Dexter M. Ferry
| Dexter M. Ferry | |
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| Born |
August 3, 1833 Lowville, New York |
| Died | November 10, 1907 (aged 74) |
| Occupation | businessman |
| Spouse(s) | Addie E. Miller |
| Children |
Dexter M. Ferry, Jr. Blanche Ferry Hooker Queene Ferry Coonley |
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Dexter Mason Ferry (August 8, 1833 - November 10, 1907) was a businessman from Detroit, Michigan who founded D.M. Ferry & Co., at one time the largest seed company in the world.
Dexter M. Ferry was born in Lowville, New York on August 8, 1833, the son of wagonmaker Joseph N. and Lucy Mason Ferry. When Dexter was three, his father died, and his mother moved to Penfield, New York, where Dexter spent his school years. When he was 16, Dexter Ferry began working on a farm, earning $10 per month, and attending school in the winter. In 1851, he began working for Ezra M. Parsons of Rochester, New York, and entered school there. A few months later, Parsons secured a position as an errand boy for Ferry at the S.D. Elwood & Company of Detroit, a stationery firm, and in 1852 Ferry moved to Detroit. He was soon promoted to salesman at the firm, and later bookkeeper.
In 1856, Ferry got into the seed-growing business as a junior partner, along with Milo T. Gardner and Eber F. Church, of M.T. Gardner & Company (also known as Gardner, Ferry, and Church). The first year, the company did $6000 in business and it continued to be stable, but unremarkable, until 1865, when Ferry bought out Gardner's share and took over the company. Ferry changed the company name to Ferry, Church & Co, and two years later, when Church retired, changed the name again, this time to D.M. Ferry & Co.
Ferry introduced several innovations in the seed-vending business. He sold only fresh seed, increasing germination rates and establishing a reputation for quality. Ferry was among the first to sell seeds in small packets.
The business grew steadily, and in 1879 was incorporated under the name D.M. Ferry & Co with $750,000 in capital, with Ferry as president,James McMillan as vice-president, H. Kirke White as secretary, and Charles C. Bowen as treasurer. A. E. F. White, John Stoughton Newberry, and W. K. Anderson were also officers. At the same time, the Detroit Seed Company was absorbed into the new corporation. Business of the company continually increased for some time, until January 1, 1886, when a disastrous fire demolished the company's warehouse with the loss of near $1,000,000. However, Ferry quickly organized the company, bought seeds from outside sources and absorbed two smaller seed companies, and the company managed to fill orders for its customers.
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