Early Life and Origins in Lansingburgh Martin Edgar Ferrill, a name perhaps unfamiliar to many, represents a fascinating corner of American folk art history. Born in either 1836 or 1837 within the northern division of Troy, New York—specifically the village of Lansingburgh—Ferrill’s roots were firmly planted in the burgeoning landscape of 19th-century America. His parents, Matthew and Eliza Ferrill, had emigrated from Ireland before 1835, seeking new opportunities on American soil. Lansingburgh would remain his lifelong home, a quiet backdrop against which he quietly developed a unique arti…