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Archiver > FERGUSON-DNA > 2005-11 > 1132637090


From: "R. G. Ferguson" <>
Subject: RE: A Virginia Hypothesis- Resolving Issues
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2005 00:24:50 -0500
In-Reply-To: <437B8003.7070903@sierratel.com>


Colin,

A few years ago I received a family tree print-out from Clan Fergusson
Society of North America. I had originally joined about 1982 but was
inactive for most of the 1990s. I noted that the information listed for
John Ferguson of Franklin County, VA - the son of John Ferguson (will 1786
Bedford Co.) and Mary Gill Ferguson, both removed from Chesterfield Co. to
Bedford Co. - was in error and appeared to combine information of two (or
more) different John Fergusons. This is a confusing generation for
Fergusons to figure out as there were about three John Fergusons living in
this area at the same time. I think two of them died at about the same
time. I brought this to the attention of the CFSNA Genealogist when I
updated some family information for her (which I need to do again) and was
told that the information had been provided to her by Paul Cales, one of the
CFSNA officers. I offered information which had been provided to me by
seemingly competent sources but I had not independently researched all of
the information myself at that time.

Almost three years ago, while researching at the Library of Virginia and
Virginia Archives, I was fortunate enough to locate Franklin County, VA
Chancery Court records which included the estate records of John Ferguson.
He died intestate in 1836. There is no mention of his wife or a widow in
any of these records. Like his father, John had owned land on both sides of
the Staunton River at various times. This meant he had lived and owned
property in both Bedford and Franklin Counties. There were some legal
proceedings in Bedford Co. involving his heirs in the years after his death
but his estate was probated in Franklin Co.

Shortly after John's death ( I sometimes now refer to him as Capt. John to
distinguish him from his father and the other John Fergusons in the region
because there were two or three items in the estate records which referred
to the deceased as Captain John Ferguson. I have not found any record of
military servive for him but he may have been a community leader in the
Militia at some time. At any rate, a few sources identified him as
"Captain" at the time of his death.

Shortly following his death, two of his sons, John K(ing) Ferguson of
Kentucky and George Ferguson of Cincinatti, Ohio filed a suit in Franklin
County Court for the disposition of John's estate. The other heirs were
identified as defendents and all parties were deposed for the settlement of
the estate. Solomon Paisley of Franklin County, who somehow became
administor of the estate, was later named as a defendent also after the
plaintiffs were dissatisfied with his handling of matters.

The children and heirs of John Ferguson are explicitly named in the court
documents and are as follows:
1. John K. Ferguson, married Mary Phelps - Kentucky
2. George Ferguson, married Pamela Hughes - Ohio
3. Archibald Ferguson, married Frances Hix - Patrick Co. VA (borders
Franklin Co. to west)
4. Joseph Ferguson, married 1st Sarah Hughes - Kentucky
5. Moses Ferguson, married Sophia Phelps - Kentucky
6. Daniel Ferguson, married Ann Heptinstall - Kentucky
7. Mary "Polly" Ferguson Phelps, 2nd wife and widow of John Phelps
(d.1815) - Franklin Co. VA
8. Permelia Ferguson Allen, wife of James Allen - Kentucky
9. Judith Ferguson Greer, wife of Nathan Greer - Tennessee
10. Caleb Ferguson, married WilmothMarshall - Bedford Co. VA (borders
Franklin Co. to the north)
11. Josiah and Barthena Ferguson, orphans under 21 of William Ferguson
(deceased)

Most of John Ferguson's children had left Virginia and gone to Kentucky
(Monroe and Barren Counties) or surrounding areas by the time of his death.
William Ferguson was stated to have died during his father's lifetime and
his two children were appointed a guardian in Franklin Co. I recall seeing
somewhere that they too went to Kentucky. The court records noted that the
Guardian of Josiah and Barthena was the only heir (representative) that
refused to answer the bill and be deposed.

The plaintiffs in the complaint noted that John Ferguson had given unequally
to his children and paid some of their debts during his lifetime and were
seeking for the court to consider these gifts and payment of debts as
advances on each heirs share of the estate. The bill states that the
perishable property and crops on hand belonging to John Ferguson should be
sufficient to pay the estate debts. Daniel Ferguson's deposition mentions
that John Ferguson also ran a blacksmith shop together with a Mr. Milliron.
The only real estate listed is a 300 acre tract identified as adjoining the
lands of Phoebe Maxey, Thomas Dudley, and others. This would be the same
300 acre tract surveyed March 16, 1774 and identified as adjoining Maxey's
land for a patent in Bedford County (this became part of Franklin Co. in
1786) to John Ferguson (assumed John, father of Capt. John).

More maybe later.

Best regards,
Roger G. Ferguson



From: Colin Ferguson <>
Reply-To:
To:
Subject: A Virginia Hypothesis
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 10:52:51 -0800

This is but a "Working Hypothesis" - John FERGUSON b 1650 Scotland who
married Ann STUBBLESON and Robert FERGUSON b 1661, Scotland who married
Martha BAUGH are brothers. The evidence is presented here:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~colin/Ferguson/DNA/Convolution.html

Please help resolve the issues so stated on that page!
--
Cheers,
Colin Ferguson



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