FERGUSON FAMILY:
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While this family is not the first family in Miller County, they most certainly were one of the most active and colorful. Especially the one known as "Squire John Ferguson". Peggy Smith Hake in her book "Pioneer Families of Miller County" she said that John Ferguson was born on Christmas Day 1938 in Dumfries, Scotland. When John was the age of 14, his father William, decided to bring the family to America. William died on the voyage and was buried at sea. He left his wife, Isabella Hunter Ferguson and the three children alone. They lived for a while with Isabella's sister & brother-in-law in St. Louis, but eventually John moved to Miller County and his mother followed later. John Ferguson married Dorcas Shelton, 6/4/1862. John was active in religious, political, and public affairs. He was a Justice of the Peace at Iberia for 50 years. John died on Jan. 20, 1940 at the age of 101. There are many people alive today that remember and still miss, John & Dorcas. In my quest for Miller County History, I believe that John Ferguson and William Carroll Brumley were two of the most important people in healing the wounds of the Civil War, and bringing organization where there was chaos. John & Dorcas had 14 children: William, Charles, Fred, George, Edward, Jack, Harry, Frank, Laura, Belle, Elizabeth, and Martha. Two children died in infancy. I will try to pick their children up with the use of cencus and marriage records. In the 1880 census: Miller County (Richwoods Twp). John Ferguson age 38 (Scot) Darcus age 36 (Tn) William T. age 17 (Mo) Elizabeth age 14 (married John W. Allen, 4/9/1897.) (Family records have her marrying Grant Williams.) Charles D. age 12 (married Emma Haynes (Crocker, Mo), 8/3/1890.) Edward S. age 11 (married Maggie Jones, 3/9/1893.) Fredrick P. age 10 (Married Effie M. Lawson, 12/22/1895.) George age 9 (married Sarah Arnold, 6/21/1899) John R.(Jack) age 7 (married Martha Kinsley, 8/26/1894 Isabella age 5 (Living next door was John's mother) Isabell Ferguson age 58 1900 census: (Richwood Twp) George has his own family. George Ferguson age 28 Sarah C. age 27 Lizzie Barlow age 21 (servant) 1900 census: (Richwood Twp) Edward has own family. Edward Ferguson age 31 Margaret age 33 Otto? (Oral) age 6 (married Helen E. Raines, 10/18/1926.) Laura E. age 2 (married Albert Miller, 10/24/1924.) 1900 census: (Richwood Twp) John R.(Jack) has own family. John R. Ferguson age 26 Martha F. age 22 Vaskie H, (son) age 3 Charles L. age 1 1900 census: (Richwood Twp) William T. has own family. William T. Ferguson age 37 Mary F. age 30 Molley B. age 10 (married Otto Ponder, 1/21/1909) Maude M. age 9 Lizzie age 7 John M. age 6 (married Evelyn Shelton, Dec. 1914.) Sherman R. age 4 (married Maggie Slawson,1/10/1916. Gracie age 1 William T. Ferguson married Jennie Tyres, 1/25/1885. William T. Ferguson married Mary F. Smith, 10/14/1888. William Ferguson to Lena Sullens, 3/26/1894. 1900 census: (Richwood Twp) John Ferguson age 58 Dorcus C. age 55 Laura age 18 Harry age 16 (married Dove Alice Butcher, 1/29/1909.) Franklin C. age 12 (married Martha J. White, 11/19/1913.) Martha age 10 Belle Ferguson married George W. Arnold, 12/31/1899. DeVere |