Joseph Fergus
As early as the middle of the eighteenth century Fergus, with his son Francis, came from Ireland to America, and located in Virginia. Francis remained in Virginia, and married there. When he married, or to whom he was married, or the number of his family, to us is not known; but we find that he had one son, John Fergus, born in 1794. He remained in Virginia until he grew to manhood, when he was married to Nancy Guthrie, with whom he lived less than a year, when she died. The time of his marriage and death of his wife is not known. In 1819 he came to Miami County, Ohio, where, in 1820, he married Margaret Stafford. Through misfortune Mr. F. lost all his property, and in 1823 he removed to Shelby County, and bought land in Washington Township. Here he stuck some stakes in the ground, put up some poles, and covered it with his wagon cover. This was in July. In August, Joseph Fergus, the subject of this sketch, was born in this cloth tent. He lived at home until the death of his father in 1837, not having the advantage of a single day’s schooling. In 1839 he went to learn the carpenter trade, at which he served an apprenticeship of three years. During this apprenticeship he received five months’ schooling, all he ever got in his life. In 1847 he married Barbary Ullery. By this marriage they raised a family of eleven children, viz., Caroline E., Richard H., Sarah C., John S., Wm. A., Mary M., Joseph L., Winfield S., Charles E., Wealthy E., and Laura A. Mr. F. worked at his trade until 1855, when he bought a farm and sawmill in Orange Township, where he now lives.
From History of Shelby County, Ohio; R. Sutton & Co, Philadelphia PA, 1883