I have not been able to find Zack's obituary. I did find an article in a Pine Bluff , Arkansas newspaper dated a few days after the train wreck at Bodcaw Creek. It was very sad. It seems that Zack was the engineer. He had been working in the in shop and wanted to stop engineering and stay at home with his family. The rail road was short of engineers and they asked Zack if he would make a last run . He was to take a load of rice and caskets to Texarkana, Arkansas. He agreed. It was in the day time - July 1, 1894 the train was rounding a hill near Bodcaw creek. The bridge was on fire the hill obscured the smoke from the fire. Zack and the fireman did not see the fire until it was too late to stop the train safely. When the train skidded upon the bridge the bridge collapsed. One of the box cars that was carrying rice came up over the tinder and spilled out. One of Zack's legs got caught in the coupling between the engine and tinder. The Rice coverd Zack up to his waist. Zack knew he was caught and couldn't get out unless someone cut his leg off. He reached up to the box car and grabbed an ax. He held the ax out to the men standing around him . He begged the men to cut his leg of so he would not burn to death. No one had the courage. Just before he died he reached in his watch pocket and took out his pocket watch. He handed it to a man standing by (Mr. Bell I believe). The paper quoted Zac's last words. " Here's my watch, boys, tell my wife that I loved her and that she was the last thing on my mind." The paper said that the body was so badly burned that Zack could not be recognized. I understand that Mr. Bell and Mr. O'Neal were badly burned also from trying to get Zack out from the wreck. Zack was the president of is local engineer's union. He was an inventor. He had invented the first hand rolled tube/flu roller for boilers. It is still in use today. Mr. Bell or one of the men found what appeared to be an airplane in Zack's home Shop. Zack (Zacharias) Joseph Ferguson born July 28, 1851 and died July 1, 1894. Hale South funeral home in Pine Bluff, Arkansas has the record of Zack's funeral service on file. Zack is buried in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The rail road paid for the service and had a large marker placed at the head of Zack's grave. Zack was married to Eliza Jane (Taylor, O'rourk, Golden) a niece of President Zackery Taylor - as I am told. They had eight children. One of the children died in Jackson, Tenn at the age of 7 on June 18, 1887. His name was Zachary A. He is buried in Jackson , Tenn - I understand near Casey Jones (the famous engineer). Casey was Zack's first cousin - I was told when I was a young man. The other children by Zack and Eliza were : Mary Magdeline b. in Jackson, Tenn. March 23, 1873 d. Feb. 13, 1950 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. . Married Seward Henry Zoller. Had four children. Josephine Jerome b. in Jackson, Tenn. November 7, 1877 d. September 29, 1914 in Shreveport, La. Married William Johnson and Charlie B. Bland. had 1 child by Johnson and 3 children by Bland William Leo b. October 15, 1878 in Jackson, Tenn. d. Jan. 18, 1942 in Long Beach, Cal. buried in Pine Bluff, AR. Married Edna Earle Hector (Cherokee Indian). Had 3 children one died during childbirth with Edna. Neil Francis .b. January 13, 1881 in Jackson , Tenn. d. Feb. 12, 1964 in Pine Bluff, AR. Married Martha Schnabel. 5 children. Ethel Eudoxia b. April 11, 1884 in Jackson, Tenn d. February 5, 1962 in Pine Bluff, AR. married Fred W. Enderby. 