Father

Charles I Ferguson

b 1803  Oneida County, New York

d 1851  Hartford, Washington, Wisconsin

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Ferguson, Otis

Source: The Illustrated History of Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, Victor E. Lawson and J. Emil Nelson, 1905, page 186-187, rll

Among the very first pioneers to locate in the country which is now designated as the township of Gennessee was Otis Ferguson. He was born in Tompkins county, New York, in 1838. In 1857 he came to what is now Kandiyohi county with the J. C. Bright family, with whom he stayed.

Immediately after the first scare which swept over the settlement after the Indians had committed the outrage at Acton, Messrs. Mark Piper and O. Ferguson started to round up the stray cattle in the neighborhood of Lake Elizabeth and the Kandiyohi lakes, when they found the two Endreson girls, who were hiding from the Indians in the brush. They had been made prisoners, but effected their escape.

In 1865, Mr. Ferguson, after spending some time in Illinois, returned to Kandiyohi county. In the winter following he married Miss Margaret Wheeler, who with her mother made her home with her brother in the township of Harrison.

Mrs. Ferguson's recollections of the Indian massacre are very distinct and clear. Mr. James Bright brought word over early Monday morning that the Indians had killed the Jones family.

To find out the truth of the rumors, which her brothers at the time very much doubted, her brother Thomas, with Albert Sperry and Adam Tait, rode over to Acton, and were then convinced that what they had heard was true. Still the brothers were loath to believe that there was any danger, and it was not until Matthew Wheeler and his wife, accompanied by Adam Tait, brought word early Thursday morning that the settlers at the Harris cabin were preparing to leave at once for Forest City, that William Wheeler had the wagon brought up before the cabin door, and, while some stood on guard, the others filled the wagon with provisions.

As the contingent from the north side of the lake passed Wheeler's grove, those at the cabin drove out of the timber and fell behind, bringing with them some of their cattle. A few hours later the settlers from Green and Eagle lakes came along behind them and as they were passing the Wheeler place the Indians rode out from the timber and attacked them, killing two of their number.

At Forest City the fugitives found the little town full of people like themselves from the outlying settlements. An oven was pressed into service and Mrs. Ferguson and Mrs. Matthew Wheeler began baking bread, as the Wheeler's, had left their cabin well provisioned with flour.

From Forest City they went to Clearwater and finally to St. Paul. When the Indian troubles were over Mrs. Ferguson returned with her brother William to their deserted cabin well provisioned with flour.

Soon after their marriage, Mr. Ferguson took a claim in section 10 in the town of Gennessee, which became their homestead, where Mrs. Ferguson still lives with her son Matthew.

On July 18, 1886, while driving home from Atwater, Mr. Ferguson was thrown from his wagon, and died from the injuries received.

The children of the family are the following: Mrs. Eliza Tait; Mrs. Adeline Tait; Mrs. Mary Hanson; Charles: Matthew, lives on the old homestead with the mother, and Michael.