Funeral services were held on Monday, December 11, 1961, at 2:30 p.m. in the Wilmore Federated Church, Wilmore, Kans., for Mrs. Maude Mae Watkins, who passed away in the Comanche County Hospital on Friday, December 8, 1961. Rev. Jerald Hooley and Rev. Ernest Lawrence were in charge of the services.Mrs. Ernestine Ziegler, organist, accompanied Walter Smith who sang "In the Sweet Bye and Bye" and "Beyond the Sunset".
Pallbearers were Fred Booth, Myrl Dellinger, Carl Snyder, Roderick Baker, Edward Baker and Glenn Dillinger. Interment was in the Wilmore Cemetery, Wilmore, Kansas.
OBITUARY
Maude Ferrin Watkins was born September 19, 1884, near Eureka, Kansas, in Greenwood County. She died in the Coldwater Comanche County Hospital on December 8, 1961, at the age of 77 years and three months.
When she was about two years old, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Loren Ferrin, emigrated with her and a young son, Ernest, to Comanche County, where Maude's father, among the pioneer settlers, homesteaded a farm about five miles northeast of Wilmore. This land is still owned by the Ferrins. Mrs. Ferrin and her two children, Maude and Ernest, came to the west by way of stage coach to Galleger and from there to their new home, over roadless hills, in a "hack" driven by Ed Powell.
So, Maude's childhood days were spent in these wide open spaces of pioneer days, where the simple life was pursued and where character building and high standards of right thinking were easier to instill in children than in these tension-filled, rushing times.
Many good times were enjoyed among the young people of the countryside. Maude prepared to teach school but rheumatic fever prevented. Then, when she was about 20 years of age, she was united in marriage to Wilna Cobb of Kiowa County ...(words illegible) ... farmed in that county, then moved to Fruita, Colo., where they lived on a cattle ranch for a number of years. Here a daughter, Mildred, was born to them.
Maude was a person with a great sense of humor, and this quality has carried her far along even when the way was rough. She much enjoyed the visits and fellowship of her friends, who often stopped in to make the time more cheerful, especially in her last days.
Early in her teens she became a Christian and was baptized in the wintertime when a hole had to be cut in the ice for the services. Her sense of justice and right were always outstanding, and her urge to "give" something to others was a characteristic from childhood.
Maude leaves to mourn her passing: One daughter, Mrs. Mildred Covert, of Junction City, Kans.; one grandchild, Mrs. Nelda Spurlock, of Norwalk, Calif.; four great grandchildren, Dennis, Ronelda, Kevin and Kermit; one sister, Mrs. Nellie M. Ely of Oklahoma City, Okla.; and two brothers, Ernest Ferrin of Wilmore, Kans., and Walter Ferrin of Coldwater, Kans.
During these last days she often talked of the Gloryland ahead that would be so much better than the home down here. She was ready to go Home and many times expressed a wish to do so. So, as she leaves us, she desired this little poem to express her sentiments to those left behind:
There is great rejoicing in heaven today, for another wanderer is Home.
The long, dusty trail and the wind-swept paths
And the rough, hard places are aftermaths,
For it's Home, Sweet Home at last.
A pilgrim on earth and a stranger here awaiting a glorious day,
When the viel is lifted and heavenly things
Rejoice and commune and in fellowship
Sing of the Word, the Truth, the Way.
So, it's Home at last at the end of the road,
The road that has just begun.
It was a golden sunset along life's way,
Brought great rejoicing in Heaven today,
As the Master said, "Well Done".-- by Nellie Ferrin Ely.
At right: Wilna Cobb, 1st husband of Maude Mae (Ferrin) Cobb Ewing Watkins, father of Mildred Faye Cobb. Photo courtesy of Nancy Smith.
The Western Star, February 17, 1905. MARRIED
COBB-FERRIN.- At the home of the bride's parents near Wilmore, Kans., on Sunday, February 12, 1905, by Rev. E. A. Powell of the U. B. church, Wilna S. Cobb and Miss Maude M. Ferrin.
The ceremony was performed at high noon in the presence of the immediate relatives and a number of the friends of the bride and groom. A few minutes before 12 o'clock, Mrs. W. D. Smith played a beautiful wedding march. The bridal couple stood under the enlarged portrait of the bride in the tastefully decorated parlor. The entire ceremony was very pretty and impressive. After congratulations had been extended, all partook of a bounteous dinner which had been prepared in a faultless manner. On Monday an elegant infair dinner was made in honor of the bride and groom at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Cobb, and the occasion was one of much enjoyment for all present.
