CRITTENDEN CO, AR - ALEXANDER H. FERGUSON - Bio

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SOURCE:  Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern 
Arkansas. Chicago:Goodspeed Publishers, 1890.
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Alexander H. Ferguson, the present efficient and popular treasurer of
Crittenden County and also a merchant at Marion, was born at Greenock,
on the Mississippi River, in this county, March 17, 1839, and is the son
of Horatio N. and Jane G. (Proctor) Ferguson, natives of Tennessee and
Arkansas. The Grandfather Ferguson went from Greenock, Scotland, to
Virginia, while a young man, moving from there to Tennessee, where he
lived until his death. He was the father of three children: William D.,
Allen McL. and Horatio N. (all now deceased). The boys came to Arkansas
in 1820 and settled at Greenock, a Scottish town named after the town in
which their father was born. William D. was the first sheriff of
Crittenden County, holding the office from 1825 to 1835, and died at
Memphis, Tenn., in 1866. He fought in the battle of New Orleans, January
8, 1815; was a member of the L. O. O. F. fraternity and belonged to the
Presbyterian Church. He took active part in the development of this
county and filled the office of deputy surveyor for several years. Allen
McL. served as postmaster of Oldman, now Greenock, and was justice of
the peace for several years. He died in Sharp County, Ark., in 1872.
Horatio N. the father of our subject, came to this State when a young
man, married upon attaining his maturity, and settled at what was
afterward called Greenock, remaining here until 1835. Then he moved to a
[p.414] place lower down the river. He was an extensive farmer and owned
large tracts of land which he acquired after coming to Arkansas. He died
in 1841 at Frankfort, Ky., where he had gone for his health. Jane G.
Proctor, his wife, was also an Arkansan by birth, her parents having
emigrated here about the beginning of the nineteenth century, settling
below Memphis on the river. Mrs. Ferguson was a member of the
Presbyterian Church and remained a widow till her death, which occurred
in 1871. She was the mother of six children, two sons and four
daughters, of whom three are now living: Mrs. Kate A. Brown (who lives
at Marion), Mrs. Nancy E. Lyon (in this county) and Alexander H. (the
youngest). The latter was reared in this county where he has always
lived. As school advantages were not very good hereabouts in his youth
he attended school at Memphis until the death of his brother, when he
had to return home and assume charge of affairs. In that position he
remained up to the death of his mother, when he was married to Miss Kate
Ritche, of Memphis. In 1884 he located at Marion and has since been
engaged in merchandising. In 1880 Mr. Ferguson was elected county clerk,
and discharged the duties of that office until elected treasurer in
1884, in which position he is now serving his third term. He has always
taken a great interest in the advancement of education and is also a
hard worker in the Democratic party. He was married January 19, 1882,
and after the brief space of eight months was left a widower. His wife
was a true Christian lady and devoted wife, and was a member of the
Baptist Church. Alexander Ferguson entered the Confederate army in
August, 1862, and had served but a short time when he was wounded at the
battle of Corinth, being several times hit in the body by grape-shot
from a cannon. He was taken from the battlefield to a hospital at Iuka,
where he had his leg amputated between the knee and ankle. He started
home as soon as able to travel, coming to Memphis in a buggy, his
sister, Sarah J., and Thomas Baldwin, having gone after him to the field
of action. Mr. Ferguson is a competent officer for the place which he
fills and is in every way worthy of the trust reposed in him.