To Hazel Fergus Bubar,
An amazing woman whose interest
in history made this possible.
R. M. Horne
1977
This book is Pam's.
Hazel Fergus
FORWARD TO THIS THIRD 2005 EDITION
These notes are on the bound thesis used for
transcription by typing, since the old typewritten text (not a carbon copy)
given to Aunt Hazel will not produce usable OCR text.
The 1982 family edition (reproduced from this same
copy) has also been used for additions and a few corrections to the original
text.
For this third electronic edition in 2005, a few
minor changes and addition are included. With the event of spellchecking and
automatic correction I hope I will be forgiven if I have chosen to respell
those few words in the text that may have been typos or minor mistakes. I have
tried to not let the program respell the words in quotes that are from the
original source and are still intended to remain as they were originally
spelled without any sic noted.
Since my patience is limited, I will apologize for
not proofreading each and every word and number I have typed. I have tried to
be accurate and look at my screen as I type a bit, and to watch for the
programs flagging of suspect spelling or grammar. I would certainly appreciate
notes sent to me to correct errors you see in my transcription!
The objective of this transcription is to make it
freely available to all and without cost. It is also to make the text
searchable so that anyone can find just what interests them about their part of
the family.
The numbered footnotes have been moved to the correct
spot in the text and the numbers removed. This is mainly because I prefer to
read them this way; also because I find it a nuisance to superscript text and
figure out how to make footnotes appear in the correct place in text files or
on web pages. Often the text within the footnotes flow well within the
paragraph and could have been originally written there.
The genealogy was very primitive and
has been replaced with my collection of data of the family.
Charlotte Orr, great granddaughter, met with Robert
Horne several years ago. "He is more than willing for us to use his thesis
freely", as he is totally out of the history and the writing
business. THANK YOU to Dr. Horne from all of us in the family!
James R.
DangelJim
Great, great, great grandson
2005
FORWARD TO 1982 (SECOND) EDITION
In
order to pass on to the younger generations a portion of their heritage this
1982 edition of Robert M. Horne's work, "James Fergus: Frontier
Businessman Miner Rancher Free Thinker" has been prepared.
Speaking
of the James Fergus letters, and Robert M. Horne, K. Ross Toole, University of
Montana, wrote in 1971
"The consequence is that Dr. Horne has
had unusually rich and varied material with which to workand he has
worked it with skill, meticulous care and sound historical judgement. So there
emerges not just another account, but an account marked by unusual depth and
sensitivity. It deserves to be read by all students of the American West."
Included
as additions are short biographies of Hazel Fergus, and Pamelia Dillin Fergus.
Some errors in the text are corrected. [These corrections were made by Hazel
and her children in conference and were made, for the most part, by pen.] It is
intended to prepare for future distribution a corrected and more complete
family genealogy than appeared in the original book. [This edition of the book
got the transcriber interested in Fergus family genealogy, so I, James R.
Dangel, will be including the descendants of James Fergus even if it is very
large.]
It
is hoped that this record, by setting forth the accomplishments, trials and
perseverance of James, Pamelia and Andrew will serve to strengthen the
character of those who read it and bring them closer as a greater family.
Acknowledgement
is given to Charlotte Quigley Orr for her efforts in arranging for printing and
preparations of this volume and also, to her children Melissa and Scott for
their work in assembly.
This
edition is printed on both sides of the page to reduce bulk.
This
done in Bozeman, Montana June 27-29, 1982 by Fergus Family Associates, Hazel A.
Fergus, Agnes Fergus Quigley Miedema, Pamelia Fergus Pittman, Andrew J. Fergus,
Ethel Dean Fergus, Charlotte Quigley Orr.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
MRS. JAMES FERGUS
BY MRS. S. C. GILPATRICK.
Pamelia
Dillin was born in Pamelia Township, near Watertown, Jefferson County, New
York, on June 22nd, 1824.
Both
branches of her father's and mother's families were originally from New England
and were pioneers in the state of New York. Her mother Mahalah Bellows, was
left an orphan at an early age, and was adopted into the family of General
Jacob Brown, fulfilling a promise made to her father who was an intimate
friend. After marrying William Dillin they lived in New York state some twenty
years, where several children were born to them. The eldest was named Pamelia
after Mrs. General Brown.