The bride is the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Loren Ferrin of Powell-tp, who are among Comanche-co's most highly respected citizens. She possesses in large measure those qualities which contribute to beautiful womanhood, purity, modesty, refinement and a kind disposition. That she will continue to be true to the ideals she has already formed is the united belief and expectation of her many friends. The groom is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Cobb, whose home is 12 miles north of Coldwater. He is one of Kiowa-co's worthy young men. Industrious and honorable and always devoted to the faithful performance of duty, he has won many friends in this county and in Kiowa-co., all of whom unite at this time in wishing him and his estimable bride many happy and prosperous days. Following is a list of the presents received.
Mr. and Mrs. Loren Ferrin, bedroom dresser. Ernest Ferrin, water pitcher. Nellie Ferrin, lace curtains. Mrs. Mary Wagner, bed spread. Mrs. Arthur Ferrin, bread raiser. Miss Cora Ferrin, vegetable dishes. Miss Hazel Ferrin, berry set. Fred Ferrin, vases. Earl Ferrin, table cloth. Miss Carrie Ferrin and Lew Baker, rug. Miss Mabel Zimmerman, napkins. Mrs. Emma Trummel, bureau scarf. Alva Trummel, cream pitcher and sugar bowl. Orda Trummel, rocking chair. Miss Grace Trummel, silver sugar shell. Miss Maggie Roberts, sliver butter knife. Geo. H. Sombart, set silver spoons. Lute Yullie, set silver teaspoons. Marshall Barlow, tea set. Miss Ethel Baker, pair towels. Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Cobb, dinner set. Walter Loren Cobb, parlor lamp. Miss Maude Cobb, pair towels. Marenus Hagaman, decorated water set. Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Smith, pictures. Miss Geraldine Thompson, ruby glass water set. Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Hagaman, framed marriage certificate. Miss India Fisher, sofa pillow. Dan Fisher, berry set. Mrs. Mulholland, pair linen towels. Louie Mulholland, initial silver teaspoons. Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Burkhall, set napkins. Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Hollaway, fruit dish. Mrs. C. B. Rose, sofa pillow.
The Wilmore News, July 17, 1931. EWING - WATKINS
According to reports received in Wilmore, Mrs. Maude Ewing, until recently a resident of Wilmore, and Roy Watkins of Gillette, Wyoming, were united in marriage at Gillette on Saturday, July 4.
Mrs. Watkins is the daughter of Mrs. L. Ferrin of Wilmore.
Mr. Watkins resided in Wilmore for many years, going to Wyoming about three years ago. He is employed on a ranch near Gillette and the couple plan to make their home at that place.
The Wilmore News, November 11, 1932. Sunday, November 6, being the birthday of Mrs. Loren Ferrin, her children gathered in to help her celebrate with a big dinner. Each of the families brought well filled baskets and as they all filed in at dinner time Mrs. Ferrin was happily surprised. They all enjoyed the good dinner together.A FAMILY REUNION
The birthday cake was decorated with candy flowers and a candle for each ten years that has passed. Mrs. Ferrin is now 72 years of age and is enjoying reasonably good health.
Those present were Ernest Ferrin and family, Esther Bigbee and family, Walter Ferrin and family and Nelly Ely and family. This is all of the children except Maude, who now lives in Ohio.
Mildred Faye (Cobb) Covert was born 14 May 1908. In October of 1981, she and her husband, Gerald Covert, lived at 29459 Route 62, Lot 326, Salem, Ohio 44460. Mildred had one daughter, Nelda Covert, born 27 July 1927, who married John Kelly.
According to the Social Security Death Index, Mildred F. Covert was born 14 May 1908 and died 21 June 1997. Her social security number, 442-22-4725, was issued in Missouri. Her last residence of record was Willow Springs, Missouri, ZIP 65793.
The last time that I, Jerry Ferrin, talked with Mildred was shortly after my dad, Wendel Ferrin, died. At the request of Dad's widow, Angie (who was his second wife and is not my mother), I called the people he had listed in his personal phone book to let them know that he had died. Mildred "choked up" when I told her the news, and said: "I'm sorry to hear it. I can't talk anymore now", then hung up the phone. I felt bad to have called and distressed her by telling her that my dad, her first cousin, had died. It's probably a good thing that she wasn't able to attend Dad's funeral, as some of his relatives by marriage, notably an undisciplined child named Adrian, turned it into a real circus with their antics.
