Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 59, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 March 1910 — REV. B. F. FERGUSON DIED LAST THURSDAY IN WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

REV. B. F. FERGUSON DIED LAST THURSDAY IN WASHINGTON.

Woll Known Baptist Minister, Lawyer and Business Man Victim of Paralysis After Several Strokes. Rensselaer relatives and friends 'of Rev. B. P. Ferguson were surprised to learn Wednesday evening that his death had occurred at 11:30 o’clock Thursday morning of last week, March 3d, and that his funeral had occurred the Saturday following. He died'at Quincy, Wash., where the family were living. Mr. Ferguson left Rensselaer April 28th, last year, to the home of lyis sons, George and Dee, near Low Gap, Wash., in the hope that the change of climate might restore his greatly impaired health. He soon suffered another paralytic stroke, however, and it was evident that he could receive little benefit. His wife and daughter Ethel, left Rensselaer last September 16th to join him and they located in Quincy, in order that he might be near a physician. Ethel secured employment teaching arithmetic and music in t£e public schools at Wilson Creek, about 40 miles away and has been employed since that time. In the fall, Mr. Ferguson suffered another stroke of paralysis and Monday, of last week, another one. He was rendered unconscious bj the last stroke and never revived, sinking gradually away. He leaves a widow who is a daughter of John Coen and a sister of Mrs. John R. Vanatta, of this place. Three children, George, Dee and Ethel, also survive. Rev. Ferguson was twice married, his first wife being a sister of Mrs. C. L. Harper, whose husband Is now pastor of Trinity M. E. church. He came here from Brookston something like thirty years ago and was a resident of Rensselaer until his removal to Washington. He was a Baptist minister for several years, being pastor of the Freewill Baptist church. Later he embarked in various kinds of business, milling elevator, insurance, 1 real estate anc} law. During the latter years of his life he maintained an office in Rensselaer and devoted his time in the main to acting as an immigrant and .lan«J agent. He suffered a light stroke of paraly sis some six or eight years ago and although he largely overcame it, he was never the vigorous man he had been before that time. He was widely known in Jasper, White and Newton counties dhd held in high esteem b> many who had known hlm'throughout his life. His death will be a great shock to all who knew him. He woulc have been 60 years of age the coming May.