Appendix A
Buckingham County, VA to Rutherford County, TN
Same Fergusons?


JOEL FARGUSON (Ferguson) OF BUCKINGHAM COUNTY, VIRGINIA.

First documentation of the Joel Ferguson of interest here is found on the tax lists of Buckingham County, VA, in 1773/1774. This documentation can be found in Genealogical Records of Buckingham County, Virginia by Edith Rucker Whitley under the title, "Tythables in 1773 and 1774." His surname was spelled Farguson. The parents of Joel have yet to be identified. It is possible, but, I believe, not probable, that he was a son of Moses Farguson who was also listed as tythable in 1773 and 1774. Based on various records it can be speculated that Joel was born ca 1745-1750. Other Fargusons in Buckingham County who may have been connected with Joel were John, Robert and a Younger Moses. John was listed on the 1773/1774 tax lists along with Joel while Robert first appears on the 1782 list of household heads and the younger Moses first appears on the 1800 tax list. This would lead to the conclusion that Joel and John were older than Robert and that the younger Moses was even younger than Robert. Descendants of this younger Moses believe he was born about 1750.

In March 1785 Moses Farguson is listed in the Vestry Book of Tillotson Parish, Buckingham County as being aged and poor. If he were the father of any of the Fargusons mentioned in the preceeding paragraph it would seem that they would have taken care of him in his old age and thus precluded the entry in the Parish records. Following this line of reasoning it appears improbable that this Moses was the father of Joel, John, Robert or the younger Moses. This older Moses evidently died ca 1793/1794 as indicated by the tax lists subsequent to those years which list "Moses Farguson estate." The question can be raised, if Moses had an estate why was he listed in Parish records as aged and poor? Were there two aged Moses Fargusons? We don't know.

Joel Farguson appears on tax lists in 1773/1774, on the "state census" of 1782, the 1787 tax list, the 1800 tax list and the 1810 federal census. It seems odd that there were only three Fargusons (actually two Fargusons and one Ferguson) on the 1787 tax list. There were seven on the 1782 tally and 12 on the tax list of 1800. Could some of them have been missed on the 1787 list? Also, one, wonders why the younger Moses was not on the 1787 list if he was born ca 1750, he would have been 37 years old.

Joel Farguson appears on the Personal Property Tax List in 1782 in a household with John Whitaker, two tithes are shown for the household. From 1783 through 1788 only one tithe is shown for the Joel Farguson household.

In 1789 two free white tithes are shown for Joel's household. This could mean that Joel had a son sixteen years old, born in 1773. If this son was the firstborn child, born within a year or two after Joel's marriage, and if Joel married, as most did in those days, at 20 or 21 years of age, then it can be postulated that Joel's date of birth was about 1750. In 1790 through 1792 one tithe is listed for Joel's household. Two tithes are listed for 1793-1797. In 1798 there are three tithes and the names of Joel's sons are listed. The entry reads, "Farguson, Joel and sons, Lewis and Joel." In 1799 and 1800 two tithes are shown; the second one is not named but in 1800 the entry reads, "Joel and son." [n 1801 the list shows three tithes for Joel Farguson and the entry reads," Farguson, Joel and sons." In 1802 and 1803 Joel, Jr. is listed separately immediately following, "Joel and son." In 1804 there is a listing for Farguson, Joel and on the next two lines, indented are, "Farguson, Joel, Jr." and "Farguson, Jurdin." (Jurdin is possibly a misspelling of Jordan.) Also in 1805 Joel, Jr. and Jurdin are listed under Joel. In 1806 and 1807 Joel and Joel, Jr. are listed together but Jurdin is missing.

(The 1810 federal census of Washington County, Virginia lists, on page 219, Jurdin Fergeson as the young head of a household with a young wife and small children. Could this be the same Jurdin?)

(Note: For tax listing purposes Buckingham County was divided into two geographical districts. In each year there were two tax lists, one for each district.)

In 1807 there was another Joel Farguson in the county. He was in the other district from "our Joel."

The tax list for 1808 was missing from the reel that was used in this research.

