Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 712
ELVIN E. MCFERRIN

It is gratifying to note that an increasingly large number of young men with college educations are devoting themselves to the field of agriculture. Elvin E. MCFERRIN has a splendid college education and is now one of the most extensive as well as one of the most progressive farmers of Harrison county. He first came to this county in 1903 and bought a farm and has since been engaged in general farming and stock raising. He is one of the largest stock raisers of the county and has been unusually successful along this particular line of endeavor. At the same time he has been prominent in the civic life of his community and has held various official positions with credit to himself and general satisfaction to his fellow citizens.

Elvin E. MCFERRIN, the son of W. A. and Caroline (INMAN) MCFERRIN, was born November 8, 1875, in Marion county, Indiana. His parents were natives of Tennessee and Indiana, respectively. The MCFERRINs moved to Indiana before the Civil War and W. A. MCFERRIN was a member of Company D, Eightieth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry during the war.

Elvin E. MCFERRIN was the youngest of nine children born to his parents, four of whom are living. When he was two years of age the family left Indiana and located in Page county, Iowa, and in that county he made his home until he came to Harrison county in 1903. After graduating from the common schools he became a student in Amity College, and later attended Simpson College for two years, and was graduated from the liberal arts course in that institution with the class of 1898. He then spent two and one-half years in Drake University, from which he was graduated in 1901, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He was at once admitted to the bar, but decided that he would rather engage in farming than in the legal profession.

With this in view, Mr. MCFERRIN came to Harrison county in 1903 after his marriage and bought a part of the Job ROSS estate one mile west of Modale, and also bought a farm of three hundred and twenty acres five miles west of Modale, making a total of six hundred and twenty acres. He is an extensive raiser of hogs and cattle and markets about two hundred head of hogs and one hundred and seventy-five head of cattle every year. He makes his home with his wife's mother in Modale, but gives his special attention to his extensive land holdings and various business interests. His wife's mother has one of the finest homes in Modale, located just north of the school building.

Mr. MCFERRIN was married February 11, 1903, to Nettie ROSS, who was born in Modale, Harrison county, Iowa, and is a daughter of Job and Jennie (ROBINSON) ROSS. Mr. and Mrs. MCFERRIN have four children, Elga, born June 5, 1904; Leone, born March 22, 1906; Ross, born January 5, 1912, and Edwin Elvin, born November 23, 1913.

The family are all loyal supporters of the Christian church. Mr. MCFERRIN is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and has been a stanch Republican since reaching his majority. He has served as trustee of his township and also on the council of Modale. In addition he has held various minor positions, and in every capacity has proved faithful to the trust reposed in him by his fellow citizens. Mr. MCFERRIN was a participant in various activities while in college and while in Drake University played end on the football team. He is still an enthusiastic supporter of college athletics and never fails to attend football games when it is possible for him to do so. Mr. MCFERRIN is now in the prime of life and is one of the valuable citizens of the community where he has chosen to make his home.

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