They
moved to Henry County, Illinois, with horse trains in the winter, a great
undertaking in those days.
Pamelia
Dillin was married to James Fergus at Moline, Illinois, on March 16th,
1845, where he was engaged in the foundry and machine business, afterwards
carrying on the same business at Rock Island. Mr. Fergus' health failing, they
sold out and moved to St. Anthony Falls, Minnesota, in 1854, soon moving to
Little Falls, where Mr. Fergus had bought a five-twelfth interest in the water
power and townsite there on the extreme frontier. In 1864 Mrs. Fergus with her
children, three girls and one boy, in company with others braved the then
dangerous trip across the plains with ox teams, by way of Omaha, and after four
months of hardship and suffering arrived in Alder Gulch on August 14th,
where Mr. Fergus was engaged in mining.
In
the Spring of 1865, she moved to Last Chance Gulch, near where Helena now is, where
Mr. Fergus was working claims. Anxious to have more room and be more
independent they moved to the Prickly Pear Valley, where hey engaged in
dairying, stock raising and improving a large ranch. Many old timers will
recollect Mrs. Fergus' butter, which was always up to the standard, both in
quality and weight. As the valley settled up, and their stock increased they
were obliged to find more pasture. They bought what was known as the Malcolm
Clark ranch, in the Little Prickly Pear Canyon, where Mr. Clark had been killed
by Indians only a year or two before, and where they lived ten years, raising
stock, improving ranches, and keeping stage station and public house, which
many of our old timers will remember. Their stock still increasing, they were
again compelled to find new pastures, and this time moved into the wilderness
among the Indians and buffalo, north of Fort Maginnis and the Judith Mountains,
where Mr. Fergus and his only son, Andrew, still live.* After living there
three months without seeing a white woman, a man drove past with a covered
wagon, camped at the creek near by , and came to the house for milk for a baby.
Mrs. Fergus invited him to bring his wife to the house. Presently he came along
with a full blooded squaw who could not speak a word of English. Pamelia Dillin
was the child of pioneers. When she grew to womanhood she became attached to
and married James Fergus, another pioneer, (who crossed the Mississippi and
lived in what is now Iowa, before it was named), and from that time until her
death aided him in helping to build on the frontier settlements, villages,
towns and cities.
How
little we realize, as sitting in our easy chairs now surrounded by many
comforts, what we owe to the pioneer women who have lived and died on the frontiers
of our country, as it has been developed from decade to decade. Always in the
front rank with a conquering spirit, they were only subdued by death. It is
almost impossible to realize the dangers, sufferings and privations of their
lives, especially among the Indians. But seeing and talking with them almost
daily while in Minnesota, Mrs. Fergus became familiar with their habits,
customs and characteristics, so that during the Sioux massacre, when the
frightened women and children flocked into town, her courage and familiarity
with the Indians helped to soothe and quiet their fears. Here also was
developed another trait of her character, that of relieving the wants of the
poor, the distressed and the unfortunate. "Her home was known to all the
vagrant train, she chided their wanderings but relieved their pain."
Mrs.
Fergus died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. S. C. Gilpatrick, in Helena, on
October 6th, 1886, after a lingering illness, the effect of a
cancer. W. F. Sanders, another old timer, delivered an eloquent and appropriate
address on the occasion.
Her
courage was great at all times, and some of the incidents of her life may be
told here.
In
Little Falls, Minnesota, while a doctor was performing a dangerous surgical
operation, his assistant fainted. No one else being willing to help him, he
sent a messenger for Mrs. Fergus, who had assisted him before, and she helped
him until the operation was completed. In Moline, Illinois, she was called to
assist a woman doctor (who had diplomas from two medical colleges) in a case of
childbirth. The doctor fainted and she had both doctor and patient on her hands
at the same time.
Many
incidents might be told where she came in contact with roughs and Indians in
Minnesota, on the plains, and in Montana.
