From: Lilla


Could you please add my post below to the site above.
I'm hoping that the right person comes along and reads it.
Thank you. Lilla

James R. Ferguson and son Ambrose Brice, Hempstead Co. AR 1860-1900

I'm looking for the **birth** parents of Ambrose Brice (Brice) Ferguson.
Brice, b. Feb 1870 in Hempstead Co. Arkansas, was adopted by James
Rochester Ferguson and wife Mary (Mollie) of Hempstead Co. Arkansas.
Brice and his two siblings were orphaned just 6 weeks after Brice was
born. The story of Brice and brothers Elias and Henry and their birth
parents is told below. James Rochester Ferguson is the son of Elijah
Ferguson and Maranda ROCHESTER.

Brice is not yet with his adoptive Ferguson family in the 1870 census,
but he is with them in the 1880 census and 1900 census. In the 1900
census Brice is shown as son adopted, and his adoptive mother
Mary/Mollie is shown as no child - this tells us this couple had no
children of their own. In the 1900 census, Brice and his wife Mary Olive
(Mollie) EASON and their two young children (Penn/son, and Alma/dau.)
are listed in the household of James Rochester Ferguson and his wife
Mary J./S./? (Mollie). Several 1850-1900 census are shown below.

It is highly possible that Ambrose Brice is a blood nephew/cousin/? of
James Rochester Ferguson and/or his wife Mary/Mollie, and that Henry
Clay is a blood nephew/cousin/? of Simon T. Sanders. The Ferguson's have
no children of their own, this is told on the 1900 census. Simon T.
Sanders fathers 4 children: 3 daughters by his first wife, and one son
by his 2nd wife. After loosing two wives he is deeply hurt and chooses
not to remarry. He is a widow when he takes in and raises Henry Clay
SCAGGS Sanders. I am hopeful that if I can find the Scaggs-Ferguson
connection or the Scaggs-Sanders connection, that this might lead me to
one/both birth parents. If this story rings any bells please contact me.

3 orphaned SCAGGS boys, their story. Brice and his two siblings were all
born in Hempstead Co. Arkansas between 1860-1870. Elias H. b. 5 Sep
1860, Henry Clay b. 15 Jan 1863, and Ambrose Brice (Brice) b. Feb 1870.
These boys lost their parents 6 weeks after Brice was born. Elias SCAGGS
(my G.Grandfather) went out on his own and made his way working for
local farmers. Henry Clay was raised by Simon T. Sanders, and went by
the name of Sanders thereafter. Brice was adopted by James Rochester
Ferguson and his wife Mary/Mollie of Hempstead Co. Arkansas, and went by
the name of Ferguson thereafter. Their mother's name was Sarah SCAGGS.
We assume SCAGGS is her married name, and that her three children had
the same SCAGGS father, however the 7 year gap between her 2nd and
3rd/last child leaves room for the possibility that it is otherwise. I
have not been able to find any of the SCAGGS brothers or their birth
family in 1860 or 1870 Hempstead Co. Arkansas census. I've tried all
variations of spelling etc. I have found no marriage record, no census
records, no birth records, no cemetery records. It is quite possible
that Ambrose Brice SCAGGS Ferguson is the blood nephew/cousin of James
Rochester Ferguson and/or his wife Mary/Mollie, and that Henry Clay
SCAGGS Sanders is the blood nephew/cousin of Simon T. Sanders, a widow
at the time he takes in and raises Henry Clay. I am thinking that if I
can find the Scaggs-Ferguson connection or the Scaggs-Sanders
connection, this might lead me to one/both birth parents.

If you learn of any thing that offers any clues at, please let me know.

Thank you,


========================================================================
Census records. James Rochester Ferguson and his wife Mary/Mollie adopt
Ambrose Brice (Brice) SCAGGS, Brice adopted is recorded in 1900
census. He is not yet with them in 1870 census below, but is with them
in 1880 census below, and 1900 census below.

1850 AR Hempstead Co., Town of Washington
Furgenson, Elijah 43 M W Farmer 3,000 S. Carolina
Maranda 30 F W Arkansas <= maiden name is Rochester
, Wm J. 12 M W Arkansas school:X
, James R. 10 M W Arkansas school:X <= James Rochester
, Sarah C. 8 F W Arkansas school:X m. James Hannegan
, John H. 5 M W Arkansas school:X
, Eliza J. 1 F W Arkansas

1870 census AR HEMPSTEAD CO. OZAN TWP 423
Fergerson, J. R. 29 farmer AR
M. J. 20 (female) AL [Mary (Mollie)]
J. H. 24 clerk AR [John, J.R.'s brother per 1850 census &
Ferguson researcher Leonard L. Damron]

Note: I have not been able to find Ambrose Brice Scaggs Ferguson on the
1870 census. He was born Feb 1870, and lost his parents 6 weeks later.
He is with his adoptive Ferugson family in 1880 census.

