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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 637
HENRY CREED FERGUSON, who recently retired from eight years service as prosecuting attorney of Roane County has been a member of the West Virginia bar over twenty
years, carries on an extensive practice at Spencer, and is one of the men of real leadership in that section of the State.
Creed Ferguson was born at Ripley in Jackson County, West Virginia, June 21, 1874. His grandfather Joseph Ferguson was born near Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland, in 1820, and as a youth came to America. He went back to Ireland, married, and then brought his bride across the ocean and settled in New York state. He was a stone mason by trade. For a short time he followed his trade at Cleveland, Ohio, and about 1850 came to Jackson County, West Virginia, where he bought a farm and followed agriculture as his main occupation the rest of his days. He died near Ripley in 1890. In later years he voted the republican ticket
and though reared a Presbyterian, in the absence of a church of that denomination in Jackson County he worshipped with the United Brethren people. His first wife Miss Cameron was born in County Antrim and her two children were born in New York state. She died in Cleveland. Her children were: James; and Isabelle who died in Jackson County, wife of Andrew Hamilton Boone, who served as a Union soldier the last two years of the Civil
war and is now a retired farmer in Mason County, West Virginia. Joseph Ferguson married for his second wife, Grace Vauden a native of Exeter, England, who died near Ripley, West Virginia. The children of this union were: Mary, wife of Sylvester Barnhart of East Liverpool, Ohio; Alexander, a farmer who died near Ripley; William, a retired farmer at Columbus, Ohio; Elizabeth who died near Ripley, wife of George W. Stone, a farmer in that section; Agnes, wife of Joseph Mahon; John; and Armour, assistant cashier of the Peoples Bank at Ripley.
James Ferguson, father of Creed Ferguson, was born in New York state May 8, 1847, and from about three years of age was reared in Jackson County, West Virginia, where during his active life he conducted a farm on a successful scale. He was a leader in his community, a republican, was justice of the peace of Union District two terms, and two terms president of the Board of Education of Union District. He was affiliated with the United Brethren Church
and a member of the Odd Fellows. He died near Cottageville in Jackson County in 1901. In that county he married Virginia Price, who was born in Roane County November 10, 1855, and is now living in Clay County, West Virginia. Creed Ferguson is the oldest of her children; Joseph H. is a physician and surgeon at Middlebourne, Tyler County; Dorma is the wife of Melvin Mclntyre, a farmer and oil field worker living near Angerona, Jackson County; Rhoda
is the wife of Howard Keith, a locomotive engineer living in Clay County; Clara is the wife of Theodore Holcomb a farmer living in Clay County; Lawrence John, volunteered in July, 1917, was commissioned a first lieutenant, saw service in the various encampments in the United States, for a time was personnel officer at Fort Benjamin Harrison, and subsequently has been with the regular United States army as military instructor of officers training camps in
the educational institutions and is now assistant professor in military tactics at the University of California at Berkeley, with the rank of first lieutenant. Jessie is the wife of Lockney Keith, a conductor with the Short Line Railroad living in Clay County, West Virginia; Marshall lives with his mother in Clay County and is now a student in the Charleston Commercial College.
Creed Ferguson grew up on a farm, attended the rural schools of Jackson County and select schools at Ripley, spent one semester during 1892 in the Fairmont State Normal School, and at the age of seventeen began teaching. For eight years altogether he was a teacher in the rural district of Jackson County, and for two years was a teacher in the public schools of Ripley and four years in the schools of Fairmont. In the meantime he was studying law in the
University of West Virginia where he graduated LL. B. in 1898. Mr. Ferguson located at Spencer in 1908, and since then so far as his official duties have permitted has carried on an extensive general civil and criminal practice, his offices being on Church Street. While a resident of Jackson County he served one year as County Surveyor. From January 1, 1909, to January 1, 1913, he was assistant prosecuting attorney of Roane County and was then elected and served as prosecuting attorney two terms, from January 1, 1913, to January 1, 1921. He is a republican and has a number of interests of a civic and business nature. He is
secretary of the Spencer City Oil Company. He is a member of the State Bar Association, is a trustee and president of the official board of the Methodist Episcopal Church and for two years was secretary of Union Lodge No. 128 Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Cottageville. During the war he was a member of the Legal Advisory Board of Roane County, one of the Four Minute Speakers Bureau, and went all over the county building up patriotic sentiment and gaining support for the various loans and other drives.
In 1904 near Ripley he married Miss Anna Staats, daughter of George W. and Diana (Waugh) Staats, the latter now deceased. Her father is a retired farmer at Parkersburg. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson, George, died at the age of one year, eight months.
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West Virginia Pioneers
1874 - Yes, date unknown
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