John R. Ferguson

As printed in 1883

JOHN R. FERGUSON.

Mr. Ferguson 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 M. S. M., for three years' service. He enlisted as a private, but was after a short time promoted to 2d sergeant. Upon the lath 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 represented that district for two terms in Congress. Mr. Ferguson married in Jefferson City, Missouri May 8, 1867, 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 best with eight children, four boys and four girls. The oldest, a girl, died in infancy. 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 rearing. 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 Christain 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.

As printed in History of Greene county, Missouri, ... including a history of its township, towns, and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri ... biographical sketches and portraits of prominent cit (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.