The Ferguson Family History

FERGUSON FAMILY

COMPILED and WRITTEN BY SANDRA TILLOTSON MULLINS

Edgar Poe Ferguson, son of Jesse Miller Ferguson and Mary Ellen Orwan.
                                Born September 8, 1860 in Perry County, PA
                                Died February 12, 1942 in Blackwell, OK
                                Married November 21, 1887 in Broken Bow, Nebraska to

Susan Miller Stewart, Daughter of David Halladay Stewart
Born February 15, 1867 in Clary Parish, Pennington, Scotland
Died January 4, 1944 in Blackwell, OK

Edgar Ferguson pioneered to the west in his early manhood. First he went to Illinois and then to Broken Bow, Nebraska.... then to Holdridge where he farmed for a number of years. He also built a brickyard. After marriage to Susan, a drought ruined the crops and the family moved to Ft. Kearney, Nebraska where he was employed as a clerk in a hotel. In a few years they followed the Stewart family to White City, Kansas and farmed, then again followed the Stewart family to Wakita, OK. Using the available red clay, he built another brick yard and fired his own brick. He constructed buildings in Wakita that are still in use.

The family moved to Blackwell, OK in 1905 where he was employed to help build another brick yard. In later years he worked as a contractor and brick mason.

In 1928 they moved to Ponca City, OK where he was employed by the city government until his retirement in 1937.

Children of this union were Charles Andrew, Eleanor Inez, Mary Ann, George Edgar, Jesse Holcomb, Margaret (Madge), Donald, Susan Irene and Juanita Vieve.

CHARLES ANDREW Born August 7, 1888 in Broken Bow, NE
Died July 10, 1971 in Grosse Ile, MI
Married June 24, 1912 to

Mildred Mae Stingley
Born July 25, 1893
Died December 31, 1975

Children:                     Charles Andrew Junior
                                    Born July 27, 1919 in Blackwell, OK
                                    Died January 2, 1970 in Grosse Ile, MI
                                    Married November 24, 1942 to

Melba Mae Stedman

Children: Chris, Janice, Nancy, Carol, Debra

Debra died in a car accident with her father on January 2, 1970.

Charles Sr. served as water superintendent of the Ponca City, OK Water Department for 17 years, retiring in the late 40's and moving to Grosse Ile, MI. He was associated with the Monsanto Chemical Co. and worked for them for a number of years. Charles Jr. was employed at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI at the time of his death.

ELEANOR INEZ Born October 29, 1889 in Ft. Kearney, NE. Called "Ella".
Married January 8, 1908 to

Alva Ruby Downey Died September 9, 1979 in Blackwell, OK

Children:                      Ola Ruby born March 19, 1909, Died March 19, 1909
                                       Dorthea born November 10, 1912, died November 10, 1912.
                                       Alva Ruby born October 10, 1927, died October 10, 1927.
                       adopted   Wanda Lucille Kendricks on November 14, 1912 in Wellington, KS.
                                        Mary Frances Amberg on March 6, 1923 in Wellington.

Alva Downey retired November 23, 1951 after 42 years of service with the A.T.S.F. railroad. He and Eleanor moved to Morro Bay, CA where they resided until his death. Eleanor moved to Blackwell in 1960 and resided at 212 N. 3rd St with Mary Ann until her health failed. She then resided in Hillcrest Manor Nursing Home until her death on September 9, 1979.

Frances A Downey Born March 6, 1923 in Wellington, KS
Married December 3, 1939 to

Leonard Mervin Fass Born December 17, 1914 in Auburn, NE.
Died February 11, 1974

Children: Sandra Lynette, born July 26, 1942 in Arkansas City, KS
Gerald Lee, born February 12, 1948

Sandra Lynette married James L. Barrow June 15, 1962. He was born June 14, 1943 in Kansas City, KS.

Children: James William, born July 9, 1964, Misty Lynn, born May 9, 1967, and Stephen Bryan, born December 16, 1971

Gerald L. Fass was born February 12, 1948 and married July 25, 1965 to Ruth Gibson. They were divorced.

Children: Terry Lee born on January 5, 1966 and Leonard Charles who was born May 22, 1969.

His second marriage was to Deanna James, born Mary 4, 1940. They were married April 12, 1974. Her children by her first marriage are Gregory James, born June 20, 1965 and Julie Ann, born September 14, 1968.

MARY ANN                Born January 17, 1892 in Holdridge, NE. (This is Don's
                                      Grandma Mary) She was known as Mayme.
                                      Married on October 18, 1916 in Wichita, KS to

Arthur Fremont Wright Born February 19, 1887 in Americus, KS.
Died January 11, 1949 in Attica, KS.

