CLARK COUNTY REPUBLICAN PRESS (Neillsville, Wis.) 12/14/1889

Samuel Ferguson passed away last Monday morning at 3 o'clock, and was buried Tuesday afternoon, Rev. J. D. Brothers officiating. Mr. Ferguson came here (Clark County) in 1845, and in the 50's returned to Pennsylvania, where he married, and came back and settled here. His wife died a year ago. She was a widow when she married Mr. Ferguson, and was the mother of C. F. Bone, editor of the Rice Lake Times. Mr. Ferguson was not married the second time, as has been announced. Harry Ferguson and Mrs. Emma Brainard are children of the later. Mr. Ferguson and James Ferguson, formerly a citizen of here, but now of Tacoma, Wash., is a nephew.

Mr. Ferguson witnessed the building up of Neillsville on a spot that was but a wilderness when he came here. He was a man respected by all, and lived to a ripe old age.

Samuel F. Ferguson, located in Neillsville in the fall of 1845.  He had lived two years previous at Black River Falls, and on Black River.  He was born in Ohio, and thence removed to Pennsylvania.  He had gone down, in the summer of 1845, with James O’Neill, with a raft to Burlington, Iowa, where O’Neill purchased blacksmith tools.  These were conveyed up Black River to Neillsville, where Mr. Ferguson started a blacksmith shop. He made the irons for the first saw mill. The only house in the place was O’Neill’s house, heretofore mentioned as being the first erected in Neillsville.  About twelve or fifteen slept in this shanty, twelve feet wide by sixteen feet long.  Ferguson bored two holes in a log, stuck two pins in, laid pieces of board across, and this constituted his bed during the winter.  From that day to this, he has had a blacksmith shop in or about Neillsville.  He sits before the writer as he pens these lines, a man of sixty-six years, and still quite vigorous and healthy.

William Ferguson, or as better known, Uncle Billy Ferguson, a brother to Samuel F., came to Neillsville about the same time as his brother.  He was known as a hunter, in which occupation he spent the greater portion of his time. He resided in or near this place until his death, which occurred in 1871.

James W. Ferguson, a nephew of the two brothers mentioned, came to this place  April 23d, 1854.  His uncle Samuel could not find a wife to suit him in Clark county, and had visited Pennsylvania in search of one, in which pursuit he succeeded. James W. then accompanied his uncle on his return.  Since then he has resided here, excepting for four years, from November 1861 to October 1865, which he spent in the army.  He has held the position of postmaster in Neillsville since 1871.