Carey, Charles Henry.  "History of Oregon." Vol. 2. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer
Historical Pub. Co., 1922.  p. 589-90.

JUDSON HERBERT FERGUSON

Judson Herbert Ferguson, who has made valuable contribution to the upbuilding of
the Hood River valley and who is a most highly esteemed citizen of Hood River,
was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1860 and is a son of William and Nancy A.
(Sturgeon) Ferguson, both of whom were of Scotch descent and representatives of
pioneer families of Pennsylvania. In early days the town of Fairview,
Pennsylvania, was called Sturgeonville and was the home city of the maternal
ancestors of Mr. Ferguson. William Ferguson died in Pennsylvania when their son,
Judson H., was five years of age, and Nancy Ferguson, the widow, moved to Iowa
with the boy.

The son was educated in Iowa and in early life worked for a time in connection
with the lumber business with his brothers. He then took up the task of herding
cattle and in association with an uncle became engaged in raising hogs for the
market. When he was eighteen years of age he determined to seek his fortune in
the west and came to Oregon, arriving in Hood River in 1879, since which time he
has had much to do with the growth and advancement of both city and county.
During the first year of his residence here he worked in a sawmill and then in
connection with his mother purchased a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres in
the Barrett section of the county. While still giving attention to the
development and improvement of that property he went to Portland and learned the
jewelry trade, with which he became thoroughly familiar. In 1900 he disposed of
his ranch and established a jewelry and watch-making store in Hood River, thus
becoming actively identified with the commercial interests of the city. In
addition to his ranch work during the period from 1880 until 1900 he had worked
at his trade in Portland, Vancouver and other cities of the northwest. From the
establishment of his business at Hood River he has prospered, soon gaining a
liberal patronage as the result of his enterprising methods, manifest in the
fine line of goods carried and in his thorough reliability in all trade
transactions. He was also one of the early promoters of the plan for giving
light and power to Hood River and was likewise associated with H. F. Davidson in
the introduction of an irrigation system in this county. He is a man of resolute
purpose, carrying forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes, and
his activities have largely been of a character contributing to public progress
and prosperity as well as to individual success. From 1902 until 1905 he was
actively engaged in the livery business and operated a line of stages to Mount
Hood. In 1905 he closed out his jewelry business, turning his attention to the
real estate and abstract business, which he conducted under the name of the Hood
River Abstract & Investment Company for three years, and in this connection has
secured a large clientage. He established the moving picture theater, now called
The Liberty, and his untiring activity featured in the growth and development of
the city and state in large measure until 1914, when this man of many activities
was stricken with typhoid fever, which brought him near to death's door and
largely forced his retirement from active pursuits, although he is now greatly
recovering his health. During the many years of his connection with the
development and upbuilding of Hood River he has always been found in the
forefront of every movement calculated to promote the public good.

In 1899 Mr. Ferguson was united in marriage to Miss Anna Dehm of The Dalles,
whose father was for many years the leading jeweler of that city. Mr. and Mrs.
Ferguson have a fine home on State street, occupying a commanding site on the
first hill. From the lawn can be had a beautiful view of the Columbia river and
majestic, snow-capped Mount Adams.

In 1892 Mr. Ferguson was made a member of the city council and in 1917 was again
called upon to serve in that capacity, exercising his official prerogatives in
support of every plan and movement for the benefit and upbuilding of the city.
He is an Odd Fellow and has held all of the offices in the local lodge. He also
belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and to the United Artisans and in
the Odd Fellows organization has been colonel of the First Regiment of the
Patriarchs Militant. Mr. Ferguson was one of twelve men who located Lost Lake at
the foot of Mount Hood in 1880. He thoroughly knows the country, with which he
became identified in early manhood, and is indeed an enthusiastic champion of
the district, which is not only to every inhabitant but to every visitor a place
of alluring beauty, with its rich valley between the splendid snow-capped
mountains.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2006 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.