On
one occasion, a war party of Crow Indians crossed the Missouri river at
Cascade, in pursuit of a party of Flatheads, who they claimed had stolen some
of their horses. The weather was cold. They claimed that at Rock Creek, where
they stayed the night before they came to the Fergus ranch, they got nothing to
eat but corn in the ear; so they were hungry, cross and ugly and wanted their
own way, but by careful management and furnishing them such food as was to be
had, they left next day after staying about thirty-six hours, in very good
humor, and no one showed more tact, courage or good management during this
critical period, than Mrs. Fergus, keeping them out of her kitchen and winning
their respect. There were sixteen of them, all tall and fine looking Indians,
well armed and mounted. At Rock Creek the people sent to Fort Shaw for troops,
who came after the Indians left. At the Fergus ranch they were better treated,
stayed longer and left in better mood.
The
memories of those pioneer women should be dearly cherished. They are part of
the history of our country. Their lives are so intimately connected with each
other that it is difficult to portray one alone.
* Mr. Fergus died June 25, 1902.
MR. AND MRS. JAMES FERGUS, TAKEN
IN 1879.
[The same photograph without a title was used in the
original Horne thesis, after the title page, and will not be repeated.
The sketch was printed on pages 188-191 (plus the photograph
of Pamelia (Dillin) and James Fergus) in the book, Contributions to the HISTORICAL SOCIETY
OF MONTANA, Volume
IV. Helena: Independent Publishing
Co., 1903.
I replaced Dillon in the printed text as it is
incorrect. There is a town of
Dillon in Montana, and it is not known now if the printer substituted the
spelling Dillon, or if the author was ignorant of the correct spelling of her
mother's maiden name Dillin, which I very much doubt.
The Township error of Panielia was from someone who could
not read or type and has also been corrected. We have many letters written by
Luella Gilpatrick and her handwriting is very difficult to read.
Mrs. S. C. Gilpatrick was born Frances Luella Fergus and
married Stephen Collins Gilpatrick on January 1, 1867 in the Prickly Pear
Valleyalso commonly spelled Prickley Pear Valley everywhere.]
JAMES FERGUS:
FRONTIER BUSINESSMAN MINER RANCHER
FREE THINKER
By
ROBERT M. HORNE
B.S. Valley City State College, 1959
M.A. University of North Dakota, 1964
Presented in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA
1971
Reprinted 1982
Electronic edition 2005
SKETCH OF HAZEL FERGUS
Hazel
Fergus, wife of Andrew Fergus and daughter-in-law of James Fergus, was born in
Presque Isle, Maine, 18 July 1889. She came to Central Montana with her family
in 1898 where she attended grade and high schools. Her first employment after
leaving school was as an operator at the Mountain States Telephone Co. Then the
only long distance lines were to Great Falls, Grass Range, the Horse Shoe Bar
and Fergus Ranches. Later employment was with the Power Mercantile Company as
cashier and secretary to Mr. Simms.
Andrew
and Hazel were married August 1, 1909 at Steilacoom, Washington, returning to
live at the ranch on Armells Creek. Three children were born to this union,
Agnes, Pamelia and Andrew James (Buddy). The children were educated at schools
at the ranch and Lewistown during winters.
Andrew
died in July of 1928. Mortgages on the ranch coupled with a series of drought
years and the nationwide depression resulted in the eventual loss of the ranch
and dispersion of historical effects gathered by the family over the years.
Hazel
spent years collecting and trying to organize the scattered James Fergus
papers, not realizing the size and complexity of the task.
Judge
Leonard De Kalb recommended the University of Montana because of its facilities
to do such research and compilation. Arrangements were then completed resulting
in Dr. Horne's book "James Fergus: Frontier Businessman Miner
Rancher Free Thinker".
Hazel,
at 93 years, has traveled from Juneau, Alaska to contribute and advise on this
edition.
[Signed and dated Hazel Fergus Oct. 7/ 1982]
Hazel
Fergus died in Juneau, Alaska, at the age of 106 years on November 8, 1995.
Her
husband Andrew Fergus had died July 18, 1928 in Lewistown at the age of 78
years.
