William Ferguson

WILLIAM FERGUSON, member of the firm of Owens & Ferguson, furniture dealers and undertakers, of Scottdale, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, was born in Ayershire, Scotland, October 29, 1869, the son of John and Sarah (Bell) Ferguson.

John Ferguson and his family emigrated to this country from Scotland in 1882. He came here for the purpose of assuming charge of some furnaces in the vicinity of Pittsburg, but the methods employed in such business here were so vastly different to those he was accustomed to in his native land that he soon gave up the proposition and removed to East Huntingdon township, near Scottdale, where he purchased a small place. Mr. Ferguson was a devoted member of the Presbyterian church until his removal to East Huntingdon, after which he affiliated with the United Brethren church. His wife was Sarah Bell, and their children were: Anna J., deceased; Benjamin, a mechanic of Dayton, Ohio, he was one of the first to introduce the Encaustic tile in America; Thomas, a marine engineer of New York city; William, deceased; Sarah H., wife of Samuel Campbell of Greensburg; William, deceased; John, deceased; William, mentioned hereafter; Ruth, widow of Joseph Graham of Latrobe, Pennsylvania; Robert, deceased; and Frances Ellen, deceased. The death of John Ferguson occurred in February, 1899.

William Ferguson, eighth child of John and Sarah (Bell) Ferguson, obtained his education in the public schools, first at Hurst and later at Eversam school house. At the age of thirteen he left school and removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where he was for three years in the employ of his brother. He then returned to the old homestead near Scottdale and found employment with the McClure Coke Company, being in the employ of this firm for three years. He then established himself with J. W. Ruth & Company in the planing mill business, and after several years thus occupied, in company with Mr. D. N. Carroll established the Scottdale planing mill, conducting the business under the firm name of Carroll, Ferguson & Company, and achieved considerable success. This arrangement existed for three years when Mr. Ferguson sold his interest in the planing mill. He then studied embalming in the Barns School of Embalming, Chicago, Illinois, of which institution he is a graduate. In 1900 he formed a partnership with Mr. James Owens, and in August of that year they entered into their present furniture and undertaking business at 326 Pittsburg street, Scottdale. Both of these gentlemen are enterprising, progressive men, and they conduct a very successful business, carrying a full line of furniture, linoleum, carpet, wall-paper, etc., the embalming department being presided over by the proprietors, who are both capable embalmers. They occupy a building twenty by one hundred feet, two floors, with a wareroom sixty-four by one hundred feet. The business is constantly increasing, owing to the honest and exact business methods employed. Mr. Ferguson holds membership in the I. O. O. F., Scottdale Lodge, No. 885, and the White Star Encampment. He represented his lodge at a meeting in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He is also a member of the O. of A., Scottdale Council, No. 24, of which he was president in 1903; and member and ex-treasurer of B. P. O. E., Scottdale Lodge, No. 777. Mr. Ferguson married, September 11, 1890, Sallie O. Mumaw, daughter of George and Lizzie Mumaw, of East Huntingdon township. Their children were Maud Ruth, George Mumaw, John Mumaw. Mr. Ferguson and his family are members of the United Brethren church, and have their residence at 302 Laucks avenue, Scottdale.

Source: Page(s) 167-168, History of Westmoreland County, Volume II, Pennsylvania by John N Boucher. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906.
Transcribed May 2007 by Nathan Zipfel for the Westmoreland County History Project
Contributed for use by the Westmoreland County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland/)

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