3 Children Zachary A. b. 1880 in Jackson, Tenn d. June 18, 1887 in Jackson, Tenn. Regina (aka Jean) b. 1892 d. 1938 or 39 married Jimmy Boyd . They lived in Shreveport, La. for a time. No children Catherine Veronica b. Feb. 19, 1894 unknown place of birth . Iguess in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. d. 1951 or 52. Married Earl (Babe) Fuller and Nightclub owner and sometime gangster. - No Children. I have the names of the grandchildren of Zack and Eliza Ferguson . If you need them let me know. I have been trying to find the parents of Zack and Eliza but have had no luck. I do know that Zack was Irish Catholic and born in New York City. Eliza Jane was born in Chicago, Ill. - as I am told. I understand that she was a "dyed in the wool Confederate'" until the day she died. It is believed that she had a cousin that was a nun in Alabama and Zack had a cousin also who was a nun in Alabama. It is believed that Zack's father was a Confederate soldier and Eliza had several brothers who served in the Confederate Army also. Eliza was b. Aug. 1, 1856 d. March 29, 1931. I can give some history on the Children Ethel , William and Neil if you need. Let me know . I'll close for now . Hope that this is what you wanted. Bill Ferguson
Hello, I am looking for Fergusons from Alabama also. My great-grandfather lived in Mobile during the War Between the States. It is believed that he made bullets for the Confederacy and that his father served in the Confederate Army. I don't know who is father and mother were. It is also believed that he was one of seven children who were either born in New York, Doublin , Ireland or Mobile , Ala. can't confirm and get all sorts of stories.His name is Zacharias (a.k.a. Zack) Joseph Ferguson. I do know that he was born July 28, 1851 and was killed in a train crash near Bodcaw, Arkansas on July 1, 1894. He is buried in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. His wife is also buried there. Her name is Eliza Jane Golden (Taylor or O'Rourk) Ferguson born August 1, 1856 died March 29, 1931. Her and Zack had eight children all were bornin Jackson, Tenn. (Madison County). Zack was a locomotive engineer and inventor. Eliza & Zack's children : Mary Magdeline - b. March 28, 1873 d. Feb. 13, 1850 in Tulsa, Ok. she married Seward Henry Zoller Josephine Jerome Ferguson - b. Nov. 7, 1877 d. Sept. 29, 1914 i Shreveport, La. married twice : John William Johnson they had one child Chalie B. Bland they had three children William Leo b. Oct. 15, 1878 d. Jan. 18, 1942 married twice : Edna Earl Hector - (Cherokee Indian) b. May 29, 1884 d. in child birth Sept. 3, 1907 Three children - girl who died in childbirth. And Two sons. William Watson b. Oct. 4 , 1900 d. Sept.17, 1990 buried in Little Rock, Ar Edwin Earl - b. July 24, 1902 still living in New Orleans, La. maried Orilla May (Mae) Cole - who had three children from a previous marriage. by a man of the name Dixon. Neil Francis - b. Jan. 13, 1881 d. Feb. 12, 1964 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas married once : Martha Schnabel -b. Jan. 19, 1880 d. Aug. 28, 1957 They had three children : Olive b. Oct. 13, 1902 d. July 12, 1986 Lydia Mary b. Sept. 24, 1904 d. July 1997 Zachary H. (Henry?) - b.Nov. 1906 d. March 24, 1908 George Leroy b. Jan. 10,1916 d. April 10, 1916 Neil Francis , Jr. b. June19, 1913 died in LeSear, France. Ethel Eudoxia b. April 11, 1884 d. Feb. 5, 1962 maried once : Fred W. Enderby - they had three children : Eugene Jerome ; Geraldine Elizabeth & AliceBernice Zachary A. - b. 1880 d. June 18, 1887- buried in Jackson, TN. Regina b. born 1892 died 1938 or 39 place unknown.Maried Jimmy Boyd - no known children. Catherine Veronica - b. Feb. 19, 1894 d. 1951 or 52 (maybe 53) in New York married Earl (Babe) Fuller. Night club owner and ganster from New York. No children known The reason I wrote all this, is in the hopes that some one of these people make a connection. All were Catholic. Most of their children and grand children became Baptist or Methodis or another demonination. Thanks , Bill Ferguson
Hi Sandy, To answer your question about Zack Ferguson. The article on the train wreck at Bodcaw Creek, Arkansas is on file in the library in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. A poem written by Mrs M.V. Hepp appeared in the July 28, 1894 Saturday) publication of the New Lewisville paper . His two sons Neil & William) received a lifetime employment from the rail road. Neil took the lifetime job and retired from the rail road as a machinist & blacksmith. Will, my grand father, worked for a while but spent most of his life job to job. He died in LongBeach, California January 18, 1942. He is buried