For
67 years she kept the memory of Andrew Fergus [and James Fergus] alive with the
rest of our family. Many of us will never forget Aunt Hazel Fergus.
Great, Great, Great Aunt to James R. Dangel, who visited her often in Juneau and Sitka and other places.
The
phrase "no man is an island" is especially accurate when applied to
graduate education; therefore, this student must acknowledge several
individuals for their contribution to this dissertation. First, thanks go to my
graduate committeeDr. Linus Carleton, Dr. William Fisher, Dr. Milton
Reimer, Dr. K. Ross Toole, and Dr. Robert Turner, who offered the needed advice
and encouragement, and most of all for allowing this type of paper to be done
in the School of Education. The blessings of Dean J. Francis Rummel were vital
and greatly appreciated.
Of
course there would have been no biography of James Fergus if his
daughter-in-law, Mrs. Hazel Fergus Bubar, had not provided years of care for
his papers and ultimately placed them at the University of Montana. With her
son, Andrew J. Fergus, she also provided other useful information, especially
the family tree. University of Montana Archivist Dale Johnson and Acting
Archivist Brian Cockhill provided invaluable assistance in cataloging the
Fergus Papers and followed this with ready cooperation. Mrs. Hariot Meloy and
John Coleman of the Montana Historical Society also offered much willing help.
No
effort such as this could achieve fruition without the understanding and moral
support of the writer's family. Consequently, special thanks must go to my
wife, Deanne, and my oldest son, Dan, who helped in countless ways.
James
Fergus literally wrote volumes. From his writings emerge a description of the
period in which he lived and a picture of a man, both vital, colorful and a
times surprisingly unusual. In the attempt to capture the flavor of events and
personalities, the author has let James Fergus speak for himself. He and the
others quoted in this paper have not been edited in any way, with the spelling
and punctuation of all quotes reproduced in the original form. To avoid
unnecessary repetition and annoying inconvenience to the reader,
"sic" has been omitted in the text. However, the reader must remember
that quotes appear as penned by the original writer.
R.M.H.
[Page numbers omitted334
pages in this copy + vi]
FRONTISPIECE:
JAMES AND PAMELIA FERGUS EARLY 1880's
CHAPTER
I.
NORTH
AMERICA: THE PROMISED LAND
II.
MOLINE: BUSINESS SUCCESS HEALTH FAILURE
III.
LITTLE
FALLS: FAILURE VICTIM OF
CIRCUMSTANCES
IV.
PIKE'S
PEAK: DISCOURAGEMENT
V.
VIRGINIA
CITY: DETOUR TO A DREAM
VI.
PRICKLY
PEAR: PRODUCE RANCH AND STAGE
STATION
VII.
ARMELLS: HOME AT LAST THE FIRST
YEAR: SURVIVAL
VIII.
ARMELLS
1881-1887: GROWING YEARS
GOOD YEARS
IX. PAMELIA: ". . . A FAITHFUL WIFE, A LOVING
MOTHER, A TRUE FRIEND AND AN HONEST WOMAN."
X.
GOVERNMENT: "I AM NOT A POLITICIAN."
1884 Constitutional Convention
Politics, 1886-1902: Defeat Bitterness - Withdrawal
XI. EDUCATION: "MY HOBBY ALL MY LIFE HAS BEEN TO
ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE AND TO INVESTIGATE THINGS."
XII.
RELIGION: "VERILY THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION IS
A CLOAK TO COVER A MULTITUDE OF SIN AND HIEROCRACY."
Twilight Years: Lonely and Worried
By
1833 America proved to be a nation on the make. It had broken its bondage to
Great Britain, survived another conflict with the mother country, and had moved
into a general and steady growth pattern. To Old World citizenry it represented
opportunity and potential for advancement. Consequently the shores of North
America showed the footprints of millions who came expecting rebirth in a new
and promising life. Young James Fergus represented this image. Born on Shawton
farm, Glassford Parish, Lanarkshire, Scotland, the 8th of October,
1813, he left home alone and penniless at the age of twenty, bound for Quebec.