(John Franklin of Tucson, Arizona, who was an acquaintance of my younger brother and younger sister, and whose only connection with Dad was that he had looked him up in Wyoming and "borrowed" tools which he had never returned, which was a "sore point" with Dad, also showed up at Dad's funeral. John was slobbering drunk, and made a real ass of himself with his drunken weeping and false sorrow at Dad's passing. I guess John felt bad that he couldn't borrow any more tools from Dad and not return them. I have to confess that it wasn't me who made the decision to tell the funeral director to let John in the door for the funeral despite his all too obvious condition. All I can tell you is that some of my siblings are much more kind-hearted than me.)
The given name of Maude Ferrin's second husband, a Mr. Ewing, was probably Theodore.
News article from The Western Star, 6 Jan 1950:
"Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Flory of Medicine Lodge and Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Ferrin returned from a trip last Thursday from a ten days' trip to Arizona and Mexico. They visited the Grant Wrights in Phoenix and, at Ajo, Arizona, went through the copper mines. On Christmas Eve they were in Tucson where they visited a cousin of Mr. Flory's and went through the old mission (Mission San Xavier del Bac) there and also went to the mountains. Mrs. Maude Watkins accompanied them as far as Phoenix, then went on the bus to Norfolk, Calif., to see her grand-daughter, Mrs. R.J. Conger, and family."
At left: Loren & Alcana (Wagner) Ferrin with their children: from left, Nellie, Maude and Ernest. Loren holds Walter. West Powell Township, Comanche County, Ks, circa 1890.
Maude Mae Ferrin was born 19 Sept 1884 to Loren and Alcana (Wagner) Ferrin at the Ferrin homestead in West Powell Township five miles northeast of Wilmore, Comanche County, Kansas, the first of their five children.
Children of Loren & Alcana (Wagner) Ferrin:
Maude Mae (Ferrin) Watkins (19 Sept 1884 - 9 Dec 1961)
Ernest Leroy Ferrin (8 Feb 1886 - 13 May 1974)
Nellie Mabel (Ferrin) Ely (17 Nov 1888 - 13 Feb 1975)
Walter William Ferrin (6 Dec 1895 - 26 August 1975)
Esther Irene (Ferrin) Bigbee (30 Dec 1903 - 14 Nov 1942)
Also see:Alcana Ferrin Mother of Maude Mae Ferrin.
Arthur & Alice (Eyerly) Ferrin Uncle and Aunt of Maude Mae Ferrin.
Reuben & Hannah Philura (Murch) Ferrin Grandparents of Maude Mae Ferrin.
How Loren & Arthur Ferrin Came to Comanche County, Kansas
Mary A. (Horner) Wagner Maternal Grandmother of Maude Mae Ferrin.
A Brief History of Newton, New Hampshire (A New Chronology of the Life & Times of Jonathan Farren)
Maude Mae Ferrin was an 7th generation descendant of Capt. Jonathan Farren of Amesbury, MA, & Newton, NH, as follows: Maude Mae Ferrin 7, Loren Ferrin 6, Reuben Ferrin 5, Zebulon Ferrin 4, Zebulon Ferrin 3, Zebulon Farren 2, Jonathan Farren 1.Ferrin Gravestones in the North Jay Cemetery, Essex County, New York.
Red Cross Fund Oversubscribed, The Wilmore News, 28 June 1917.
Keywords, including incorrect spellings of names: Jerald Covert, Jerold Covert, Jerrold Covert, Mildred Covert, Mildred F. Covert, Mildred Faye Covert, Mildred Faye (Cobb) Covert, Mildred Faye Cobb, Mildred F. Cobb, Maud Ferrin, Maud M. Ferrin, Maud Mae Ferrin, Maude Ferrin, Maude M. Ferrin, Maude Mae Ferrin, M.M. Ferrin, Maude Cobb, Maude Mae Cobb, M.M. Cobb, Maud Ewing, Maude Ewing, Maude Mae Ewing, M. Ewing, M.M. Ewing, T. Ewing, Theodore Ewing, Ted Ewing, Maud Watkins, Maude Watkins, Maude Mae Watkins, M. Watkins, M.M. Watkins.
Web design by Jerry Ferrin, grandnephew of Maude Mae (Ferrin) Watkins.