John Ferguson and Bathsheba Griffith Ferguson of Morgantown, (West) Virginia

Craigdarroch, Monaive, Dumfries, Scotland

John Ferguson, a lineal Descendant of Alexander Ferguson, Laird of Craigdarroch, Scotland

     John Ferguson, my paternal great great great great great great grandfather was born circa 1730 in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Over the years I have corresponded with numerous Ferguson researchers and the consensus is that John's father was Duncan Ferguson (Dunkin).  He was a Jacobite rebel, who was transported to Annapolis, Maryland on the ship Goodspeed on October 18, 1716 and purchased for a seven year term by Captain John Findell.  The Jacobite prisoners on the ship were taken in the Rebellion at Preston in Lancashire, England in 1715. 

     John's mother was Catherine.  On Ancestry various researchers give her maiden name as Cameron and her full name as Catherine Clark Cameron.   There is a court record of a deed dated June 27, 1774 that a widow, Catherine Ferguson of Prince Georges County, Maryland sold to Catherine Lanham wife of William Lanham and granddaughter of said Catherine Ferguson one negro girl named Lucy who was 2 years old. Catherine Ferguson Lanham was the oldest daughter of John Ferguson, so one can conclude that Catherine Ferguson, widow, is John's mother. 

     There is an additional Maryland record that gives William Lanham as “a well beloved friend” of Catherine Ferguson of Frederick County, Maryland power of attorney to collect debts. 

   

      Of note in Bernard L. Butcher's book, "Genealogical and Personal History of the Upper Monongahela Valley," is a story that the Ferguson's are direct descendants of Alexander Ferguson, laird of Craigdarrock, Scotland and Annie Laurie of the Maxwellton House who is celebrated in the Scottish song, "Maxwellton Braes are Bonnie" or more commonly known as "Annie Laurie."

     In 1755 John Ferguson married Bathsheba (Basheba, Bersheba) Griffith and began to raise a family in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Bathsheba was born circa 1734 and was also from Prince Georges County. Her parents were Samuel and Anne Skinner Griffith. Both the Griffith and Skinnner families trace back to the mid 1600's in Maryland.

     John was a farmer with considerable property and slaves. The Ferguson's raised seven known children that were listed in John’s will. There is a possibility of another son, William. He is not named in John’s will, but there are Monongalia County records of him. He is listed as “living out of state.”

     A family member who joined the DAR indicates that John Ferguson served as a private with the 7th Maryland Militia. He joined as a private on December 6, 1776 and was discharged in February 1778.  He would have been around 50 years old at the time of the war. This is the record the application was based on. (Maryland Archives)  There is no other information regarding John's service in the Maryland militia since John and Bathsheba both died before the 1832 Act of Congress granting Revolutionary War veterans pensions. 

1776 Maryland Census Records
Prince Georges Parish

John Fergusson age 51

White Male under age 16--possibly John Ferguson

Bershiba Fergusson age 37

White Female age 20--Rebecca Ferguson ?

White Female age 16--Ann Skinner Ferguson

White Female age 14--Susanna Ferguson

White Female age 11--Vilando Ferguson

Male Slave age 37

Male Slave age 24

Estimated children as ages are also estimated.

     John and Bathsheba's oldest daughter and her husband, William and Catherine Ferguson Lanham, are enumerated below their listing.  They are my paternal great great great great great grandparents.  

     In 1777 there was a law in Maryland for all free males age eighteen and older were required to sign an Oath of Fidelity against the British King.  There is a signed Prince Georges County, Maryland Oath of Fidelity and Support signed by John Ferguson. (Brumbaugh, 259)

1871 and 1872

1786 Decker's Creek Land Purchase

     The Ferguson's decided to move west in the mid 1780's and by 1786, "John Forgoson" had purchased 400 acres on Decker's Creek in Monongalia County, Virginia. This area is located in present day Morgantown, West Virginia. In addition to the this piece of property, John also owned 200 acres “east of his land”, 440 acres on Three Fork Creek, 100 acres south of Decker’s Creek extending from Decker’s Creek to Aarons Creek, and a tavern on Lot 11 in Morgans Town owned jointly with his son in law, Farquier McRa.

