Woodbridge N. Ferris

Woodbridge Nathan Ferris
Woodbridge Nathan Ferris
	Arthur H. Vandenberg
Personal details
Born	January 6, 1853; Democratic
Spouses	; Helen Frances Gillespie (m. 1874; died 1917) ; Mary Ethel McLoud (m. 1921)
Alma mater	Oswego Normal Training School; University of Michigan

Woodbridge Nathan Ferris (January 6, 1853 – March 23, 1928) was an American educator from

Democrat. He was the founder and namesake of Ferris State University

.

Early life in New York, Michigan and Illinois

Ferris was born to John Ferris Jr. and Estella (Reed) Ferris in a log cabin near Spencer, New York, and attended the academies of Spencer, Candor, and Owego, and the Oswego Normal Training School (now State University of New York at Oswego) from 1870 to 1873. He went to the medical department of the University of Michigan from 1873 to 1874.

In April 1874, Ferris returned to his home state and on December 23 in Fulton, he married Helen Frances Gillespie (born September 7, 1853). The couple had three sons: Carleton Gillespie (1876–1961), Clifford Wendell (1881, died just after three months), and Phelps Fitch (1889–1935). Ferris taught at Spencer Academy from 1874 to 1875.

He then moved to Freeport, Illinois, and became principal of the Freeport Business College and Academy from 1875 to 1876 and then principal of the Normal Department of the Rock River University, 1876-1877. Then he taught in Dixon, Illinois, where he was also co-founder of the Dixon Business College and Academy, 1877–1879. Ferris then became superintendent of schools in Pittsfield, Illinois, from 1879 to 1884.

Life and politics in Michigan

Ferris then settled in Big Rapids, Michigan, where in 1884 he established the Ferris Industrial School (which became Ferris State University). There he received the nickname "The Big Rapids Schoolmaster", and served as president until his death. He was also president of the Big Rapids Savings Bank.

In 1892, he was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate from the

U.S. President

.

Ferris was elected Governor of Michigan in 1912, becoming the first Democratic governor of that state in 20 years, and served from 1913 to 1917. During his tenure, a farm colony for

Copper Country Strike of 1913–1914 occurred. In 1914 and while holding the office of Governor, he was named as an Honorary President of the First National Conference on Race Betterment, a conference on eugenics held at the Battle Creek Sanatorium; because of the mine strike, he did not attend the conference.^[1] In 1916, he was again a delegate to Democratic National Convention which nominated President Woodrow Wilson

for re-election. He also received the nickname, "Good Gray Governor". On March 23, 1917, fewer than three months after departing office, his wife Helen died after 43 years of marriage.

In 1920, he was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor, being defeated by

Alex Groesbeck

. On August 14, 1921, he married Mary E. McCloud (1882–1954).

In 1922, Ferris was elected to the United States Senate; he served alongside Republican James Couzens beginning March 4, 1923. As a senator and former teacher, Ferris supported the establishment of a federal Department of Education. In 1924, Ferris was again a delegate to the Democratic National Convention and was Michigan's favorite son candidate for the presidential nomination, and received 30 votes on the first ballot. The convention eventually nominated John W. Davis, who lost the general election to Calvin Coolidge.

Death

Exactly 11 years after his first wife died, Ferris died in office in

Washington, DC

, at the age of 75 and is interred at Highlandview Cemetery of Big Rapids along with his first wife, Helen, and his two sons Carleton and Phelps. He died from complications of pneumonia on March 23, 1928.

References

^ Race Betterment Foundation (1914). Robbins, Emily F. (ed.). Proceedings of the first National Conference on Race Betterment, January 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1914. Battle Creek, Michigan. Battle Creek, Michigan: Gage Printing Company. pp. xi, 596.

External links

United States Congress. "FERRIS, Woodbridge Nathan (id: F000092)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Party political offices
Preceded by Lorenzo T. Durand	Democratic nominee for Governor of Michigan 1904	Succeeded by Charles H. Kimmerle
Preceded by Lawton T. Hemans	Democratic nominee for Governor of Michigan 1912, 1914	Succeeded by Edwin F. Sweet
Preceded by John W. Bailey	Democratic nominee for Governor of Michigan 1920	Succeeded by Alva M. Cummins
Preceded by Lawrence Price	Class 1) 1922	Succeeded by John W. Bailey
Political offices
Preceded by Chase Osborn	Governor of Michigan 1913–1917	Succeeded by Albert Sleeper
U.S. Senate
Preceded by Charles E. Townsend	U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Michigan 1923–1928	Succeeded by Arthur H. Vandenberg

[1] Race Betterment Foundation (1914). Robbins, Emily F. (ed.). Proceedings of the first National Conference on Race Betterment, January 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1914. Battle Creek, Michigan. Battle Creek, Michigan: Gage Printing Company. pp. xi, 596.

[1]

v t e Governors of Michigan
Territorial (1805–1837)	Hull Cass Porter Mason Horner
State (since 1837)	Mason Woodbridge Gordon Barry Felch Greenly Ransom Barry McClelland Parsons Bingham Wisner Blair Crapo Baldwin Bagley Croswell Jerome Begole Alger Luce Winans Rich Pingree Bliss Warner Osborn Ferris Sleeper Groesbeck Green Brucker Comstock Fitzgerald Murphy Fitzgerald Dickinson Van Wagoner Kelly Sigler Williams Swainson Romney Milliken Blanchard Engler Granholm Snyder Whitmer

v t e United States senators from Michigan
Class 1	Lyon Porter Cass Fitzgerald Cass Chandler Christiancy Chandler Baldwin Conger Stockbridge Patton Burrows Townsend Ferris Vandenberg Moody Potter Hart Riegle Abraham Stabenow
Class 2	Norvell Woodbridge Felch Stuart Bingham Howard Ferry Palmer McMillan Alger Smith Newberry Couzens Brown Ferguson McNamara Griffin Levin Peters

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