Fourth child of six born of Ferguson Lumber Co. founder Solon and Mary A. Ferguson.  Back then there was no 12 year graduation program.

Will Elmer Ferguson and his wife Sara Carver Ferguson

 Walter (born in 1860 and died in 1941)) and his brother William E. (known as Will or Billy who was born in 1864 and died in 1943) worked at the sawmill from the time they were youngsters. When Will was eleven, the two boys bought a team of horses (named Mike and Belle) and began hauling timber to the planing mill in Rockville. They got $0.25 per 100 board feet and made $2.50 to $3.50 per day ... the two boys making the equal of one man's pay. And with their earnings they bought their own clothes and paid for their board at home.

In 1880, Walter enrolled in Asbury College (now DePauw) in Greencastle and was initiated into Phi Kappa Psi the same year. The following year, Will followed in his footsteps at Asbury and Phi Kappa Psi ... While at college, Will met Sarah Carver, a student from Rockville and they were married on November 19, 1885 and moved into

the Solon's large house just south of the sawmill. In the meantime, Solon and Walter sold the sawmill to Will and Mr. Fulwider for $6000. Will was then not quite 20 years old. The firm of Fulwider and Ferguson continued until January 1, 1891 at which time Fulwider sold his half interest back to Solon and Walter. The firm name was changed to "Ferguson and Sons.

 William E. Ferguson was very anti-union and his businesses never were union-operated. He treated his employees with respect and fairness and believed that organized unions were not needed at his business. I remember one time, a group of union organizers came up from Terre Haute to try to form a union at the mill. They started "picketing" on the sidewalk in front of the office. Will told them to leave and when they refused, he got a short 2 x 4 and repeated his demand. They left and never came back!

Will married Sarah Carver.  Will owned and operated the family business Ferguson Lumber Co.  They had  two daughters Cleo, born in 1887 who married Frank Wood, an embalmer in Indpls, and Mary Francis Ferguson, born in 1889 who married Brooks Collings and  one son, Benjamin, born in 1900  who died at the age of seven of scarlet fever.  Brooks and Mary operated the Lumber Co. and had 4 children. Louise, Paul, Bill and Dick Collings.  Paul and Dick continued the operations until at their deaths, Dicks son Joe Collings, class  of 69 took over.

The Carver Family Photo

Mary Francis Ferguson (Collings)  is in the front row center.  This picture would have been taken around 1892 when she would have been about four.  Her sister, Cleo Ferguson, class of 1905, is standing behind her.  Their younger brother Ben Ferguson is front row, 2nd from the right.  

Back row  #3 from the left is O.R. Carver   #7 Lida Webb Carver,  wife of J.W.Carver who is right in front of her.  The parents of Mary Francis, Cleo, and Ben are Sara Carver Ferguson and her husband, Will E. Ferguson, #4 and #5 from the left in the back row.

 Front row  Parents of Sara Carver Ferguson are #3 Mrs. Margaret Francis Johnson Carver  and her husband #5 Mr. Benjamine Durham Carver.  #7 from the left is  James W. Carver (his wife, Lida Webb Carver is behind him in the back row.)

1st row) (l to r)
> Clay Carver, Everett Carver, Grandma(?) Carver, Mary Frank
> Ferguson, Grandpa (?) Carver, Ben Carver (son of Oscar), Jim
> Carver. 

Top Row (l to r):  Annie Carver, Ethel
> Carver, Ruby Carver, Oscar Carver, Cleo Ferguson, Sally
> Ferguson, Will Ferguson, Edgar Carver, Bell Carver, Lydia
> Carver.

 

 Picture provided by John Collings.