Samuel P. Fergus, p. 311

SAMUEL P. FERGUS the well-known extensive oil operator, is a native of the county, having been born in South Strabane township August 17, 1843. He is of Scotch descent, the first of the family to come to this country being John Fergus, great-grandfather of our subject, who was married in Scotland, and emigrated with his family to America, settling in Huntingdon county, Penn., where he died. His family consisted of three sons -- Thomas, John and Samuel. Of these, Samuel married Mary Paxton, and had the following named children: Hugh, Mary (Mrs. Andrew Hart), Margaret (Mrs. Thomas Maxwell), John, Martha, Thomas, Sarah (Mrs. Hugh Fergus), Jane and Nancy. The father of these died April 14, 1853, aged ninety years, and the mother on February 18, 1861, aged ninety-three years. Their son, Thomas, was born November 2, 1802, on the old homestead taken up by his father in South Strabane township, this county. On May 3, 1831, he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of John D. Roberts, of that township, and the children born to them were: John D., Mary, Susan (deceased), Hannah J., Maria, Isabella, Samuel P. (subject), Addison R. and Sarah M. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fergus took up their residence on Mr. Roberts' farm, where they remained seven years and then came to their present residence in South Strabane township.

Samuel P. Fergus, whose name opens this commemorative sketch, was educated in the schools of his township, continuing on the home farm until the fall of 1861, when he entered Washington College, remaining there one year. He then enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Fortieth P.V.I., in which he was, some time later, promoted to corporal, serving as such until the fall of 1864, when he was transferred to the Twenty-seventh U. S. Colored Infantry with rank of second lieutenant, being afterward promoted to first lieutenant. He served on the Potomac, and participated in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, in which latter engagement he was shot through the right hip with a bullet, which necessitated a twelve-months confinement in hospital. His wound having healed, he returned to his command, and he was in the front of Petersburg, then at the siege of Richmond, until 1864, when he took part in the engagements at Fort Fisher, Fort Anderson, Wilmington, North East Station, and in many skirmishes; was in pursuit of Gen. Johnson up to the time of the latter's surrender. Throughout his service he was in the army of the Potomac, for some time under Gen. Terry, and toward the last with Gen. Sherman. After the disbandment of the army, his regiment was ordered to Wilmington, Del., where it lay ten months, he being a member of the court-martial held there. The regiment was mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, and our subject returned and resumed farming in South Strabane township. In the fall of 1874, he was elected, on the Republican ticket, treasurer of Washington county for one term of three years. Since the beginning of 1878 he has been engaged in the oil business. Oil was found in South Strabane township, where an uncle of his had lived, and he has been operating some wells there, besides several in other States. In 1888-89 he erected his beautiful residence on East Beau street, in the borough, generally conceded to be the finest in the place. On December 17, 1873, Mr. Fergus was united in marriage with Miss Mary, daughter of William Patterson, of Indiana county, Penn., but who died in April, 1876, her babe having been taking from her by the Grim Reaper the day previous. For his second wife, Mr. Fergus married, October 9, 1878, Miss Margaret L., daughter of Thomas Weir, of Somerset township, this county, and by this union there have been born children as follows: Thomas H. W., Hugh Earnest and Margaret Josephine, all three living at home, and John Addison and David S. L., both deceased. Mr. Fergus has been a member of the U. P. Church since 1870, and he is an elder in the same. Politically he is a stanch [sic] Republican.

Text taken from page 311 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed March 1997 by Victoria Smith of San Jose, CA as part of the Beers Project.
Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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