[James Fergus to J. H. Rice, August 10, 1889, as reprinted in the Fergus
Falls (Minnesota) Daily
Journal, Box 21
Folder 4, James Fergus Scrapbook, pp. 80-81, James Fergus Papers, University of
Montana Archives, Missoula, Montana. Hereafter cited as FP, UM.]
Like
many immigrants, Fergus came to improve his lot. Like many, he apprenticed to a
master, learned his trade well, and soon acquired his own business. He assumed
other typical American traits. Instead of locating in the settled East, he
seemed inexorably attracted by the wilderness throughout his life, even at the
advanced age of sixty-seven, when he moved to and conquered his last frontier
in central Montana.
This
study will encompass the events and experiences of a young Scot who, during the
last two-thirds of the 1800's, seemed to flow with the moving frontier. Always
on the edge of civilization, he seldom stayed with one business or area more
than a decade before looking to the next horizon. Yet he was atypical as
pioneers go, for he neither smoked, drank nor cursed. He held high standards
for himself and his business. He became an "infidel" with high
morals, a Republican with liberal ideas, a legislator but not a politician, a
frugal miner more concerned with his distant family than with self satisfaction,
a rancher who wrote for a dozen newspapers and to hundreds of friends.
The
young man and young nation grew togetherboth vigorous in body and
spirit, both containing the qualities of pragmatic skills tinged with liberal
thought and steeped in education and progress. Before Fergus died he helped
give shape to frontiers in Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado and Montana. He worked
as a carpenter, millwright, dam and bridge builder, town speculator, miner,
rancher, legislator, stage station owner, writer, elder statesman. He succeeded
at most and, though failing in some areas, he never gave up nor lost confidence
either in himself or his adopted nation.
This,
then, is the story of an unusual pioneer who in many respects reflected the
temper of the age, but who contrasted sharply with the accepted image of
nineteenth century frontier Americans.
NORTH AMERICA: THE PROMISED LAND
James
Fergus was born to Andrew and Agnes (Bullock) Fergus in 1813, one of several
sons of this prosperous, rigid Presbyterian farmer. After being educated in the
Parish's common schools, ["The Life Story of James Fergus," Fergus
Falls (Minnesota) Daily
Journal, as
reprinted from the Lewistown (Montana) Democrat, December 19, 1901, as told by James Fergus. James
U. Sanders (ed.), Society of Montana Pioneers (Akron: 1899), I, 93.] young Fergus
appeared on the brink of a prosperous and comfortable life as a Scottish
farmer. This, however, was not to be for friction soon developed between father
and son, both strong-minded and unbending.
Like
many youth, James questioned tradition. But unlike many, he did not accept
superficial answers for his enquiring mind refused to adopt anything on faith
alone, demanding logical and reasonable explanations. When schoolmaster and
father could not satisfactorily answer his penetrating questions, and when he
persisted, he received a flogging from his quick-tempered father. When he
carried his questioning further and challenged accepted Presbyterian doctrine,
he was branded a heretic for "he did not believe what he did not
understand and he would not pretend to." [Sketch of James Fergus by Mrs.
Granville (Allis B.) Stuart, July 13, 1942, Montana Historical Society Library,
Helena, Montana, B. F. 38. Hereafter cited as: Fergus Sketch, MHSL.] This
marked the beginning of the split between father and son, and though James
remained on the fringe of religious belief, he continued probing and
questioning. He did not emerge as a confirmed infidel until reaching the
prairies of the old Northwest. [Throughout his life Fergus consistently
described himself as an infidel, which is defined as: "Not holding the
faith; esp., non-Christian; also, opposing or unfaithful to Christianity."
As will be seen from his later writings, he appeared to be more of an agnostic,
one who believed that "neither the existence nor the nature of God, nor
the ultimate origin of the universe is knowable." At times he combined the
two positions, expressing both attitudes.]
James
and his father held other differences. James soon demonstrated apathy toward
his father's farming and stock raising. Instead, he looked to science,
machinery, inventions and manufacturing. "he was always trying to improve
things, to make a plough or harrow or threshing machine do better work."
[Fergus Sketch, MHSL.]
