Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/83

 FERGUSON

FERXALD

FERGUSON, Colin, educator, was born in Kent county, ild.. Deo. «, 1T,")1; the son of .Scotch immigrants. He aci.|uired his education in the University of Edinburgli. Scotland, and ou his return to America in \~S2 became a teacher in the academy of the Rev. Dr. William Smith at Chestertown, Md., which upon the organization of Washington college in June, 1782, was merged into that institution. Mr. Ferguson was made vice-president of the college and subsequently professor of languages, mathematics and natural philosophy, and in 1789 he succeeded Dr. Smith to the presidency. In 1804 when the college was deprived of an appropriation from the state he resigned his office and retired to his farm in Kent county. While connected with Washing- ton college he studied theology and was ordained a priest by Bishop Seabury, Aug. 7, 1785. He was rector of St. Paul's parish, Kent county, Md., during the remainder of his life. He was a dele- gate to the Episcopal general convention in 1789 which adopted the constitution of the church. The honorary degrees of A. 51. and D.D. were conferred upon him by Washington college in 178:i and 1787 respectively. He died in Kent county. 'Sbl., March ID, 1806,

FERGUSON, Henry, educator, was born in Stamford, Conn., April 18, 1848; son of John and Helen (Jlorewood) Ferguson. He was graduated from Trinity college, Hartford, A.B. ISOS, A.M., 1875. and was ordained a deacon in the P.E. church in 1873, and a priest in 1873. He was rector of Christ church, Exeter, N.H., 1872- ■78; of Trinity church. Claremont, N.H., 1878- 81, and in 1883 accepted the chair of history and political economy in Trinity college. In 1886 he was elected a member of the American histori- cal association, and of the American economic association. He was married in 1874 to Emma, daughter of the Rev. Frederic Gardiner of Mid- dletown, Conn. He published: Fanr Periods in ihe Life nf tlif' Church (1895);and ii's.w;/.s- nn Ameri- can Ilistnni (1895).

FERGUSON, Robert Gracey, educator, was born at Dry Run, Franklin county, Pa., Feb. 16, 1842; son of James and Mary A. (Doyle) Fergu- son. He was graduated from Jefferson college in 1862 and served in the U.S. army as 2d lieuten- ant in the signal corps, 1863-64. He was Licensed to preach by the presbytery of Mouongahela, April 13, 1865; was ordained pastor by the pres- bytery of Big Spring, Oct. 17, 1866. and was pastor of the United Presbyterian church at Mer- cersburg and Cove, Pa., 1866-74, and at Butler, Pa., 1874-84. In 1884 he was elected president and professor of mental and moral science at Westminster college. New Wilmington, Pa., which institution is under the direction of the United Presbvterians.

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FERGUSON, Samuel David, fourth mis.sion- ary bisliop of the missionary jurisdiction of Cape Palmas and parts iidjacent, and 13'Jth in succes- sion in the American Episcopate, was born m Charleston, S.C, Jan. 1, 1842; son of Edward and Roseine Elizabeth Ferguson. His parents were of African birth j^E^^g,^

and emigrated to / ^ ~ >y

Liberia in 1848. He was educated in the mission schools under Bishop John Payne, became a teacher in 1863, studied the- ology, and was or dained deacon Dec. 38, 1865, and priest, March 15, 1868. He was assistant rector of St. Mark's par- ish. Harper, 186.5-68 and rector, 1868-97. He was chosen president of the standing committee, business agent of the mission and superintendent of the Cape Palmas orphan asylum and girl's school. He was elected missionary bishois of the West African mission, April 24, 1884, to succeed the Rt. Rev. Charles Clifton Penick who resigned in October, 1883. He was consecrated in Grace church. New York city, June 24, 1885. by Bishops Lee, Stevens, Littlejohn, Starkey and Potter and after a few months' travel in the United States in the interest of the work, he returned to Cape Palmas, where he assumed the duties of his bishopric. He received the tlegree of D.D. from Kenyon in 1885 and that of D. C.L. from Liberia college in 1893.

FERGUSON, Wilbert, educator, was born at Richwood, Ohio, Jan. 16, 1857; .son of William H. and Sarah (Main) Ferguson, and grandson of William and Rhoda (Leonard) Ferguson and of Eleazer and Slargaret (Cole) Main. He was graduated from the Ohio Wesleyan university in 1879; was assistant editor and publisher of the Richwood Gazflte, 1879-83; assistant profes.sor of ancient languages at Adrian college, Mich.. 1883- 83. and professor of Greek in the same college, 1883-94, spending the years 1890 and 1891 in study at the University of Leijizig. Germany. In 1894 he was appointed acting professor of Greek in the Illinois Wesleyan university and in 1895 was elected to the full <-h;ur.

FERNALD, Charles Henry, naturalist, was born on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, March 16, 1838; son of Eben and .Sophronia (Wasgatt) Fernald; grandson of Tobias and Comfort (Tarr) Fernald, and of Davis and Surah (Hadlock) Wasgatt. and a descendant of Dr. Renald Femald, surgeon of