Children:                            Florence Ione, Born October 13, 1917 in Attica, KS
                                             Willard Burns, Born October 6, 1919 in Wellington, KS
                                             Barbara Jean, Born November 23, 1921 in Attica, KS.

Mary Ann Ferguson Wright (Mamie) was a Jill of all trades and the Mistress of none unless you would say a milliner. "I was no more than 6 years old when I knew that a milliner was what I was going to be, and in 1911 my wish was granted with the help of my Aunt Ella Stewart. I put in a milliner shop in the back room of Grandma Stewart's store and did very well both that spring and fall, but Ella died and I had to give up my shop and help Grandma. We sold the store in the fall of 1912, I went to Anadarko, OK as a trimmer, then to Wellington, KS and was a clerk in the Jacob Ingle store. On Easter Sunday in 1915 I met Arthur Wright who had just come from Chicago. He came into the store to see an old friend who was also working there. He walked by my counter and I had heard he was coming, so I looked him over as I had a chance for a blind date with him that evening. I was glad I hadn't accepted it, but later when I met him.... it was HIM and no one else. We were married October 28, 1916 in Wichita, KS and went to Attica, KS to live. We had been married 32 years when he passed away quite suddenly of a heart attack. Barbara gave up her job in Colorado Springs and came home to live with me. In 1952 we went to Blackwell, OK to live. Barbara married and I lived with my sister Ella for several years until she passed away." (by Mary Ann Wright)

Mary Ann (Mamie) over the years used artistic talents in many crafts, sewing and painting even though she had crippled hands, the effects of arthritis from the age of 32. During WWII she worked in the Williamson Furniture Store and Funeral Home. She also clerked and managed a Variety Store. She is now living in Westcliffe, CO in one of Florence and Jim Turner's houses, still on her own and very independent at the age of 89!! (editors note: Mary Ann passed away December 16, 1985 a month shy of 94 years old).

Arthur Fremont Wright was a bookkeeper and grain buyer at the Attica Flour Mill, owned by Harry Hunter, for many years. The Mill burned down and was never rebuilt. He was a musician but seldom displayed his talents. This probably was because his father's family were Quakers and his mother's father a preacher. Quakers do not approve of public display! Arthur was a mathematician and was far ahead of his time in electronics. He built a radio when they were first invented, so the family had the second one in town (the Hunter Mill office had the first). For a few years he had his own radio and small appliance repair shop and also worked for Shorts Appliance in Harper, part time. He was very artistic, doing wood working, and was also a mechanic. He was Assistant Post Master at the time of his death.

Florence Ione Wright, their daughter, was born October 13, 1917 in Attica, KS. She died April 8, 2008 at 90, in Phoenix, AZ.
She was married on October 18, 1938 in Castle Rock, CO to

Karie Leo Dennis, Born January 19, 1908 in Scottsville, KY.
Died June 5, 1975 in Fowler, CO.

Children: They had one son, Donald Anson Dennis, born 1939 in Colorado Springs.

Florence remarried on August 26, 1978 in Montrose, CO to

James Cyrus Turner Born September 23, 1909 in Ft. Morgan, CO.

Florence was the oldest child. She was born in Attica, Kansas and graduated from high school there. She worked for several years as a bookkeeper, mainly in Wellington, KS. She also used her artistic talents doing dressmaking during the depression of the 1930s and has been an incredible seamstress all her life. She moved to Colorado and after her marriage to Leo, they moved to New York where he was an Industrial Hygienist with the United States Public Health Service. Awhile before the end of WWII he was drafted and commissioned 1st Lt. in the USPHS (United States Public Health Service) where he was retained in the same hygienist work. After the war they returned to Colorado where he continued in that work for the Pueblo Army Depot. They resided in Fowler, CO for about 30 years. After Leo retired much of the year was spent in Westcliffe, CO where they had a summer home they purchased in 1961. After Leo's death Florence sold their home in Fowler and moved to Westcliffe, CO. Florence was mainly a home maker except for five years as Office Nurse for Dr. McDonnel in Fowler. However, much of the time she was making and selling art objects. She could paint anything including portraits, sewed, quilted, etc. One venture, which lasted for several years, was making Barbie doll sized overstuffed furniture. She was a Den Mother for the Boy Scouts and spent several years as a Girl Scout Leader. She was active in church and civic activities. In 1978 Florence married James Turner and they lived in Silver Cliff, CO. Both were very involved in civic affairs. In 1984 Jim built their winter home in Congress, Arizona. Florence still spends her winters there (2007). When she is in Colorado, she divides her time between a home in Canon City and the one in Westcliffe. (Florence passed away in March of 2008).