Apparently
James did not enjoy a close relationship with his brothers: he disliked the
older Robert; he thought Charles peculiar (he died insane); William was only
weeks old and a half-brother. James spoke fondly only of brother Andrew. [James
Fergus to his father, Andrew Fergus, October 20, 1854, Box 11 F. 55, UM. Since
the family then contained at least three Andrew Ferguses (James' father,
brother, and son), to avoid confusion letters to his father will be addressed
as "James Fergus to father." Little is known of the relationship
between James and his brothers when he lived in Scotland, nor are his brothers'
ages known.]
Whatever
the case, James considered himself the family's black sheep and became
convinced his father would offer no assistance. Years later James reminisced:
I . . . have been treated as the
black sheep of the flock by relatives since the day of my birth. If I am
correctly informed Grandfather Fergus, because some of the Bullocks worsted him
in a law suit had a clause in his will that neither me nor any of the name of
James should ever inherit a farthing of his property. Father often told me that
I was a Bullock and was the means of Grandfather Fergus putting Shawton by him.
I always though it was his fault in not taking proper writings from Grandfather
when Shawton was bought, but . . . Grandfather's putting Shawton by Father
angered him and kept him cross and I suffered for it by unmerciful beatings the
effects of some of them I feel to this day. [James Fergus to brother Andrew
Fergus, n.d. (possibly early 1866), Box 3 Folder 1, James Fergus Collection,
Montana Historical Society Library, Helena, Montana. Hereafter cited as: FC,
MHSL.]
James
believed his father favored Robert and young William while treating him
cruelly, which "in my infancy soured my temper, made me often wish I were
dead, and wonder why I was ever born." [James Fergus to Avant Courier (Bozeman, Montana), September,
1885, Box 21, F. 4, James Fergus Scrapbook, p. 56, FP, UM. Hereafter cited as:
Scrapbook, FP, UM. "Father always said I should never have a farthing of
his property, and although he left me 20 pounds I never lifted it so as not to
break his word." James Fergus to Robert Hamilton, Shawton, Scotland, 1883,
Box 11 F. 64, FP, UM.] Therefore, believing his future to be dim through
mistreatment and disinheritance, James left Scotland for North America. "I
did not run neither was I drove away, but I came away boldly, honorably, and
above board." [James Fergus to father, October 20, 1854, Box 11 F. 55, FP,
UM.] In addition, James fully intended the break to be clean and permanent, for
"I left Scotland . . . never expecting to return, nor to see any of my
relatives again." [James Fergus to William Fergus, March 5, 1862, Box 11
F. 27, FP, UM.]
Later,
as James matured and the bitterness decreased, he wrote his aging father:
You say that I left Scotland on
William's account. Good God what harm could the then helpless infant do me. . .
. No Father I left Scotland to better my conditionas I would again for I
saw nothing before me but a life of toil and small recompensebut I left
at the time I did on account of your own treatment of and conduct towards me.
[James Fergus to father, March 8, 1856, Box 11 F. 55, FP, UM.]
James
thus left Scotland, partly driven out by circumstance and temperament, but
mostly by a father who, he felt, mistreated him and offered no hope for
equality or opportunity. James later suggested that "had you treated your
other children better (in addition to Robert and William) you might have had
more reason to be proud of them also." [Ibid.] This came to be one of the
driving factors in James' existencethat of proving to his Scottish
relatives, who disinherited him then and again later, that he could uphold the
dignity of the Fergus name. He thus carried on a peculiar love-hate
relationship with his Old World family. Fergus asserted both his proud
independence of them, insisting he cared little if he ever heard from them
again, while laboring to make them proud of him, expressing anger when they
refused to communicate.
Young
Fergus arrived in Quebec the spring of 1833. The following three years he lived
in a Quaker settlement north of Toronto learning the trades of carpenter and
millwright. His determination, natural ability and hard work quickly produced
dividends.
