FERGUSON, Solomon A.

FERGUSON, EATON, PUCKETT, PHELPS, THOMAS, MILLSOP

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/18/2014 at 10:35:23

Biography ~ Solomon A. Ferguson

"Biographical and Historical Record of
Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa"
(Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), pp. 599-600:

SOLOMON A. FERGUSON, a successful farmer of Fayette Township, residing on section 1, was born in Chautauqua County, New York, the date of his birth being March 25, 1831. His parents are both natives of the Empire State, and to them were born seven children, - ELI, died in Peoria County, Illinois; HENRY J. of Burrell Township, Decatur County, is a school-teacher, having taught one year in Ohio, one in Wisconsin, twenty-one in Illinois and sixteen in Iowa; Mrs. PHOEBE EATON, living in Antelope County, Nebraska; Mrs. SARAH PUCKETT, of the same county, and Mrs. LUCINDA PHELPS, living near Lincoln Nebraska. When our subject was two years old his parent removed to Crawford County, Ohio, and later to Jo Daviess County, Illinois, where his mother died, in 1860, aged fifty-eight years. In the latter county he grew to manhood, being reared to farming pursuits, which he has made the principal vocation of his life. He was married in Jo Daviess County, July 4, 1861, to Miss EMILY B. THOMAS, a daughter of JOHN K. THOMAS. Mrs. FERGUSON was born in Wayne County, Indiana, in 1840, being reared in her native State. She moved with her parents to Sauk County, Wisconsin, and from there moved to Jo Daviess County, Illinois. Her father came with her to Decatur County, and still lives in Burrell Township. To Mr. and Mrs. FERGUSON have been born four children – ADELBERT C., their oldest son, married MARY MILLSOP, and lives on a part of his father’s farm; GEORGE WILLIAM, died August 21, 1883, aged fifteen years; EFFIE JANE and ROSA B. during the late war Mr. FERGUSON enlisted at Dixon, Illinois, in Company D, One Hundred and Fifty-third Illinois Infantry, the date of his enlistment being February 14, 1865, receiving an honorable discharge August 20, 1865. He has lived on his present farm since he has brought from a state of nature to a high state of cultivation. All the improvements on the place have been made by himself, and by his industry and good management he has added to his original eighty acres until his homestead no contains 280 acres of well-improved land. In his political views Mr. FERGUSON is a Republican. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Transcribed by Sara LeFleur, Decatur County Historial Society Musuem, January of 2014