MAJOR ALFRED A. FERGUSON, Smith County, TX ************************************************************* Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by: Doris Peirce - ginlu@home.com 7 June 2001 *************************************************************** MAJOR ALFRED A. FERGUSON "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter XLV - Pages 206 - 208 The subject of this sketch, Maj. Alfred A. Ferguson, was born in the State of North Carolina on the 13th day of February, 1806. While a youth he moved with his father's family to Jasper county, Georgia, where he was principally raised. Arriving at manhood, he moved to the State of Alabama, where he married. He moved to Texas in 1851, and settled on Rabbit Creek in Smith county and opened up a farm. Very soon afterwards removed to Tyler and in 1854 commenced merchandizing with Col. George Yarbrough, the firm name being, Ferguson & Yarbrough, this partnership continued three years. He afterwards formed a partnership with J.F.Rasbury and Julius Saunders, the firm being, J.F.Rasbury and Co., Maj. Ferguson being the silent partner. The business continued up to the commencement of the civil war. At the time Maj. Ferguson was in the mercantile business, goods were hauled by ox and mule teams from Shreveport, Louisiana, and Marshall, Texas. Railroads were not then built to Tyler. Maj. Ferguson was a tall, slim, spare made man, and presented the appearance of a very positive character. Besides his general appearance, he was well informed in history and politics, and only those near him were aware of the fact. He exercised a powerful influence on the growth of Tyler, and did more to build and improve the town than any man that ever lived in Tyler. He was always interested in the growth of Tyler, and was always the advocate and promoter of anything that looked to the advancement and development of our industrial resources. It was his belief that Tyler was favorably located for a great commercial center in East Texas and worked to that end. Monuments of city property now are marks of his sagacity, and money invested that show the evidence of his favorable impression of Tyler's future. Maj. Ferguson built more brick houses than any one man here, and was a noted public benefactor. The first brick business house built by him was the brick next to Bob Clark's, and in a short time he built the block to the corner of West Ferguson and College streets. He built other brick and frame buildings. Maj. Ferguson saw the necessity of a hotel---that the growth of the town demanded it, and up went a brick hotel on the very spot of land now occupied by Mayer & Schmidt's magnificent store building. He ran the hotel for several years himself till the Ferguson House became a noted house for the style and splendor of its entertaining. Maj. Ferguson grew rich by good management and industry, but never became a hard man in his money transactions, for whenever Tyler needed money his purse strings were unloosed. He was always careful with his money, but a charitable man. He never failed to give needed help. His wife, a most excellent and good woman survived him only a few years. Maj. and Mrs. Ferguson sleep in Tyler cemetery. They were the friends of Tyler and her people.