BIOGRAPHIES - FERGUSON, James William, Bourbon County, Kentucky From: Bob Francis http://www.shawhan.com Date: 07 Feb 2000 The biographies are taken primarily from William Perrin's "The History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky" and E. Polk Johnson's "The History of Kentucky and Kentuckians," Vol. III. Many Bourbon County, Kentucky, researchers have pointed out mistakes and they are notated. Name: James William FERGUSON _________________________________________ Birth: August 25, 1830, Winchester, Kentucky Father: Abraham Lunceford FERGUSON (1803-1854) Mother: Mary Keller MATSON (1810-1878) Spouses _________________________________________ 1: Martha HUME Birth: May 7, 1830, Clintonville Precinct, Bourbon County, Kentucky Father: William P. HUME Mother: Matilda RENNICK Marriage: August 5, 1856 Children: William; P. H.; Abram L.; Maggie B.; Robert H.; Lucy Ellen; Volney W.; Matilda Renick; James William JAMES W. FERGUSON,1 farmer and stockraiser. Prominent among the large land-holders and successful business men of Bourbon County is Mr, Ferguson, who was born Aug. 25, 1830, in Winchester, Clark County; his parents were Abraham and Mary K. (Matson) Ferguson; he was born in Fayette County, Sept. 27, 1803, and died Aug. 1, 1854; he was a son of Abraham Ferguson, a native of Fauquier County, Va.; his father, John, was a native of Scotland, and emigrated to Virginia; his son Abraham served in the war of the Revolution and in the war of 1812. The grandfather of our subject emigrated to Kentucky, locating in what is now Fayette County, upon lands that he obtained from the government by virtue of his services in the war of the Revolution, upon which he settled; Indians were plentiful; while working upon his land his gun was his constaut companion for self-protection. This land is now in the possession of the family name, in Brier Hill Precinct. Mary K. was born Feb. 9, 1810, in this county; she died Aug. 2, 1878; she was a daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Spears) Matson, both families from Virginia. To Abraham Fergusou and wife were born eight children, five sons and three daughters; of those living are Robert M., a resident of Lexington, Ky.; Mary E., wife of James Brownell; Lucy E., wife of James H. Campbell, and James W., who remained with his father until he was twenty-six years of age. In 1840 he moved with his parents to Brier Hill Precinct, in Fayette County; Aug. 5, 1856, he married Martha A. Hume, who was born in Clintonville Precinct, May 7, 1830, daughter of Wm. P., son of John Hume, of Fauquier County, Va.; March, 1837, after marriage, he moved to this county on the farm adjoining where he now resides, upon which he lived until 1875, when he located where he now resides. Mr. Ferguson is engaged in farming and stock raising, and is a large dealer in stock, having been for several years a large shipper, since 1860; he has over 4,000 acres of land, the greater portion self-acquired; his children are William, P. H., Abram L., Maggie B., Robert H., Lucy E., Volney W., Matilda R., and James W.; P. H. resides on the home farm in Brier Hill, Fayette County. Sources 1. Perrin, pp. 464-465 ------------------------------ USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.