Ferebee Genealogy Collection, 1860s-1990s | Sargeant Memorial Collection

By Peg Niedholdt

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Collection Overview

Title: Ferebee Genealogy Collection, 1860s-1990s

Predominant Dates:1910-1954

ID: 001/01/MSS 0000-012

Primary Creator: Ferebee, Annie Adelia (1878-1941)

Other Creators: Ferebee, Sarah Cason (1894-1991)

Extent: 27.0 Boxes

Arrangement: The first part of the collection contains the research for the Ferebee Family book. The book is divided into Sections #1 through #64, and the research is filed the same way. The second part of the collection is research for the female lines filed alphabetically. The third part of the collection contains additional notebooks, calendars, photographs, and the Ferebee Family Bible, ending with an oversized assortment of genealogical charts and diplomas.

Date Acquired: 03/24/2005. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Family trees, Ferebee family, Genealogy, Genealogy--Research, Norfolk (Va.), Virginia--Genealogy

Forms of Material: Bibles, Booklets, Calendars, Certificates, Clippings (information artifacts), Daguerreotypes (photographs), Diaries, Diplomas, Genealogies (histories), Maps (documents), Notebooks, Obituaries, Pedigrees, Photocopies, Photographs, Sketches

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

A genealogical collection of the Ferebee family, created by Annie Adelia Ferebee and continued by her niece, Sarah Cason Ferebee. This collection contains their research manuscripts, notes, photographs, correspondence, obituaries, articles, and Sarah's personal copy of the Ferebee book with her many notations. Most of the items in this collection are photocopies and research copies acquired from various sources.

The Ferebee Genealogy Collection includes information organized by Annie that her family compiled in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The collection also includes mid-1930s correspondence in which Annie mailed letters to the Ferebees descended from John Ferebee, Gentleman (circa 1630-1705) and his eldest son Thomas Ferebee (1682-1739). Also included are records from Annie’s and Sarah’s genealogical trips throughout Virginia and North Carolina where they researched records, interviewed relatives, and discovered family gravesites. The collection includes genealogical research and notes on the male Ferebee line, started by Annie Ferebee, and successively published in 1954 by Sarah Ferebee in the book Ferebee Family. Remarkably, this duo of family genealogists also researched the female lines of the Ferebee family; their research notes on the female lines are also included.

The collection contains comprehensive research dating to 1360 England with the ancestors of John Ferebee, Gentleman; his lineage is covered in the first part of the Ferebee book. The American lineage starts with John Ferebee, Gentleman, surveyor of the City of Norfolk in 1688. The first 54 sections were researched by both Annie and Sarah, and the remaining sections were added by Sarah and published in 1954. Sarah also did extensive work on both sides of her mother's family, Annie Terrell Cook Ferebee (1863-1826). From the handwriting, some of the notes may have been done by Mrs. Ferebee. Sarah Cason Ferebee was dedicated to recording, correcting, and compiling information on the Ferebee family up to her passing at the age of 97. All of this research is included in the Ferebee Genealogy Collection.

Ferebee family members also assisted with this collection through the years. Notebooks and diaries of family research trips are included in this collection. The first item in the Ferebee Genealogy Collection is an alphabetical index of names with book Section #s and their corresponding box and folder number, which was compiled by the finding aid author.

Biographical Note

Annie Adelia Ferebee was the daughter of George Emory Ferebee (1834-1896) and Sarah Ann Cason (1838-1908). Born at Broad Bay Farm, Princess Anne County, Virginia on February 18, 1878, Miss Ferebee never married. Throughout the 1930s, Ferebee was active in contacting, visiting, recording, and researching all elements of the Ferebee genealogy. She also researched the female lines of the family. Ferebee died on November 28, 1941 in Norfolk, Virginia and was buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Norfolk, Virginia.

Subject/Index Terms

Family trees
Ferebee family
Genealogy
Genealogy--Research
Norfolk (Va.)
Virginia--Genealogy

Administrative Information

Repository: Sargeant Memorial Collection

Accruals: Connolly Phillips donated an additional box of genealogy research materials to SMC on July 22, 2016.

Access Restrictions: This collection is open to all researchers.

Use Restrictions: The status of copyright for these materials is governed by Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U. S. C.) Copyright restrictions may apply.

Acquisition Source: Mrs. Betsy Ferebee Phillips by donation

Related Publications: Ferebee, Annie A. and Sarah C. Ferebee. Ferebee Family. Norfolk, VA: Sarah C. Ferebee, 1955.

Preferred Citation: Ferebee Genealogy Collection, MSS 0000-012, Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