In 1809 "our Joel" is listed with two tithes, the second one not named. The Joel in the other district was also listed in 1809 and was identified as "son of Edmund." From 1810 onward only one Joel Fargurson is listed and he is in the other district and, undoubtedly, was Joel, son of Edmund. The Buckingham County Land Tax lists show Joel Farguson with 237+ acres in 1796, 230 acres from 1797 to 1809 and 56 acres in 1810, 1811 and 1812. He is not listed after 1812. The fact that Joel Farguson disappeared from the Personal Property Tax List after 1809 and the Land Tax List after 1812 appears to be pretty convincing evidence that he left Buckingham County and went somewhere else about that time. It was common practice to move away and leave real estate to be sold by relatives, friends or someone to whom was given a power of attorney.

Joel Farguson performed patriotic service during the Revolutionary War by providing food for the army. Source: Virginia Public Claims, Buckingham County, compiled by Janice L. Abercrombie and Richard Slaten, Iberion Publishing Company.

JOEL FERGUSON (FURGERSON) OF RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TENNESSEE

Joel Furgerson first appeared in Rutherford County, Tennessee on a tax list in 1811. He is shown with two free polls. In 1812 and again in 1813 Joel is on the tax list with one free poll.

In 1814 the Rutherford County Court minutes show that Joel Forgurson purchased 105 acres from James Nelly.

Rutherford County Court minutes show that on 13 July 1814 and 12 October 1814 Joel Furguson served on jury duty; and that Joel Ferguson served as a juror on 12 January 1815. Joel Furgerson is mentioned several times in Rutherford County Court records between 1815 and 1825. Joel Ferguson's household is enumerated on the federal census of Rutherford County in 1820. It was a large household consisting of 14 persons. The composition of the household would lead to the conclusion that probably the families of two of Joel's sons, or daughters, were in the household. There were two males under the age of 10, one male 10-16, one 16-26, one 26-45 and one over 45. Of eight females in the household four were under 10, one was 10-16, two were 16-26 and one was over 45.

Joel Ferguson owned land jointly with Thomas Ferguson according to a notation in the Rutherford County Court minutes dated 18 April 1825 which indicates that the two of them sold 200 acres to Robert Gregory. Joel Ferguson undoubtedly went to West Tennessee with Thomas Ferguson (see below). An entry in the Haywood County, Tennessee Court minutes, Book B, page 260, indicates that Thomas Ferguson was appointed administrator of the estate of Joel Ferguson, dec'd., on 8 September 1828, placing the date of his death before that date.

THOMAS FERGUSON OF RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TENNESSEE and WESTWARD

Thomas Ferguson was born in Virginia, county unknown, in 1795 based on information on the 1850 federal census of Dyer County, Tennessee. He migrated westward to Rutherford County, Tennessee, almost certainly with his parents the identity of whom has not yet been determined. Based on the available evidence it seems reasonable to assume that he was the son, or the grandson, of the Joel Ferguson discussed above. Thomas is first documented in Rutherford County in 1815, Rutherford County Court minutes indicate that, on 11 October of that year, Thomas Furguson was selected for jury duty.

This is the first known documentation of Thomas Ferguson whose 20th birthday was in 1815 if information on the 1850 census was correct. The court minutes show that Thomas Furgerson was called for jury duty again on 12 October 1815.

The Rutherford County Court minutes of 18 June 1819 tell of Samuel Wallace dropping charges against a group of young men including Thomas Furgerson. Also included in the group were Douglas Furgerson, Joel Furgerson, Jr., Obediah Furgerson and Wyatt Tweedy, Thomas Ferguson's brother-in-law.

