appoint'. Commander of the war vessel " Wakcman " ; July 4, 1781, coinmU- sioned Brigade Quartermaster of the 4th Brigade of Militia of the State of Connecticut. Widow applied for pension Feb. i'S, 1837. He die; in August, 1825.