Background
Ferriss, Franklin was born on September 22, 1849 in Peru, New York, United States. Son of Charles and Mercy (Macomber) Ferriss.
Ferriss, Franklin was born on September 22, 1849 in Peru, New York, United States. Son of Charles and Mercy (Macomber) Ferriss.
He took his Bachelor of Science degree at Cornell University in 1873, serving as Captain of the 1873 Crew Team, a brother in the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, and member of the Irving Literary Society.
Franklin Ferriss was also the father of Hugh Ferriss. Born in Peru, New York on Lake Champlain, Judge Ferriss was the child of Charles and Mercy (Macomber) Ferriss. Franklin Ferris then took his law degree at Saint Louis Law School (1875), marrying Mississippi
Elizabeth Simon at Saint Louis on February
10, 1880. Elizabeth was described by one diarist as, “. The Ferriss family lived at 5828 Cabanne Avenue in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Judge Ferriss’ chambers were at 820 Rialto Building of the same. Franklin Ferriss had a lifelong interest in music, golf and fishing.
The two also practiced with Joseph Henry Zumbalen, later professor of law at Washington University.
In 1902, Judge Ferriss served on the World’s Fair Law Congress Committee, preparing for the Saint Louis World’s Fair. He resigned from the bench in 1903 to serve as General Counsel, Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company. Ferriss was also a director of the same.
During this period, the Judge was also a Professor of contracts and commercial law at Washington University School of Law.
In 1907, Judge Ferriss was appointed by the United States. Government to serve as special examiner in the case of United States v. Standard Oil Company.
Sitting at New York and Chicago, Judge Ferriss was charged with the collecting of evidence in the complex litigation. The United States Supreme Court would later order the break-up of Standard Oil in 1911.
Governor Herbert Spencer Hadley then appointed Ferriss to the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri in 1910, filling a vacancy caused by Judge Burgess’ death.
His first term expired on June 1, 1913. Ferriss was succeeded on the Supreme Court of Missouri by Judge Charles Breckenridge Faris. Franklin and Elizabeth Ferriss’ son, Hugh Ferriss (1889–1962), was an artist in the modern tradition.
He graduated from Washington University in 1911.
A critic of the École des Beaux-Arts, Hugh Ferriss became known for his arresting drawings of skyscrapers and futuristic cityscapes in the 1920s and 1930s. Judge Ferriss’ grandson, also Franklin Ferriss (1911–2004), served as a Missouri jurist, as well.
The younger Judge Ferriss served on the Saint Louis County Circuit Court from 1954 to 1981, after a stint at Slakey & Jones and in the United States Army (European Theatre, 1941–1945). He was a graduate from Yale University (1933), Columbia University (1935), and the Washington University Law School (1948).
Business Men's League, Irving Literary Society (Cornell University), King’s Lake Hunting & Fishing Club, Mercantile Club, Normandie Park Club, Phi Kappa Psi, Republican Party, Saint Louis Club.
Member Ferriss, Zumbalen & Ferriss, until January 1, 1911, when appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri by Governor Hadley to fill an unexpired term of 2 years.
Married Elizabeth Simon, February 10, 1880. Children: Henry T., Hugh, Margery Semple.