JAMES W. FERGUSON,1 farmer and stockraiser. Prominent among the large land-holders and successful business men of Bourbon County is Mr, Ferguson, who was born Aug. 25, 1830, in Winchester, Clark County; his parents were Abraham and Mary K. (Matson) Ferguson; he was born in Fayette County, Sept. 27, 1803, and died Aug. 1, 1854; he was a son of Abraham Ferguson, a native of Fauquier County, Va.; his father, John, was a native of Scotland, and emigrated to Virginia; his son Abraham served in the war of the Revolution and in the war of 1812. The grandfather of our subject emigrated to Kentucky, locating in what is now Fayette County, upon lands that he obtained from the government by virtue of his services in the war of the Revolution, upon which he settled; Indians were plentiful; while working upon his land his gun was his constaut companion for self-protection. This land is now in the possession of the family name, in Brier Hill Precinct. Mary K. was born Feb. 9, 1810, in this county; she died Aug. 2, 1878; she was a daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Spears) Matson, both families from Virginia. To Abraham Fergusou and wife were born eight children, five sons and three daughters; of those living are Robert M., a resident of Lexington, Ky.; Mary E., wife of James Brownell; Lucy E., wife of James H. Campbell, and James W., who remained with his father until he was twenty-six years of age. In 1840 he moved with his parents to Brier Hill Precinct, in Fayette County; Aug. 5, 1856, he married Martha A. Hume, who was born in Clintonville Precinct, May 7, 1830, daughter of Wm. P., son of John Hume, of Fauquier County, Va.; March, 1837, after marriage, he moved to this county on the farm adjoining where he now resides, upon which he lived until 1875, when he located where he now resides. Mr. Ferguson is engaged in farming and stock raising, and is a large dealer in stock, having been for several years a large shipper, since 1860; he has over 4,000 acres of land, the greater portion self-acquired; his children are William, P. H., Abram L., Maggie B., Robert H., Lucy E., Volney W., Matilda R., and James W.; P. H. resides on the home farm in Brier Hill, Fayette County.
