Ferguson Farm on Fort Ridge Rd in Shapleigh

The name of Ferguson is derived from the ancient Scottish baptismal name Fergus, meaning “the fierce and brave chieftan.” The first king of Scotland, about 498 founded the royal line of the Kings of Scotland.

Exiled from England, under the reign of the Cromwells, Thomas Ferguson came to Dover, NH or possibly York, ME, with his sons John and Thomas Jr. Daniel, probably a brother, made his home in Kittery, ME, sometime before 1667. He was the father of Alexander, James, Sarah and others. His wife’s name was Mary.

James Ferguson, the first, was born in Eliot, ME in 1676. He married Elizabeth Hodgdon. Both were killed while coming home from church, in South Berwick, by Indians. They left a small son, James II, a few months old. He grew up and married Sarah Frost. She died and he married her sister Abigail. There were eight children of this marriage. Seven of the children came to Shapleigh, one sister, Sarah, did not come.

Betty married Robert Fernald. Daniel settled on the top of Fort Ridge. James stayed awhile and then moved to Alfred. Charles also stayed awhile, and then moved to Dayton. Joshua did not stay. He went to Springvale and then to Berwick. Nathaniel, had a son William born in Eliot, ME August 1774. He married Abigail Ham of Shapleigh. Seven children were born of this marriage.

Nathaniel was born April 11, 1814 – died 1901. He married Mary Buzzell in Sept 1842. Seven children were born to this couple. William Proctor Ferguson was one of them. He was born February 9, 1853 and he married Hattie Earle of North Berwick in 1886. Their oldest William Pitt Ferguson was born September 1887. He married Eleanor Nelson of North Berwick, in 1937 and they make their home in Springvale.

Bessie May, born May 1891, married Earle Lord of Belgrade, ME. They had three sons, Earle C, Donald and Stanley. George Franklin, born April 1893 married Mary Wiggin of Sanford. They have one son, Robert William Ferguson, a practicing attorney in Springvale.

Lawrence Earle, born 1897. He never married. Wendall, born July 1899 died very young. He married Amy Pillsbury – now Mrs. Leon Crediford. Mary Buzzell, born July 1903, married Percy Robbins of Baldwin, ME.

William Proctor Ferguson used crutches from the time he was nine years old. He was a graduate of Bowdoin College. As a young man he worked in Washington, DC. By this time the various Ferguson farms on Fort Ridge had reverted to the William Proctor Ferguson family and it represented many acres. The homestead is now occupied by Percy Robbins.

William Pitt Ferguson, one of the two surviving children of Proctor and Hattie Earle Ferguson, attended school at the Ross Corner schoolhouse and the Lindsay High School. When Frank Thompson left the Lindsay High School to accept the principalship of the Lincoln High School in Springvale, ME, William Ferguson went with him to his new school, graduating in 1904. Miss Alice Adele Todd of Somerville, MA, was assistant principal. He then took a one year post- graduate course. His scholastic record was exceptionally high, to my knowledge it has never been equaled. He entered the Springvale National Bank in 1911 and is still employed there.

~ I am deeply indebted to Mr. & Mrs. William Pitt Ferguson for the above information given to me in 1970. My sincere thanks for the same.

~Della M. Welch~