Leo Dennis moved to Colorado from Kentucky when he was 11 years old. He graduated from High School in Fowler, CO and from Colorado State University in Ft. Collins with a degree in Chemistry. After a few years as Chemist with the CF&I Steel Mill in Pueblo, CO and the Manitou Company in Manitou Springs, CO, he went to work for the U.S. Public Health Service as an Industrial Hygienist and Radiological Health Officer. During WWII he was retained in this work as a 1st Lt. in the US Public Health Service. On January 1, 1945 he was appointed to the Reserves of the U S Public Health Service for five years unless sooner terminated at the descretion of the President. His discharge was dated July 7, 1946. After the years in NY City and Syracuse, NY, he chose to return to Colorado and worked the same job at the Pueblo Army Depot. He retired at age 61 and enjoyed 6 years of his favorite interests... camping, fishing, hunting, sports, etc. They spent half of the year in Westcliffe, CO in the mountains at their summer home, and winters at the lower altitude in Fowler, CO. Always in good health, his death was caused by a sudden heart attack.

James Turner moved around several of the western states with his parents when a child. His father was a mining engineer who helped design and construct mills and smelters. In spite of all the moves, Jim graduated from Victor CO High School at the age of 15. He has attended many college classes over the years, even though he is not a graduate of any particular one. He also was connected with mining as a machinist and had an Assay Office in Victor in the 1930s. Having lost an eye at the age of 4, he was not in the armed forces but spent the war years working as a machinist in defense plants, most of the time in Denver, CO. He and his father built an ore mill in Silver Cliff, CO and he tried mining his own silver for a time. He worked as a metal machinist in Pueblo for 12 years before retiring to his summer home in Silver Cliff, CO. Jim is very artistic and even built a lot of the machinery for the mill he and his father built. He was also very involved in many civic affairs. He has been Mayor of Silver Cliff and Mayor Pro-tem on the City Council for many years. He was a very kind and generous man and helped so many people in many ways. He is listed as a founder of the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum which opened in Leadville, CO in 1987. He donated his complete assay office and other mining memorabilia which are now part of the permanent museum. The mill at Silver Cliff is also now a museum, Turner Ore Mill. (editor: Jim died in Wickenburg, Arizona on May 15, 1997.)

Donald Anson Dennis, Son of Florence Ione Wright and Karie Leo Dennis
Born 1939 in Colorado Springs, CO
Married 1961 in Brush, CO to

Annette Denise Miller Born 1940 in Dupree, SD.

Children:      Scott David Dennis, born 1961 in Grand Junction, CO.
              Stephen Dana Dennis, born 1963 in Grand Junction, CO.
               Teena Dawn Dennis, born 1965 in Pueblo, CO.
              Todd Donald Dennis, born 1971 in Fairbanks, AK.

Donald moved from Colorado to New York with his parents when he was three years old. They returned to Colorado when he was 7 years old. He graduated from Fowler High School, Fowler, CO in 1957. He served his required military service in the active Army for 6 months and the Army Reserves for 8 years, in a Public Relations Unit. He graduated from Pueblo Junior College in 1959 and went to work as a Sports Reporter for the Pueblo CO Chieftain newspaper. He married Ann Miller in January 1961. In late 1961 he and Ann moved to Grand Junction where he worked at the Daily Sentinel as Sports Editor, one of the youngest ever editors. In order to continue his education he returned to the Pueblo Chieftain in 1964 as Assistant Sports Editor while he attended the University of Southern Colorado. In 1967 the family moved to Fairbanks where Don became manager of the Alaska Goldpanners, a semi-pro baseball team, and also Sports Coordinator of a chain of small newspapers. In a short while he was with the Fairbanks News Miner, the large daily paper, and was soon Executive Editor of that paper. He was Sports Information Director at the University for a time. He was extremely active in sports circles for which he received many honors, not only in Fairbanks but also with the National Baseball Congress. In 1978 he resigned his Editor job and worked in Anchorage, AK for a year and then as campaign manager for a friend who was running for Governor, and started another baseball team and built a field in Palmer, AK. In 1979 he became a business manager for Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. He is still manager of the Goldpanners baseball team, a consistent winner at the National Baseball Tournament held in Wichita, KS each August.

