Biographical Sketch of John R. Ferguson, Greene County, Missouri,
Springfield

>From "History of Greene County, Missouri," St. Louis: Western
Historical Company, 1883.

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Mr. Gerguson is the son of John S. and Elizabeth (Allison) Ferguson 
and was born February 10, 1842 in Pike county, Missouri.  He received
his education at the country schools of his neighborhood and worked
upon his father's farm until he was seventeen years of age, when he
took a clerkship in the patent medicine house of Coyle & Potter, in
St. Louis, in 1860.  He remained with the firm until the war began in
1861.  He returned home and enlisted in the Federal service under 
Colonel T. J. C. Fagg for six months.  He was mustered out and then
re-enlisted in the Third, afterwards the Tenth Missouri State Militia
for three years' service.  He enlisted as a private, but was after a
short time promoted to 2nd sergeant.  Upon the 14th of April, 1865,
he was mustered out at Macon City, Missouri.  He was then appointed
by Governor Fletcher to a clerkship in the office of Paymaster General
William J. Dougherty, of Gov. Fletcher's staff.  He served in that
capacity for two years, and then went to Ironton, Missouri and engaged
in the drug business with Dr. J. R. McCormack, who subsequently repre-
sented that district for terms in Congress.  Mr. Ferguson married in 
Jefferson City, Missouri on May 8, 1867, to Miss Virginia C., daughter
of Hon. Jared E. and Sarah Roberta (Mask) Smith.  Mr. Smith was at 
that time state register of lands.  They have been blest with eight
children, four boys and four girls.  The oldest, a girl, died in in-
fancy.  Mr. Ferguson followed the drug business until 1868, when he
was appointed docket clerk of the State Senate by Hon. G. A. Moser,
secretary of that body.  In the spring of 1869, he and his father-in-
law, Hon. Jared E. Smith came to Springfield and bought out the drug
store of W. G. Gray & Co., and carried on the business until 1876,
when he sold his interest to W. A. Hall, and engaged in farming and
stock raising.  This proved unprofitable, and in the fall of 1878 he 
was elected upon the Republican ticket to the office of circuit court
clerk.  He was renominated in 1882, and re-elected.  He has been a
member of the city council once, and city treasurer two terms.  He is
a member of the Knights Templar, and Royal Arch Chapter, and of the
A. O. U. W.  Himself and wife are members of the Christian Church. 
His father was a Virginian and his mother a native of Franklin county,
Kentucky.  They were among the early settlers of Pike county, Missouri.

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