in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in the City Cemetery. Neil died Feb. 12, 1964 . He is buried in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. That is all to compensation that I konw that the family got from the rail road. His wife Eliza Jane was left to raise seven children alone. To my knowledge she had no living relatives other than her children. She died March 29, 1931 and is buried in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery also. Oh. The rail road did pay for the funeral and had a very nice marker placed at Zack's grave. Zack had the the most expensive funeral in the month of July. He was buried from Hale South Funeral Home. Their records indicate the cost of Zack's funeral was $99.50. List : Hurst $10.00 Carrage $18.00 Grave $ 1.50 Embalm $ 5.00 Casket $65.00 (not a coffin) Total : $99.50 I thought it interesting that they had funeral records back that far. I am still trying to find out who is parents were. I know that he was born in New York. He was Irish and Catholic. His parents were from Dublin, Ireland. He was an inventor. Zackinvented the first hand rolled tube (Flue) roller for boilers. It is still in use. My cousin Mike Zoller once told me that when Zack's machine shop at home was cleaned out they found the makings of what appeared to be an airplane. I do know that Zack was tall (6 ft plus) and he was blonde or had light brown hair. There are no pictures of him. One of my crazy cousins burned them. That is another story. I understand that Zack made bullets for the Confederacy during the time he lived in Mobile, Alabama. I was told that his father served in the Confederate Army. The Children and Grand Children of Zack and Eliza Ferguson : Mary Magdeline Ferguson Zoller b. March 23, 1873 d. Feb. 13, 1950 her four children: Lawrence Joseph Zoller b. April 21, 1895 d. July 12, 1973 - in Tulsa, Ok. first wife Marie Antoinette Gueny-Biget - they had 3 children second wife Hise Baird - they had no children Henry Eugene Zoller . May 22,1900 d. May 13, 1981 - in San Antonio, TX married once : Ruth Debois - they had 3 children John Anthony Zoller b. Oct. 19, 1903 d. June 5, 1981 - in Tulsa, Ok maried once : Alice Christine Morrison - they had 1 child Marvin "MIke" Edwin Zoller b. April 5, 1906 d. (unknown) - in Kilgore, TX married : Genevieve FlorencePecore - they had 4 children Josephine Jerome Ferguson b. Nov. 7, 1877 d. Sept. 29, 1914 her four children first mariage : John William Johnson - they had 1 child John William Johnson,Jr. b. Oct. 1900 d. (unknown) second marriage : Charlie B. Bland - they had 3 children Mary Josephine Bland b. Sept. 20, 1907 d. July 1988 Evangeline Bland b. 1909 d. unknown) Charlie Bland, Jr. dates b.&d. unknown William Leo Ferguson b. Oct. 15, 1878 d. Jan. 18, 1942 his three children : first marriage : Edna Earle Hector - they had 3 children William Watson Ferguson b. Oct. 4, 1900 d. Sept. 19, 1990 Edwin Earl Ferguson b. July 24, 1902 - still living in 1998 Daughter and mother died during birth Sept. 3, 1907 second marriage : Orilla Mae Cole - b. (?) d.(?) 3 adopted children Royce, Boots and Iona dates d. & b. unknown Neil Francis Ferguson b. January 13, 1881 d. Feb. 12, 1964 his five children married Marth Schnabel - they had 5 children Olive Ferguson Snyder - no children Lydia Marie Ferguson Slater - no children Zachary H. Ferguson - died at age 2 George Leroy - died age 3 months old Neil Fredick (Fredrick) - 1 child girl Enid who married Kent Keyser Ethel Eudoxia b. April 11, 1884 d. Feb. 5, 1962 married Fred W. Enderby - they had three children Eugene Jerome Enderby b. June 19, 1905 d. 11-23-81 Geraldine Elizabeth Enderby Bluerock b.10-27-1908 Alice Bernice Enderby Songer b. Sept. 13,1919 Zachary A. Ferguson b. 1880 d. June 18, 1887 - Regina "Jean" Ferguson b. 1892 place of birth unknown d. 1938-39 place of death unknown : it is believed that she had no children married to Jimmy Boyd in Shreveport, La. Catherine Veronica "Ronnie" Ferguson b. Feb. 19, 1894 in Pine Bluff, AR d. 1951 or 52 in New York or Hoboken,New Jersey : it is believed that she had no children -- married to Earl (Babe) Fuller