Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-11-21
All Old Settler.


81 james Fergus, and old time settler.
of Little Falls, was recently elected
I,resid entof the Pioneer Association
Of. Montana, and tile New Northwest
of Helena gave the following sketch
Of his life: & a
The Pioneer Association pnas..+. al en-
,inentiy wise selection in placing nj The
head of the organization the man Of
pairla1 heart and natriaWlal appearance, !.
Hon .5at,,es Fergus, OF Meagt,cr. The
homer, for 81 he ssteens II. and so is,
10 he The first President of the Pointer
Association of NJ os,ana,w WAS most worth
lily bestowed. From one familiar wild,
his career, we have obtained the fellow
ing sketch Of his life, and present i rs
worthy at any time place in Montana
history, and especially on his election to
a position which crowns the ambition Of
q busy and useful life:
James Fergus was born in the parish
Of Glassford, Lancashire, Scotland, on
the sth day OF October, 1918. His parents
were weiltodo farmers, owning some
real estate; his father d rigid Presbyteri-
an, his mother rather liberal. After re-
ceivins a very common school education,
mostly of a religious character, he spent
his time on the farm, noted only for do
ing everything we'll and 4 fondness for
books, until e vas nineteen when, see
ing little chance ilh that country for a
young man to rise ia the world, and
longing for. less restraint and more liber.
ty and equality, hetsailed for the United
States by way Of Canada, where he spent
three years in Quaker settlement and
learned the trade Of a millwright. Get
ting involved in some political trouble
lust before the Canadian rebellion, he
left for the United States;@ spent one
,snmmer on public work at Green Bay,
Wisconsin, few weeks at Milwaukee
then an embryo town Of thousand in
habitants 1856 passed threugh Chicago,
where he was offered 100 acres of land
now in the center Of the city, at So an
acre, on time; spent the winter of $50 and
81 at Buffalo Grove, near Dixon's Ferry:
from there went into central 1owa--thei1
known as the "Blackhawk Purchaser
making his home at what's now eSabula
built and superintendcd powder mills
at Savanna, Illinois engaged In the found
ry business at.Moline, first in company
with D. 3. Sears, then at The same place
and at Rock Island with General n. IS
Buford, being the acting and practical
partner. III health. compelling him te
quit the business, he was for sometime
of the firm of Whcelock g. Fergus. paper
manufacturers, Moline. Finally he
moved to. Minnesota, in 1854. In com
pany with VIM. Sturgis aud Calvin A
futile, he laid out the town ofLitt|t
! Falls, on the mississippi river, n hundred
miles above st. Anthony Falls; helped
10 build dam and bridge across th'
Mississippi at that place, owned Ink
town of Fergus Falls, failed, went tt
| Colorado, thence to Montana by way o.
Minnesotr and the James T. Fiskexpedi
ton Of 1862, driving his own team from
| Little Falls to B.inback. He acted a!
! The first Recorder of Alder Gulch a
Virginia City, was the first County Com
missioner. q: pointed in the Territory, fo
Madison county; was for elnany years I
citizen Of Lewis s. Clarke county, whert
he served nearly two terms as Commits
sioner. one term in the Legislature, ane
is now citizen of FMeagher county, will
his home north Of Fort Maginnis, wher
lie is engaged inraising cattle, horses ane
sheep. He was member Of the -Consi
tu,ional Convention this year from ,ha
county; IS Republican is politics, and
liberal in religious belief His maii
characteristics are natural aptitude 70
mechanical enterprises, a sturdy indie
pendence Of thought, a stlict integrity O
purpose and love Of study and goot
books. .'>z -'r .
He; was married to Parmeiia Dillon
formerly from Jefferson county, New
York, at Moline Ills. March 10, 1874;
They. have three daughters and one son
One daughter is married to Mr.. R. S
Hamilton, Helena, one to S. c.. Gilpat
rick, Sheriff Of Lewis and Clarke county
and ono to Frank H. Maurey, now liv
ing with Mr.. and Mrs. Fergus. The. so
is unmarried. 80. -. !. . .as. ~ s4 S55
| Mr.. Fergus is a thoroughly homes
J, uaan-the noblest work Of G o1-in ever
sense of the word. His character is q
sturdy as the mountains Of his chose
/ home, and his life as pure as the sno,
that tip.their SUBMITS, With his chilt
rem and his children's children nes
them, he and his good old wife, typics
! and most estimable pioneers, still live7i
the mellow light Of "a century, respecte
and loved BY all who know them. Ma
, James Fergus be hailed ia fellowship /
many succeeding conversations Of til
Pioneers. ssz t.1S, III,
), LITTLE FALLS MARKETS.
Wheat-No hard. SEC; Nc. 2 hard
J SIC: No. / soft, SIC; IN o. 2 soft, SIC. s