Nimrod Ferguson, deceased, was born Aug. 2, 1786, in Wilkes County, N. C., and was of Scotch and Irish descent. He came to Wayne County, Ind., about 1809, with his brother Joel, who bought a quarter-section, where Isaac and Charles Wilson now live. He partly explored the Twelve-Mile Purchase, but as the land had not been surveyed returned to North Carolina. He subsequently came to Indiana and bought and began clearing the land where his widow now resides, but the Indians proving troublesome he again returned to his home in North Carolina. After the close of the war of 1812 he returned to Indiana and bought a kiln of brick of Nat Leonard, who had a large kiln for supplying his neighbors brick for chimneys, and built the second brick house in the county.
In 1817 he went to North Carolina, and Oct. 11, 1818, was married to Elizabeth Isbell, who was born Nov. 18, 1796, a daughter of Thomas Isbell. The same year he returned to Wayne County with his wife, and located on his land, remaining there till his death. He accumulated a large property. Politically he was a Democrat.
To Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson were born eleven children; seven are living---Thomas L., Milton, John W., Pinkney, Casburn, James, and Sarah C., widow of James Swafford. The deceased are---Almyra, wife of Ransom Wi1cox, of Wabash County, Ind.; Vienna, wife of William Wallace, of Wabash County, Ind.; Caroline, wife of William Carver, of Madison County, Ind., and Discretion, wife of Mathias Lair, of Fayette County, Ind. Mr. Ferguson died Aug. 13, 1865, aged seventy-nine years. His wife is still living, aged eighty-seven years.
Thomas L. Ferguson was born on the old homestead in Wayne County, Ind., Oct. 13, 1819. His boyhood days were spent on the farm and in attending the subscription schools in the winter season.
He was married in 1848 to Mary J., daughter of Caleb Lewis, after which he settled one mile east of his present farm, but soon after moved to the place where he now resides. He owns an excellent farm of 160 acres, which is under a high state of cultivation.
He and his wife have been active members of the Christian church twenty-five years. Of the three children born to them, but one is living---Ida F., wife of Lycurgus W. Beeson, of Fayette County, Ind.
