FERREIRA, JOHN H. - A general blacksmith whose business is located at No. 214 North Second Street, Springfield, is a man who has succeeded well and now specializes on plow and wagon work and horse shoeing. He was born August 16, 1863, on the corner of Second and Carpenter Streets, Springfield, a son of John Ferreira and Mary (Vasconcellos) Ferreira, the former born on the Island of Madeira, in June, 1838, and the latter in the same place in May, 1841. She was a daughter of Joseph Vasconcellos. John Ferreira came to the United States in young manhood with his widowed mother and her six other children. He learned wagon making in Springfield and followed that trade for some time, then located on his farm of fifty acres, where he and his wife are both living. They had children as follows: John H., Harvey, Lewis; Lizzie, married Jess Neef, of Island Grove, Township; William, of Sun Prairie; Mary, Mrs. Harry Shoemaker, of Springfield.

John H. Ferreira attended the Trapp School in Springfield until he was twelve years old, then the family moved to the farm his father had bought in Island Grove Township. For three years the lad worked on the farm, then learned the blacksmith trade. Following this he worked with a number of well known men in this line, finishing his apprenticeship by the time he was eighteen years old. He then went to Grand Rapids, where he spent eight years. Coming back to Springfield, he started in business for himself. While a Republican on national questions, he is liberal about matters pertaining to local government. Fraternally he belongs to the Masons, Modern Woodmen, and Royal Neighbors, and is popular in all.

Mr. Ferreira was married in Grand Rapids, December 28, 1891, to Miss Ella Benson, of that city, daughter of the late Hans Benson. Their children are: Arthur W. and Emma Rosette. Mr. Ferreira belongs to a class of men who are steadily working towards better government and general advancement. Industrious and hard working, strict in business probity, Mr. Ferreira believes in uprightness in public office and casts his vote for the man he deems will best carry out its obligations.