Ann Miller Dennis graduated from High School in Sturgis, SD, and from Business College in Denver Colorado. Before her marriage she worked as a private secretary. After the family moved to Fairbanks she was in the ceramic business, owning one of only two wholesale outlets in Alaska. Being very artistic her work was in much demand. She has been involved in charity work and is a Deacon in the Presbyterian Church. She sold her ceramic shop, The Clay Cache, in 1978 and opened two businesses at Alaskaland Park, Jade Jewelry and the Ice Cream Parlor. A bundle of energy, Ann has been involved in many activities with her children. The whole family has continued taking classes at the University of Alaska each winter. Her accomplishments have been numerous.

Willard Burns, Son of Mary Ann Ferguson and Arthur F. Wright
Born October 6, 1919 in Wellington, KS
Married on September 15, 1946 in Wichita, KS to

Dorothy Jane Forster
Born September 25, 1923 in Enid, OK

Children: Connie Lou Wright, born September 6, 1948 in Wichita, KS
William Arthur Wright, born April 23, 1951 in Garden City, KS

Willard Burns, after graduation from High School in Attica, KS, spent some time playing, singing and writing music for several dance bands of the time. He served 6 years in the U.S. Navy Amphibious Forces in the Pacific Ocean, attaining the rating of Chief Motor Machinist Mate. After the war was over he married and attended Southwestern College in Winfield, KS where he received a Bachelor of Music Degree. He taught music in the public schools of Garden City, KS and owned a sporting goods business in Colby, KS. After selling the business in Colby in 1959, he moved his family to Sunnyvale, CA where he worked for Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. He started as a timekeeper and held various other jobs in cost accounting and in the record retention center. In 1967 he transferred into the Computer Operations department where he advanced to Supervisor.

Dorothy Jane, after graduation from East High School in Wichita, KS, attended one year of college at Kansas State College in Manhatten, KS. She started to go to business school but quit to work as a clerk at the Rationing Board (for tires) during WWII. She was a clerk for the Army stationed at the airport in Wichita, KS and also was a weather observer (after attending school for training, in Kansas City, KS) in the Weather Bureau at Columbia, MO. She married Willard and became a homemaker until they moved to California. Dorothy got a job with Lockheed also, in the Reproduction Department in the Microfilm section and worked there (where she was also Leadman for the department for several years) for 18 years until her retirement in 1977.

Connie Lou Wright, daughter of Willard Burns and Dorothy Jane Wright.
Born September 6, 1948 in Wichita, KS

William Arthur Wright Born April 23, 1951 in Garden City, KS
Married on January 30, 1971 in Sunnyvale, CA to

Carolyn Lee McGrath Born August 7, 1952 in San Mateo, CA

Children: Jason Arthur Wright, born July 14, 1971 in San Jose, CA
Jonathan Jacob Wright, born July 25, 1974 in San Jose, CA.

Barbara Jean Wright, daughter of Mary Ann Ferguson and Arthur F. Wright
                                            Born November 23, 1921 in Attica, KS.
                                             Died September 29, 1985.
                                             Married on April 19, 1963 in Woodward, OK to

Elden D. Geerdes Born on April 27, 1928 in Mooreland, OK
Died February 12, 1999.

Barbara, after graduation from the Attica schools, worked in various offices in Blackwell, OK and in Colorado Springs, CO from 1943 to 1949. She then returned to Attica and worked in the public schools and moved back to Blackwell where she worked on the newspaper. She worked as a bookkeeper at the Riverside Hospital until her marriage in 1963. Barbara died September 29, 1985.

Elden attended the Moreland, OK schools. He served in the U.S. Navy before going to work for Cities Service Gas Co where he has been an Engineer at the Mooreland Compressor Plant and now has the classification of Repairman A and Acting Foreman. Elden has two children from his first marriage:

Ann Jeannett Clark born December 12, 1950 at Strong City, KS
Leslie Lee Geerdes, born December 18, 1952 at Guymon, OK.

Barbara and Elden lived on a farm near Woodward, OK formerly worked by Elden's father, Paul Geerdes. They raised mules and cattle.

And now, back to the children of Edgar Poe Ferguson and Susan Stewart:

George Edgar Ferguson Born August 14, 1893 in Holdridge, NE
Died August 8, 1969 in Wellington, KS
Married January 16, 1915 to

Alta Moses Born October 13, 18 _ _.

Children:                           Lois Irene born September 13, 1915 in Blackwell, OK
                                           Jack D. born December 14, 1916 in Blackwell, OK
                                           Rodney Dean born August 3, 1937 in Blackwell, OK

George retired from the A.T.S.F. Railroad in 1960 after 42 years as a fireman and then engineer. He lived in Blackwell, OK at the time of his death.