1880 Hempstead Co. DeRoan TWP
E.D. Brown 32 farms TN TN TN
Emily 28 wife
Alice M. 10 dau
Zilla 7 dau
Eddie 5 dau
Franklin J. 3 1/2 son
J. Butler black male 50 laborer
Milly black female 40 wife
J. R. Furguson wm 40 farms <= adoptive father
Mary S. 31 wife <= adoptive mother
Ambrose B. 10 son AR AR AR <= adopted son, per 1900 census
P. F. John black male 50 farms

1900 DeRoan Twp, Hempstead County, Arkansas Census
born - age - years married
Ferguson, J.R. Apr 1840 60 33yr AR KY AR farmer [adoptive father of
Brice] , Mollie Feb 1849 51 no child AL NC NC [no child means none
ever] , Brice Feb 1870 30 6yr AR AR AR farmer adopted [born Ambrose
Brice
(Brice) SCAGGS]
, Mollie O. Feb 1877 23 2 child AL AL AL daughter-in-law [Mary Olive
(Mollie) EASON]
, P.L. Jan 1895 5 AR AR AL grandson [Penn]
, A.A. Apr 1897 3 AR AR AL granddaughter [Alma]

Per Ferguson research Leonard L. Damron: James Rochester Ferguson a
Confederate soldier, veteran number 5176, Co. E., Regt 4, Div. AR-1,
1861-1865, pension applied for on 8 Aug 1906, Hempstead Co., Ark. Son of
Elijah. Elijah born SC but moved to Ky. with parents at about age 4.


From Hempstead Co. Arkansas Marriages:
Ferguson, Elijah to Meranda Rochester;22 Dec.1836 by Geo. Conway, JP.

From Leonard L. Damron:
Ferguson, Elijah mar Meranda ROCHESTER 22 Dec 1836 Hempstead Co AR
son of William and Juda (Wood) Ferguson

========================================================================

3 SCAGGS brothers, all born 1860-1870 in Hempstead Co. Ark.

1. Elias SCAGGS (My Great Grandfather) was born 5 Sep 1860 in Hempstead
Co. AR, below Hope we believe. He lost his parents 6 weeks after his
brother Brice was born Feb 1870. After loosing his parents Elias went
out on his own, making his way working for farmers. My research is based
upon information provided by my mother Effie Torue MOYE Renfro now in
her 70s, and her sister (my Aunt) Nanna MOYE WEBSTER, granddaughters of
Elias H. SCAGGS. We know that Elias and his brother Henry Clay SCAGGS
Sanders maintained close ties as adults and that the two families were
close. As adults, for a period of time, both brothers lived in Spring
Hill, Hempstead Co. Ark.; I suspect this is where (or near where) they
were born.



2. Henry Clay SCAGGS Sanders was born Henry Clay Scaggs in 15 Jan 1863
in Hempstead Co. AR. He and his brothers lost their parents 6 weeks
after their youngest brother Brice was born in Feb 1870. Henry was
raised by Simon T. Sanders family of Hempstead Co. AR. We would like to
find the Scaggs-Sanders connection since this might provide a lead to
one/both birth parents. My research is based upon information provided
by Thomas Mitchell now in his 80s, a grandson of Henry Clay SCAGGS
Sanders.

See #1 above for link to photo of Elias and Henry.

3. Ambrose Brice (Brice) Ferguson was born Ambrose Brice Scaggs on Feb
1870 in Hempstead Co. AR. He lost his parents when he was 6 weeks old.
He was adopted and raised by J.R. Ferguson & his wife Mary J/S/?
(Mollie) of Hempstead Co. AR. We know that his couple had no children of
their own because she appears on 1900 census as no child. We know that
Brice was legally adopted because he appears on the 1900 census as
adopted. We would like to find the Scaggs-Ferguson connection since
this might provide a lead to one/both birth parents. My research is
based upon information provided by my Mother, my Aunt, and Thomas
Mitchell - as explained in #2 and #3.

A.B. Ferguson 24 of Hope married to Mollie Eason 17 of Washington on 28
Feb 1894 by E. D. Turner, JP book L page 22. They married in Hempstead
Co. AR. (Hope and Washington are nearby towns in Hempstead Co.). He is
Ambrose Brice Ferguson; She is Mary (Mollie) Olive EASON, per an EASON
researcher. The EASON researcher sent me a copy of their marriage
certificate, I put a copy on our web site.


========================================================================

Lilla, Great Granddaughter of Elias SCAGGS.

Elias is the bro. of Ambrose Brice SCAGGS Ferguson, and Henry Clay
SCAGGS Sanders. These brothers were adopted by different families.