By 1820 Thomas Ferguson had married Nancy Tweedy (date and place of marriage unknown) and was enumerated as head of his household on the federal census of 1820. His household consisted of three males under 10 years of age, one male between 16 and 26 years old, Thomas himself and one male between 26 and 45 years old, possibly a relative or perhaps a farm laborer. The lone female in the household, between 16 and 26 years old, was undoubtedly Thomas' wife, Nancy (Tweedy) Ferguson. Supporting the probability of a familial relationship between Thomas and Joel Ferguson was the fact that they owned land together which, as mentioned above, they sold to Robert Gregory before removing to West Tennessee. Thomas Ferguson moved to West Tennessee in 1824. A History of Crockett County, Tennessee contained in Goodspeed’s History of Tennessee describes this move as follows:

     "At about the same time, (1824) General Blackman Coleman, who lived at Murfreesboro, purchased a tract in the neighborhood of what after became Lanefield and sent out a party of laborers in charge of Thomas Ferguson to open up a farm and put in a crop.*** In 1826, Thomas Ferguson moved from the Lanefield neighborhood and settled what afterward became Ferguson's Landing on the Forked Deer River * * *." Thomas Ferguson evidently lived in locations in Haywood and Dyer Counties that were included in Crockett County when that county was established.

It is known that Thomas was in Haywood County no later than 15 June 1824 for, on that date, he was summoned for jury duty according to the County Court minutes. Thomas lived in the Frog Jump area which was in the northern portion of Haywood County. He is mentioned many times in county court records between 1824 and 1830. On 8 September 1828 he was appointed administrator of the estate of Joel Ferguson, deceased, as mentioned above.

Court minutes of Haywood County indicate that on 14 September 1830 it was ..."ordered by the court that the Attorney General Ex-officio file bills of indictment against Thomas Ferguson (four others.)" The nature of the charges was not detailed but apparently these young men were involved in a big fight or similar disturbance. Thomas Ferguson was fined $6.01 and is rarely mentioned in court minutes thereafter.

The Thomas Ferguson family has not been found on a federal census in 1830. Evidently he moved between 1830 and 1840 from Haywood County to Dyer County. The family is enumerated on the 1840 census in Dyer County. There are two males in the household, one between the ages of 15 and 20, son, Wyatt, and one between 40 and 50, Thomas himself. Two females are in the household, one between 10 and 15, Mary as we find out later, and one between 40 and 50, wife, Nancy.

In 1850 the family is enumerated in the Third Civil District, Dyer County. Thomas is shown to be 55 years old, born in Virginia; Wyatt is 27 years old, born in Tennessee; Wife, Nancy is 55 years old, born in Virginia and Mary is 19 years old, born in Tennessee.

On 3 September 1855 Wyatt Ferguson was appointed administrator of the estate of Thomas Ferguson, deceased (West Tennessee Death Records, by Tony Hays). So, apparently Thomas died in 1855 before 3 September.

Joel Farguson disappeared from the Personal Property tax list in Buckingham County, Virginia after being listed on tax lists from 1773 to 1809. He disappeared from the Land Tax rolls after 1812. These rolls show that he had 230 acres of land from 1797 to 1809 but only 56 acres in 1810, 1811 and 1812 after which he is no longer on the Land Tax rolls. He obviously went somewhere else about 1810. A Joel Ferguson appears in Rutherford County, Tennessee in 1811 on the Personal Property tax list. The mere fact that a Joel Farguson disappears from Buckingham County Virginia and a Joel Farguson appears in Rutherford County, Tennessee the next year suggests that this might be the same person but it is not proof positive. There appears to be no doubt that Joel left Buckingham County, Virginia about 1810 but there is nothing to connect him to the Joel who was first documented in Rutherford County, Tennessee on the 1811 tax list. The search for a connection continues.

Sons of Joel Farguson were identified on various Buckingham County tax lists as Lewis, Joel, Jr. and Jurdin (probably a phonetic spelling of Jordan).

Three other Joel Fergusons were recorded in Virginia before 1800 but by 1800 Joel of Buckingham County was the only Joel Ferguson to be found in Virginia. Could it have been one of the other Joels who appeared in Rutherford County, TN in 1811? Effort has been made, and is continuing, to determine if any of these other Joels are likely to be the one who was in Rutherford County, TN in 1811 and subsequently, Joel Ferguson of Lunenburg County, VA died in 1788 and among his heirs was his son, Joel, Jr. It was once thought that this Joel, Jr. was the Joel who was enumerated on the census in Hardeman County, TN in 1840. Recently, however, the great granddaughter of Joel of Hardeman County, TN, Elizabeth Ferguson Chapleau, who currently lives in Hardeman County, provided the information that the Joel Ferguson who was in Hardeman County, TN in 1840 was born on 11 March 1804 somewhere in Virginia, died 1 October 1862 in Hickory Valley, Hardeman County, TN, and that he lived in Rutherford County, TN before going to Hardeman County in 1830. His birth in 1804 makes him much too young to be Joel, Jr. of Lunenburg County or Joel Ferguson who was an adult in Rutherford County, TN as early as 1811. He could possibly be the son or grandson of Joel who was taxed in Rutherford County in 1811 and was enumerated there on the 1820 census.

