served with distinction in the Civil war, becoming major of the one Hundred and Eighty-fourth New York Volunteer Infantry. Elijah prepared for the ministry but died in Tennessee prior to the Civil war. Harvey H. passed away in 1863. Jason D. gave up his life for his country in the battle of Shiloh, April 7, 1862, being then twenty-two years of age. He enlisted for three months in the First Iowa Volunteer Infantry, while attending school at Mount Vernon, and after the expiration of that period reenlisted in the Twelfth Iowa Infantry, at Cedar Rapids, and was made first lieutenant of Company D. The Grand Army Post at Nevada is named in his honor. He was the first man from Story county to be killed in battle. Hiram F. is the subject of this review. Delia N. married John Stough, a farmer, and after his death became the wife of George Monlux, who is also deceased. She is now living at Beaman, Grundy county.
Hiram F. Ferguson received his education in the public schools up to sixteen years of age and after laying his books aside in the spring of 1859 assisted his father upon the farm for two years. In August, 1861, he enlisted at Nevada in Company B, Second Iowa Cavalry, and served in the Civil war until September 19, 1865, at which date he was mustered out at Selma, Alabama, as sergeant of his company. He took part in many important battles, sieges and movements, including the siege of Corinth, during which a charge was made by his regiment, which stands out prominently in the history of the Army of the West. He was also in the battle of Booneville, Mississippi, where Sheridan won his spurs as brigadier general ; the battle of Iuka and again at Corinth ; Tupelo; Nashville; and in many skirmishes. His regiment during Hood's advance and retreat was for sixty-four days almost continuously under fire. After the war Mr. Ferguson engaged in farming on the old homestead and on other places in Howard township for many years, finally removing to Story City, where he lived retired for seven years. Since 1910 he has made his home at Nevada.
On March 15, 1866, Mr. Ferguson was united in marriage to Miss Martha J. Ballard, who was born in Will county, Illinois, December 31, 1845, and is a daughter of Moses R. and Eliza (Beecher) Ballard. Moses Ballard, the American progenitor of the family, was born in England and came to the United States when he was about eighteen years of age. He served in a Massachusetts regiment of Minute Men throughout the entire Revolutionary war and was in camp at Valley Forge with Washington. His son, Moses R. Ballard, removed from Massachusetts to New York state after marrying Eliza Beecher, the second cousin of Henry Ward Beecher. He was a blacksmith and worked at his trade until crippled, when he took up the study of medicine, beginning practice in Monroe county, New York. He moved to Ohio in 1841 and a year later to Will county, Illinois, where he practiced his profession and his sons cultivated the farm. In 1857 he came to Story county and purchased land in Howard township, where he farmed and practiced medicine until his death, which oc-