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BIOGRAPHY

Of

ROBERT BERRYMAN FERGUSON

 

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            Robert Berryman Ferguson was born in Virginia ca. 1785 - 1787.

                        The 1810 census book shows Berryman as being in Mecklinburg County,

Virginia as “THITABLE WITH NO SLAVES AND NO HORSES”.

                        His 1st Marriage was in that state for his first two children born in Virginia.

                        Esaw G. Furgason ca. 1806 / 1860

                        Francis Furgason ca. 1811 Nov. 20

He moved to Tennessee after 1811 and settled in Rutherford, County. 

He and his wife were listed on the 1820 census as having four Girls

under the age of 10.

           

The Deed Book of Rutherford County Page 255 shows on Jan. 17, 1825

                        that Barryman Furgason bought property on the waters

                        of Stewart’s Creek, a branch of Stone River. Later he bought

                        more property.  He applied for Executor of the Estate of

                        Mary C. Collier; deceased Rutherford, Co. Court Minutes

                        Book W, Page 133, 1829;1830

           

When the 1830 census was taken of Rutherford, County  Barryman had

                        2 boys and 9 girls listed.  The Rutherford County Marriage

                        Record Book shows Francis was married March 13, 1827.

                        There were other marriages of women by the name of Furgason or

                        variant spellings by the clerk but it is not known which are

                        Barryman’s daughters.

 

            On the 1840 census Barryman had 4 boys and 2 females under the age

                        of 5, 2 of age 5/10, 2 of age 15/20.  One of the age 20/30 and 2

                        of age 30/40.  It is believed that the girls were Francis,

                        Sarah, Elizabeth, Louise, Martha, Ann Elizabeth, Elvira,

                        Mary and Rebecca.  And the boys were Levi W., Samuel D.,

                        Felix and George W.

 

            The 1849 Tax List of Rutherford Co. Dist 2.  Barryman Ferguson 750

                        Acres of land, valued at 12,000 and 37 slaves valued at

                        18,300.

 

            In 1850 Rutherford County, census Barryman is listed with his

                        wife Martha R. age 40 and born in Virginia.  If her

                        age is correct, she could not be Francis, a mother who

                        was 39 at that time.  So Martha was probably his second

                        wife.

 

            On page 16 of the Rutherford, County Marriage Records 1851/1872

                        is listed Beriman Furgerson and Susan Hubbard, May 12, 1856.

                        He also at that time had Milan who was born ca. 1843.  It is

                        also said by family members still living that Esaw was the

                        ˝ brother to Felix, George and Sam D.

 

            In 1860 of Rutherford, Co., Civil Dist. 2, P.O. Lavergne.

                        B. Ferguson and S.W. Furgason, Born ca. 1802 in Virginia.

                        Real Estate owned $50,000 and value of Personal property was

                        $65,000.  Laura (Hamilton) Flake said that Berryman was the

                        wealthiest man in the whole country.  It was also in 1860

                        that Berryman sold some land to his son-in-law John Mullins

                        in July, in Rutherford, County and John Mullins sold land

                        to Barryman Sept. 1860 in Lauderdale, County Tenn.

 

 

Original Source Unknown

 

                       

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Last Updated  Sunday, November 02, 2003 7:57:50 AM CST