Mary Robb Settles

Mary Robb Settles Ferris

Mary and Bill with Bill Jr., Mary, Caroline and Bob.  

Mary Robb Settles was born around midnight on May 11 or 12, 1921 in Willows, California.  She was the only child of Robert Jackson Settles and Edna Dora Robb who met in Seward, Alaska.  Mary Robb as she was known spent her early years in Willows but moved frequently and seasonally in keeping with her father's job in the US Forest Service.  She met William Ramsay Ferris during World War II in San Francisco while he was dating a friend of hers named Flo.  He asked Mary Robb for a date but she would not agree unless Flo gave her permission.  Flo agreed and then Bill mounted a week-long campaign which culminated in the April 9, 1944 wedding of Bill and Mary Robb.

Bill and Mary on their wedding day.

Bill and Mary Robb were married 71 years spending most of their married life in California--Palo Alto, Los Altos, Saratoga, Boulder Creek, and Auburn--until moving to Annapolis in 2013.

Mary Robb Settles and William Ramsay Ferris had the following children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

1. William Ramsay Ferris born 2/9/1945 in Sarasota, FL married Donna Tharp on 11/30/1985.  Donna had the following children from a previous marriage:

- Brian Tharp
- Robin Tharp

2. Caroline Robb Ferris (Hall) born 6/26/1947 in Palo Alto, CA married Donald Lawrence Hall on 12/19/1966 and adopted:

- Matthew Lawrence Hall born on 11/28/1975 in Mountain View, CA
- Mark Alexander Hall born on 11/22/1976 in Mountain View, CA

3. Robert Morris Ferris born 9/26/1952 in Palo Alto, CA married Carlene Marie Ramus on 1/23/2005

4. Mary Gales Ferris (Siebert) born 2/9/1956 in Los Altos, CA married Robert Andrew Siebert on 5/21/1977 and had the following children:

- Mary Katherine Siebert (Watt) was born 2/5/1984 in Annapolis, MD and married Eric Watt on (8/4/2007) and had the following children:

• Maddie Watt born on 1/3/20XX in Corpus Christi, TX
• Nathan Watt (twin) born on 1/23/2011 in Annapolis, MD
• Jack Watt (twin) born on 1/23/2011 in Annapolis, MD
• Cameron Watt born on 5/28/2014 in Jacksonville, FL

- Kelly Elizabeth Siebert (Garner) born 4/12/1988 in Annapolis, MD and married Daniel Garner on 9/22/2012 and had the following children:

• McKenzie Garner born on 2/28/2014 in Annapolis, MD

- Patrick Ramsay Siebert born on 3/9/1992 in Annapolis, MD

Mary Robb Ferris in the old Plymouth with her son Bob circa 1956.