It appears probable, based on recently discovered information, that Joel Ferguson of Lunenburg County, Virginia emigrated to East Tennessee with the Rudder family and others and was enumerated on the 1810 census in Grainger County, Tennessee. His family appears to have been in Grainger, Jefferson and Knox Counties in the early 1800's. Efforts are continuing to evaluate and expand this information.

Joel Ferguson of Amelia County, VA and Joel Farguson of Charlotte County, VA appear on the tax lists of 1787. Joel Ferguson of Amelia County witnessed a deed in 1752 and a will in 1754 and, thus, was of age by 1752, born circa 1732 and, therefore, a most unlikely candidate to be the Joel in Rutherford County, TN from 1811 to 1824/5 and who died in Haywood County, TN in 1828. Joel Farguson of Charlotte County, VA married Useley (Ursula) Sublett on 9 April 1780. In 1790 she married, second, Samuel Porter, indicating that this Joel apparently died before 1790.

There was a Joel Ferguson in Wake County, NC in 1790 and 1800 but an examination of pertinent records eliminates him as being Joel of Rutherford County, Tennessee. Recall that Joel Ferguson of Buckingham County, VA had two sons who were identified as Lewis and Joel, Jr. on the Personal Property tax list of 1798. Joel, Jr. was identified as son of Joel on other tax lists as well. In October 1817 the name, Lewis Furgerson, appears in Rutherford County Court minutes as the defendant in two court cases (Book L, pages 196 & 197) and his name is mentioned two other times. On 17 March 1818 the minutes show that Lewis Furgerson failed to appear in court as ordered and Joel Furgerson and another citizen, who had posted bond, were charged $50 each. On 18 June 1819 two entries in the minutes of the Rutherford County Court mention the name of Joel Furgerson, Jr. (Book N, pages 194 & 200). References to Joel, Sr. have been found in various Rutherford County records between 1815 and 1825. The presence of Joel, Sr., Lewis and Joel. Jr. in the same locale certainly suggests that this was the same family that was in Buckingham County, Virginia. A perusal of the Joel Ferguson household in the 1820 census in Rutherford County reveals the likelihood that Joel who later went to Hardeman County, TN and who was 16 years old in 1820 was a member of the household. An examination of the Rutherford County, TN tax lists for the years 1815-1825 could possibly clarify the relationship among these and other individuals and may shed some light on possible connections to Buckingham County, Virginia.

Two rather uncommon names, Dougald and Shadrack, are found on Fergusons in both Buckingham and Rutherford Counties in the early 1800’s. A connection has not been made because Dougald and Shadrack apparently continue to be present in Buckingham County at the same time there are a Dougald and Shadrack in Rutherford County. Could the Rutherford Dougald and Shadrack be sons or nephews of the Buckingham Dougald and Shadrack? Further research is needed.

In summary. it appears that Joel Ferguson of Buckingham County, Virginia is the person most likely to be the Joel Ferguson who was in Rutherford County, Tennessee from 1811 to 1824, who went to West Tennessee along with Thomas Ferguson (his son or grandson?) and who died in Haywood County, Tennessee in 1828. No other Joel Ferguson has been found who seems as likely but efforts should continue to expand and refine existing knowledge of the Joel Fergusons of Virginia. By a process of elimination it just may be determined that Buckingham Joel was the only one of the known Virginia Joels who could have been Joel Ferguson of Rutherford County, Tennessee.

The authors, Lanier Ferguson and Jim Fry are deceased.