Ferrell-(Fairview)
History

Ferrell was named after Thomas M .Ferrell of Glassboro who was a well-known, well-liked politician in this area. He strived hard for benefits for the working man. Originally Ferrell was known as Fairview, but when a post office was established, the name was changed because there already was a Fairview in New Jersey. The post office was located on the corner, near the Ferrell Methodist Church in 1865 with Mulford Lafferty as the postmaster. After a short time the post office was closed and the building became a general store.

Originally, Ferrell was mostly woods with small dirt roads going through them. In 1923 the Bridgeton Pike was laid, this being the first cement road in the area. It was known as the Mullica Hill and Pittsgrove Turnpike, with a toll gate located at the norhtern end of Elk Township on the property now known as Selb`s.

The Franklinville-Swedesboro Road was originally the "Swedesboro to Little Leaves Road"

The first telephone in "Fairview" was known as the "people`s telephone", and in 1927 electricity was brought into the area. It came from Clayton, through Elk Township, and stopped at the Bridgeton Pike.

Farming and basket making was the chief occupations . There was a basket factory located at the now Krassow property which was latter turned into a general store , conducted by John Henery Frye . There was a loading platform where farmers brought their produce to be taken to market, on the corner across from what is now the Mattson property . The first automobile to pass through " Fairview " was owned and driven by Walter Turk .

Mr. Jacob Porch operated a pickle processing plant in Ferrell where pickles were put in wooden barrels and sent to New York. During this time Ferrell acquired the nickname of "Pickletown". It was told by the early settlers that each night a lantern was raised up a pole at this pickle processing plant ; the reason for this was never known, but still raises great mystery and speculation. The location of this pickle processing plant was across from the Ferrell Fire House, at the site known as the Knapp property .

The Fryes, Morgans, Laffertys, Nelsons, and Moods were some of the earliest settlers. Joseph Nelson who lived in the Howard Saul house, had two sons, Frank and Lorenzo, who built the Mattson house in 1898 and the Pino house in 1901.

Other old homes in this area include, the Cyrillies house, built in 1898, and the Emma Schober home predating that.

It was in Ferrell on the Lewis Mood, Sr Farm, now owned by Richard Mood,Sr.,that the delicious apple originated in 1923. The Mood`s were the early fruit growers in this area .

The first school of Ferrell was a log cabin ; however , ground was donated by John Lafferty in 1875 for a new building. This school still remains and is located on the corner of Glassboro-Ferrell Road and the Sweedesboro-Franklinville Roads. It was a one-room school with four classes, but was closed in 1944 when all children were transferred to Aura. Some of the early teachers were Mrs.Haines, Mrs.Davis, Miss.Dilks, Mrs.Pearl Hudson, and Mrs.May L.(Batten) Gerlack. The school has been remodeled and is used for Fire Company purposes and social functions .

One of the cabins of an original settler of Ferrell can now be seen at Smithville Village. It was originally on the Mood Farm, and has been moved by the Smithville Village to its present location. It is called the " Mullica House ".

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