Land Is the Cry!: Warren Angus Ferris, Pioneer Texas Surveyor and Founder of Dallas County

Rating:
Summary: I am also a decendant of Warren Angus Ferris
Review: Hello cousins!How are ya'll doing?I'm fine.I am the grand-daughter of Fannie Lou (Ferris)Whittaker and Orville Eugene Whittaker.My mother Susie Marie was their oldest child-my aunts are Betty and Patsy and my uncle is Larry Whittaker.I am fixing to create a family website on MSN Communities-I have alot of stuff that was written by cousin Phyllis Kitson.Once I get it done you all are invited.My email address is [e-mail]-please feel free to drop me a few lines,I love hearing from family.Hugs and love to all,Lillie
PS-I'm going to buy 2 of this book-one for me and one for my mom!

Rating:
Summary: An exceptional accounting of the life and times of WAF.
Review: I appreciate Suzanne Starling for showing what Warren Angus Ferris did for Dallas, as well as showing what an interesting career and life he had. James Monroe Ferris was my great grand-father, who handed down the chain used to survey Dallas to my grandfather, Edward Eugene Ferris. He handed it down to my father, Raymond Edward Ferris. My father still has the chain and I wish a picture could have been included in the book. My father also has a gold watch which Warren Angus gave to his second wife. There are a couple of minor mistakes, such as James Monroe Ferris having been a United States Marshall for Greer County, TX (now Oklahoma) the entire time and not a Sherrif's Deputy. But, without a doubt this book is an accurate account of a complex, hightly intelligent man and his frontier life.

Rating:
Summary: Very accurate history of my great, great grand-father
Review: I appreciate Suzanne Starling for showing what Warren Angus Ferris did for Dallas, as well as showing what an interesting career and life he had. James Monroe Ferris was my great grand-father, who handed down the chain used to survey Dallas to my grandfather, Edward Eugene Ferris. He handed it down to my father, Raymond Edward Ferris. My father still has the chain and I wish a picture could have been included in the book. My father also has a gold watch which Warren Angus gave to his second wife. There are a couple of minor mistakes, such as James Monroe Ferris having been a United States Marshall for Greer County, TX (now Oklahoma) the entire time and not a Sherrif's Deputy. But, without a doubt this book is an accurate account of a complex, hightly intelligent man and his frontier life.

Rating:
Summary: An exceptional accounting of the life and times of WAF.
Review: I was most gratified to learn (quite by accident) that a book about WAF had been written. WAF was my great-grandfather, his son, Henry Ferris, was my grandfather, and my father was Carl Dallas Ferris. One error in the book referred to my grandfather as childless, when, in fact he had two sons and two daughters, & was living in Spur, Texas, where he died & is buried. (Most family records show he was living in Wink, Tx. at his death.)I don't consider this a major fault, as much of the rest of the book was as I had read and heard. I am sure most historical writings contain errors, if we but knew the inside story. My father was a great storyteller, & he used to entertain us for hours with stories of WAF which he had heard from his father and Aunt Kate. Warts and all, I am just glad that after all this time, Warren Angus Ferris is getting some of the recognition he so richly deserved. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the early days, regardless. Miss Starling did a very good job with old clippings and letters. Bravo! Janelle Ferris Berry

Rating:
Summary: A welcome addition to frontier & Texas history
Review: The author contributes much to the history of the west, Texas, and, more particularly, Dallas County. The early adventures of WAF in the Rockies, which taught him lessons in survival, fortified his spirit to, not only survey the land, but to choose it on which to build a family. The author makes much of the Lovejoy connection to WAF, which is interesting, but negilected WAF's immediate family except for bits and pieces. They became settlers of the land. Of his son's family (James Monroe "Jim" Ferris), few if any knew of the publication of this book. It was discovered, quite by accident, on the internet and copies sent to several of Ferris' decendants. Pictures of the demolished headstones at the Dallas cemetary, of Lucy Mae Pounds Smith working in the cemetary to clean it up, of the children of Jim Ferris--could have been included. But, once again in history, the true settlers of the west are ignored as the author focuses on the Lovejoy decendants and their "coat-tail" claim to fame of a half-brother who they turned their back on, time and time again. If you have not read, "Life in the Rocky Mountains" and are interested in what life was like in the 1800's, more especially life in the mountains, I would suggest that you do so. Although the three editions which were published are out of print, they can be found. WAF was a very well-read and even witty young man who wrote of where he was and what he saw, and he was many places and saw many things. "Land is the Cry" is a continuation of the WAF saga. And after reading about some of the treatment from his own family, no wonder he decided to "go west." Poor at death, he will live on in the hearts of his Texas and Oklahoma decendants. As for Dallas, like Bud Ferris said regarding the plaque at the cemetary, "Too little, too late."