Biography of James F. Ferguson, 1898, Baker Co., Oregon
Surnames: Ferguson, Mann

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Transcribed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
W. David Samuelsen - April 2002
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Morning Democrat, 20 May 1898 Illustrated Souvenir Edition, Baker City,
Baker Co., OR; Bowen & Small, Publishers

JAMES F. FERGUSON

The subject of our sketch, Jas. F. Ferguson, has been more active perhaps than
any one else in placing the resources of Baker County and its environments
before not only Western investors, but those of the far East as well. His
shrewd judgement and conservative business methods, have won for him an
enviable reputation, and his advice on the real estate and mining investments
of this section much sought after. He has been located here as a real estate
and insurance broker since 1875, representing sixteen of the leading insurance
companies of the world, such as the London, Liverpool and Globe, Royal of
Liverpool, Norwich Union and North British and Mercantile, among foreign
companies, and the German-American of Ne York and Fireman's Fund among home
companies. Controlling as he does the leading companies, he writes more
insurance than all other companies combined. He also writes life, accident,
plate glass and live stock insurance, attends to collections of rents and so
forth.

He handles real estate both city and farm property, also mining property,
which his long continued residence here has placed him in a position to know
thoroughly. He at present is handling the DeRoo addition, also that of
Brattain & McComas, and many other desirable tracts. Mr. Ferguson is a native
of New York City, where he was born in 1845. He came to Oregon at an early age
with his parents, his father being an early pioneer in the valley, erecting
the first mill at the Willamette Falls in 1852. He also built a number of the
early crafts which navigated that river, such as the steamer Gazelle, and
others. In 1858, he moved to the Cascades, accompanied by his family. At the
age of sixteen the subject of this sketch went to Portland and began clerking
for Harker Bros. with whom he remained for four years. He then went to Fort
Colville, Wash., joining his father who had in the meantime began
merchandising at that point. In 1868 he came to Baker City and entered into
business with E. W. reynolds. He married Miss Jennie D. Mann, of Barre,
Vermont, in 1870, his being the first marriage published in the Bed Rock
Democrat, which had been in existence about six months at that time. Moving to
Inyo county, Cal., a year later, he remained there till 1874,w hen he returned
to Baker City and entered the banking house of James W. Virtue, as book-keeper
and cashier, and remained with him until he went out of business.