I was unfortunate in not going to a
trade until I was 20. To catch up with others I had to give it my whole
attention. In place of going to theaters, etc., I studied books, learned to
draw and the result was in one year I raised from six to thirteen dollars a
month, in two to 75 cents a day and board; the highest wages then paid
journymen millwrights and finally I went up to $3 a day the highest wages then
paid. [James Fergus to Collie Gilpatrick, October 11, 1889, Box 11 F. 60, FP,
UM.]
James
left Canada for Buffalo, New York, July 5, 1836, but remained only a few days
before going to Green Bay, Wisconsin Territory, and a public works job. That
fall he traveled to Milwaukee, where he helped build a hotel, and then walked
to Chicago, a small town of about 2,500. Unfortunately, he refused an offer to
purchase 160 acres on the forks of the Chicago River at $8 an acre; this
transaction would ultimately have made him a wealthy man. Instead, he moved
west to spend the winter of 1836-37 at Buffalo Grove, Ogle County, Illinois,
and the following summer helped build saw mills there and in Iowa. [James
Fergus to J. H. Rice, August 10, 1889, as reprinted in the Fergus Falls
Daily Journal,
Scrapbook, pp. 80-81, FP, UM. James Fergus to N. Rice, August 15, 1889, Box 11
F. 60, FP, UM.]
The
next few years Fergus fluctuated between Sabula, "Blackhawk Purchase"
(Iowa), building saw mills, and Savanna, Illinois, about twenty-five miles to
the east, where he constructed and managed powder mills. Thus in the spring of
1838, though he had not heard from his father in two years, he felt "duty
bound" to write and occupied considerable spaces describing the
"western praries"its topography, climate, settlement, and the
methods of acquiring land (simply claim it and buy for $1.25 an acre after
improving same); he concluded "surely this is the garden of the
world." [James Fergus to father, 1838, Box 21 F. 3, FP, UM.]
During
this period James and his older brother Robert still communicated, but Robert
complained:
I have wrote you one [letter] for
every year since you left for America and would write far more if you had any
certain dwelling place to direct me to, or any public place near you where you
reside at present . . . you change places so often [you] will rarely be found
your trade leading you to various parts of a wide unconvenient country."
[Robert Fergus to James Fergus, 1840, Box 3 F. 30, FP, UM. The two brothers
later split over religion. See Chapter XIII.]
Though
Fergus moved often during his early years in the United States, he met the
residency requirements to achieve citizenship. He declared his intent to become
a citizen on September 12, 1839, and by October 1842 completed a year's
residency in Jackson County, Iowa Territory, and received his United States
citizenship, something he always prized. [Box 13 F. 15, FP, UM.]
Fergus
later described this as a critical period of training and experience which
served him well in his quest for prosperity and status:
I spent nearly ten years of my life
in fitting myself for the new calling. I had to adopt to my adopted country. I
read, studied, traveled and mixed with her citizens from all countries and thus
acquired knowledge that could not well be obtained by remaining in one place.
[James Fergus to father, October 20, 1854, Box 11 F. 55, FP, UM.]
While
in Savanna-Sabula area Fergus received an offer of employment from D. B. Sears,
the founder of Moline, Illinois, who suggested "I have plenty of work for
you for one year. Wages one dollar and fifty cents per day and board with very
little cash until the flouring mill is finished . . . if you think of coming
you had better come immediately and bring your tools." [D. B. Sears to
"Furgesson" (apparently James Fergus), April 10, 1844, Box 6 F. 56,
FP, UM.]
James
accepted this invitation, entering a prosperous phase of his personal and business
career, for he quickly became Sears' partner and acquired a wife.
Family Group Sheet
Name: Andrew
FERGUS, GGGG
Grandfather
Birth: 8
NOV 1780 Balgrochan,
Campsie, Stirling, Scotland
Death: 23
JAN 1862 Shawton
Farm, Glassford, Lanark, Scotland Age: 81
Occupation: Farmer,
Portioner Of Shawton
Anst File#: 154P-J5G
Father: Andrew
FERGUS (1748-1831)
Mother: Anne
STUART (STEWART) (1753-)
Other spouses: Christian
HAMILTON
Marriage: 23
AUG 1811 Campsie,
Stirling, Scotland
Spouse: Agnes
BULLOCH, GGGG
Grandmother