JESSE HOLCOMB          Born June 12, 1895 in Holdridge, NE
                                        Died June 8, 1936 in Amarillo, TX
                                        Married Bertha Lowe, October 9, 1919 in Ashville, NC

Children: Oscar Daniel
Susan Miller

Jesse served in WWI entering in 1918, discharged March 27, _ _ _ _ at Chicago IL. He served with the 66 Engineer Corp Co. D. He was wounded in action at St. Nagaire and spent several months in the hospital. He was an engineer for the A.T.S. F. Railroad at Amarillo, TX at the time of his death.

MARGARET (MADGE) Born March 4, 1898 in White City, KS
Died February 15, 1910 at Blackwell, OK

DONALD Born August 4, 1899 in White City, KS
Died March 4, 1905 in Wakita, OK

SUSAN IRENE Born December 29, 1903 in Wakita, OK. Called Irene.
Married Sherman A. Pendland

Children: Lora Ann, Myra Dean, Patricia

Sherman worked for the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company in Oakland, CA at the time of his death.

JUANITA VIEVE Born September 18, 1907 in Blackwell, OK, Indian Territory. Known as "Nita".
Married May 11, 1930 in Corpus Christi, TX to

John Emory Tillotson Born January 5, 1909 in Des Moines, Iowa

John Emory Tillotson is a retired printer who worked on the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, the Wichita Beacon, and the Blackwell Journal-Tribune.

Child: Sandra Beth Tillotson, born October 26, 1937 in Wichita, KS.
Married June 3, 1961 to

Charles Ray Mullins Born October 11, 1936

Children: Saen Renee Mullins, born May 20, 1962 in Wichita, KS
Erin Beth Mullins, born July 15, 1966 in Ponca City, OK

Sandra and Charles are Registered Medical Technicians and are employed at the Stillwater Municipal Hospital in Stillwater, OK.

editor: THANK you Sandra for the incredible job, gathering all of this information!

DON DENNIS AND ANN (MILLER) DENNIS FAMILY WEBSITE
USS Dennis	USS Fogg	Fowler Menu	Don's Army Service
Delbert Miller	POW WWII	Ancestors	"It All Began"
La Veta, CO	Pottery	Lefse	"....And an Electric Chair"

1903 Donald Ferguson died that year.	Mary Ann Ferguson (Mayme) and Arthur. 1914	Arthur and Mary Ann 1915	1916 Mary Ann/Arthur wedding
1917 Jess Ferguson	Edgar & Susan 50th Anniv. 1937	Sandra Tillotson, Don Dennis, Arthur Wright 1940	Mary Ann Ferguson Wright and her family 1940. Barbara, Florence, Arthur, Mary Ann, Scotty (Willard)
1947 George Ferguson	George's Funeral	George's Obit	1980 John and Juanita Ferguson Tillotson
Bill and Connie Wright with Mary Ann	Charlie Ferguson	Charlie Funeral Card 1971	1979 Mary Ann & Irene
Arthur and Mary Ann 1948	`February 28, 1916 Mary A. Ferguson Symboleer Oil & Gas stock certificate	Mary Ann, Florence, Willard (Scotty), Barb and Elden 1975	Ella and Alva Alva and Eleanor Downey
June 1, 1924, letter from Long Beach, CA to Granddaughter & grandson, from Grandma	Sept 22, 1925 to My dear GrandDaughter" from Grandma in Blackwell, OK	April 16, 1925, from Long Beach, CA, to Daughter Susan from Mother.	9/23/35 from Americus, Kansas to Arthur from Mother
1963 Barbara's marriage announcement.	Sandra, John & Nita Ferguson	R. Mary Wright	Poem by Mary Wright, 87 yrs old.
Betty & Jack Ferguson	Dale & Naomi Ferguson	Lois, Joe, Jim & Carolyn. Lois is Geo Fergusons daughter.	Pat (Jason Allen Ferguson), his brother Rodney &Neva
Chuck & Sandra Mullins	Scotty Wright Sandra Mullins	Dotty & Scotty Wright	Scotty & Dotty Wright
	Wright/Tillotson	1982 Sprouls	Don Dennis Sandra Tillotson
	Left: Sandra Tillotson Mullins Engagement	Right: Marriage (click to enlarge)
John Tillotson 50 years	1960 Don and Leo Dennis Charles Mullins	Don and Leo Dennis Sandra and Chuck Mullins