Processing Information: Processed January 2019.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Ferebee Family Book Research Section #1 to Section #12],
[Box 2: Ferebee Family Book Research Section #13 to Section #23],
[Box 3: Ferebee Family Book Research Section #23 to Section #37],
[Box 4: Ferebee Family Book Research Section #37 to Section #40],
[Box 5: Ferebee Family Book Research Section #40 to Section #64],
[Box 6: James Ferebee (@1693-1753) Miscellaneous Ferebee Line],
[Box 7: Miscellaneous Surname Research],
[Box 8: Ferebee Female Line: Baker through Bond],
[Box 9: Ferebee Female Line: Bonney through Cason],
[Box 10: Ferebee Female Line: Cason through Cook],
[Box 11: Ferebee Female Line: Cook through Cowell],
[Box 12: Ferebee Female Line: Daugé through Ives],
[Box 13: Ferebee Female Line: Jackson through Overman],
[Box 14: Ferebee Female Line: Patrick through Phillips],
[Box 15: Ferebee Female Line: Pope through Terrell],
[Box 16: Ferebee Manuscripts and Booklets],
[Box 17: Ferebee Family Bible Information],
[Box 18: Records regarding the "FEREBEE FAMILY" book published in 1954 by Annie Adelia Ferebee and Sarah Cason Ferebee],
[Box 19: Terrell Family records, Chipping Campden, Ferebee Coat of Arms, Brick House Farm, Broad Bay Farm, The Mystery of the Old Cornick House story],
[Box 20: Annie Ferebee and Sarah Ferebee's Journals; a file of oversized photographs],
[Box 21: Sarah Cason Ferebee's Daily Personal Diaries, 1985-1991],
[Box 22: Miscellaneous Booklets, Clippings, and Articles],
[Box 23: Photographs, small framed pictures, circa 1850s-1900],
[Box 24: Identified Pictures],
[Box 25: Unidentified Pictures],
[Box 26: Ferebee Family Bible, 1884],
[Box 27: Oversized Materials],
[All]

Box 7: Miscellaneous Surname Research

Folder 1: Extended family of George Benton Ferebee (1852-1921) and Frances Ellen Dunken (1857-1925): Includes extended descendant manuscript compiled by Arbor Ray Hutchenson of Sacramento, California (last notes by author dated 13 November 1968). Family of George Benton and Frances Ellen Dunken Ferebee are Ida August Ferebee (1876-1895-1904) spouse Eli F. Nesbitt, Clifford Archie Ferebee (1880-1910-1959) spouse Josephine DeLong, Ada Mae Ferebee (1882-1901-) spouse Stephen Hutchinson, Grover Ferebee (1884-1910-1922) spouse Emma Elena Sooy, Samuel Daniel Ferebee (1886-1914-1966) spouse Maybelle Ruth Reynolds, Arbor Benton Ferebee (1890-1914-) spouse Helene G. Goodrich, Ora Van Ferebee (1892-1914-1965), Ruby Leota Ferebee (1894-1915-1924) spouse Earl H. Gharring, and Dorothy June Ferebee (1901-1922-) spouse Willis Floyd Brown (key: birth year-marriage year-death year). This manuscript was given to Sarah Cason Ferebee 30 May 1978. Folder also contains correspondence and pedigree chart.
Folder 2: William Grandy Ferebee (1858-1934) unknown Ferebee line: Includes rough genealogy chart and research notes.
Folder 3: Undated and author unknown: Thomas (1774-?) and Nancy Blunt (1774-?) Ferebee: Includes a typed manuscript of an old family bible in the possession of William Calvin Ferebee (1851-1926), children of Thomas Ferebee (1774-?) and Nancy Blunt Ferebee (1776-?).
Folder 4: Annie Norrine Faucette (1895-1965) First Woman Deputy Clerk of Norfolk: Includes clippings.
Folder 5: Reverend John C. Barrett: Includes correspondence from the Elmwood Cemetery giving permission to bury Rev. Barrett in plot originally owned by Mrs. Henry Holland. Permission given by grandson William H. Ferebee.
Folder 6: Robert M. Desha (1796-1822) husband of Francis Ann Ferebee (married 1829): Includes genealogical information starting with Robert Desha I (1740-1816), Francis Ann Ferebee was the daughter of John Ferebee from the James Ferebee Line of the family.
Folder 7: Research notes on Cemetery Research: Includes notes on various burial grounds and cemeteries: transcription of Princess Anne "Deed Book 98 - page 294-5 regarding a burial site conveyed by E.D. Ferebee and Wife, to N.B. Godfrey, the same which was conveyed to said Lynnhaven Farms, Incorporated, by Wm. J. O'Keefe in December 1908..."; Property owned in 1968 by Elizabeth Brumsey off Tulls Creek road near Currituck Sound, Currituck, NC; the Cowell Burying Ground (no location given); notebook with gravestone notes from 1937 (various areas).
Folder 8: Ferebee Legal Transcripts and Abstracts: Miscellaneous transcripts and abstracts of various family legal documents.
Folder 9: The English Line of the Ferebee Family: Includes genealogical narrative starting with Thomas de Ferriby (1360-1475), Johanis Fereby de Palistry (1410-1475), Sir Richard Ferreby (1465-1540), Thomas Ferriby (1505-1565), William Ferebe (1550-1614), Joseph Ferebe (1600-1660), and John Ferebee, Gentleman (1640 in England - in Lower Norfolk, Virginia). Also includes correspondence and research notes.
Folder 10: South Carolina Ferebee Branch: Includes all clipped together correspondence, research notes, news articles, and maps from a packet marked "South Carolina Branch."
Folder 11: Leroy McCoy of New York City: In packet "Camilla Ferebee Estate." Includes correspondence and research notes. Leroy McCoys ancestors were enslaved at the Ferebee farm; he is a possible relative.
Folder 12: Whitehurst Family of North Carolina: Includes correspondence between Sarah Cason Ferebee and James A. Whitehurst regarding Broad Bay Farm (1960s). Also a manuscript "The Whitehurst Family Bible" by William Thomas Wood, Norfolk, Virginia 1957.