Benjamin Ferris was an American watchmaker, surveyor, and historian who dedicated much of his life to documenting the early history of Wilmington, Delaware, and the surrounding region. Born in Wilmington in 1780, Ferris moved to Philadelphia at the age of fourteen to apprentice in the watchmaking trade. He returned to his hometown in 1813, where he established himself in the community and was appointed as the city surveyor in 1820.
Beyond his professional trades, Ferris was a deeply committed member of the Religious Society of Friends. He became a prominent advocate for the theological views of Elias Hicks, emphasizing the doctrine of the "inner light" as central to salvation. Ferris's published debates with evangelical ministers on these matters played a notable role in the 1827 Quaker schism. His religious convictions also drove his social activism; in 1839, he joined a joint committee representing Quaker Yearly Meetings to investigate injustices against the Seneca Nation, successfully helping to broker a compromise that restored approximately half of their disputed lands.
In his later years, Ferris turned his attention to local history, embarking on a meticulous study of Wilmington's origins. To access primary sources, he taught himself the Swedish language so he could translate and analyze the historical records of the Old Swedes Church. This extensive research culminated in his major literary contribution, A History of the Original Settlements on the Delaware, published in 1846, which detailed the region's history from Henry Hudson's arrival to the colonization under William Penn.