     Four of John and Bathsheba's married daughters and their families also relocated in Morgantown. These were the families of William and Catherine Ferguson Lanham, William and Rebecca Ferguson Wilson, Joseph and Ann Skinner Ferguson Wilson and Farquier and Susannah Ferguson McRa. Only one daughter, Vialindo Ferguson Beall (Bell) stayed in Maryland.

     The Ferguson's farm was considered a plantation and according to the 1787 tax return for Monongalia County, John had 6 black slaves working for him. He also owned 5 horses and 7 cows.

     I have seen no other records of the Ferguson family until John's death in 1796. In a will dated December 4, 1793, John left all his worldly goods to his wife and children. This included a plantation on Decker's Creek and three slaves. It is presumed that he his buried in Morgantown. The exact location of his grave is unknown and with time the stone has probably been destroyed.

     Bathsheba continued to live on the plantation with her daughter Peggy and son John. In 1798 a male slave belonging to Bathsheba was involved in a court case which lead to the first hanging in Monongalia County. A slave girl was found guilty of burning her master's barn along with a male slave named Will, who was owned by Bathsheba Ferguson. The girl was hanged and Will, who was accused as an accessory to the crime, was burnt on the hand and received thirty lashes.

     Bathsheba died at about the age of 66 during 1799 or early 1800. Monongalia County court records show many entries concerning the will and dissolution of the Ferguson estate. It should be noted that Bathsheba signed her own name to her will in 1799 which was certainly not common for women in the late 1700's. William Lanham and Farquier McRa, two of Bathsheba's son-in-law's, were the executors. The first court document was recorded in 1802 and claims continued to be filed for and against the estate until after 1807.

The Children of John Ferguson and Bathsheba Griffith Ferguson:

1. Catherine Ferguson born in 1756 in Maryland died after 1830 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia married William Lanham.  (my paternal great great great great great grandparents)
2. Rebecca Ferguson born in 1759 in Maryland died 1823 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia married William Wilson.
3. Anne Skinner Ferguson born in 1760 in Maryland died in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia married Joseph Wilson.
4. Susannah Fergsuon born on December 19, 1762 in Maryland married Farquier McRa.
5. Vialindo (Lydia) Fergsuon born on August 10, 1766 in Maryland married Zepaniah Beall. Vialindo is listed as a widow in Montgomery County, Maryland in 1806 and she and her nephew, Alexander Ferguson Lanham disposed of sixty acres of land on Deckers Creek in Monongalia County which was a portion of Margaret Ferguson’s inheritance from her father.
6. Margaret (Peggy) Ferguson born in 1779 in Prince Georges County, Maryland died before 1799 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia.
7. John Ferguson born in 1777 or 1781 in Prince Georges County and married Elizabeth (possibly maiden name Hamilton)before 1897. By his father’s will, John received the upper portion of the Deckers Creek property where he was already living. He also purchased lot #105 in Morgans Town and in 1797, 400 acres on Indian Creek. Before 1804 he and Elizabeth moved to Ohio County, Maryland where he died in 1829. 

Sources:

Brumbaugh, Gaius Marcus.  Maryland Records:  Colonial, Revolutionary, County, and Church. Volume II, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Maryland, 1975, page 259.

Butcher, Bernard L.  Genealogical and Personal History of the Upper Monongahela Valley, Volume I, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Maryland, 1978, page 957.

Maryland Archives.  Records of Maryland Troops in Continental Service, Volume 18, page207.

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



Charles Edward Stark--Three New Finds

     Every so often I search my Newspaper.com subscription on Ancestry and even though I have previously typed in a family name and found articles, much to my surprise, something new is revealed.  Such happened the other day.

     Charles Edward Stark, my maternal grandfather, had two genealogy prize winning articles.  I never knew him as he died before I was born.  I do not remember my maternal grandmother, Martha Marie Frederick Stark (aka Teek), ever telling me tidbits of his life.  My mother had very fond memories of her father; however, naturally nothing of his life before her memories.  

     I love newspaper articles.  If you are lucky enough to find them, they give a little slice of the personal life.  

     My grandfather utilized several different methods of signing his name--Charles Edward Stark, Charles E. Stark, Charles Stark, C. Stark and the most often C.E. Stark.  This is one reason why I continue to find new articles.  

The Pittsburgh Post
July 19, 1903
page 8

     This was a surprise to me.  Grandfather Stark, a member of a town baseball team, The Avalons.  A person who played or enjoyed sports was a very new piece of his personality to me.  Mom said he was very refined, enjoyed listening to opera records on his victrola and reading Shakespeare.  No mention of sports.       

The Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette
September 6, 1903
page 15

Close up of team member in the uniform

     Finding this article took some work.  C. Stark is pictured with The Avalons baseball team in a suit because he was the manager.  While searching newspapers.com, it appears that my grandfather filled in as manager for the 1903 season.  

The Pittsburgh Press
December 3, 1905
page 29

     I had the picture of Grandfather Stark with the instrument, which I incorrectly labeled a trumpet. 😁  On the 1910 Pennsylvania census, the Stark family was enumerated as living at 530 Marie Avenue, Avalon, Pennsylvania.  

Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph
Saturday, May 29, 1929
page 13

     

     My mother told me of her Dad's involvement with the church.  They were members of the Bellevue Methodist Episcopal Church commonly referred to as the Greenstone Church.  My grandfather was an accountant and he kept the books for the church. 

     This book, The Silent Shepherd, written by Dr. John Benjamin Magee, minister of the church, signed a copy for my grandfather calling him "Old Reliable".  

     I know I have mentioned this before on Flipside.....pulling the trigger on subscribing to Newspaper.com on Ancestry continues to be money well spent.

 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

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Giving Thanks for the Old Time Hughes Thanksgiving

     I crossed age 78 this year and am the oldest in my greater US Hughes Family.  My brother Ken's death this year also places me in the position of being the only one in the US Hughes Family who lived through our grandparents (Grams and Pop Pop) time in the 1950's at an age to have vivid memories.  A collection of those memories are about Thanksgiving and, although many I have verbally told, it is high time to "put pen to paper" and get them out on Flipside.

     My memories go back to elementary school days.  Paternal grand parents, George Henry Hughes (Pop Pop) and Sarah (Sara) Margaret VanGilder Hughes (Grams) lived in a duplex in the Borough of Bellevue, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.  168 Lincoln Avenue held  Hughes Family Thanksgiving meals from 1950 to 1956.  

     There are precious few photographs from the gatherings and the three years that are covered are 1953, 1955 and 1956. 

     From about 1957 until Pop Pop retired in 1962, The Thanksgiving celebration was held at their second apartment, also in the Borough of Bellevue.  During these years I have "iron glad" memories as I was in late elementary school, then junior high and finally sophomore year in high school.  

Pop Pop, Grams, Great Grandma Hughes, 
my maternal grandmother, Aunt Faith, Cousin Kae
and me peeking from the side of the photo

      I just located this photograph.  Taken by Dad, Thanksgiving 1953 at the Lincoln Avenue apartment.  Dad was back from Korea that summer.  Mom and Ken are not pictured.  

    

Front Row:  Me and Ken
Second Row:  Dad, Pop Pop, Aunt Barb, Mom
Back Row:  Grams, Aunt Faith, Uncle Ed, Great Grandma Hughes, Jeff, Uncle John

     

     This was the one entire family Thanksgiving celebration.  Thank you Dad for capturing us in this freeze fame of our life. 💖 My youngest brother, Jeff, was born in May and Aunt Faith and Uncle Ed were married in May.  Aunt Barb and Uncle John were expecting their first child, Fran.  

Actually 1956

Actually 1956

1956

     There were a few more 1956 Thanksgiving photographs.  Uncle John and Aunt Barb were not present; however, my maternal grandmother is in the pictures.  I am sure she was also at the 1955 Thanksgiving, just not in the one photograph.  I reevaluated these sets of photos and realized I mistakenly labeled them all 1955, not noticing that folks were wearing different clothes.  Rooky mistake. 😁 

Memories

     Lincoln Avenue apartment had a HUGE kitchen.  The women would be in the kitchen having coffee and chatting while Grams was working on the meal.  The men and Great Grandma Hughes were in the living room having drinks and laughing.  After the table was cleared, the women would be back in the kitchen doing the dishes allowing Grams to sit.

     As a kid I found it funny that Wild Turkey was one of the bottles that was poured in the living room.....on Thanksgiving.

     A joke Uncle John played on his wife, Barb, was sneaking into the kitchen and shooting her in the leg with a spray bottle of anesthetizing liquid.  Maybe some new medical product Dad brought for either Grams or Pop Pop's use.

     I can remember the plates that were always used.  White plates with green ivy leaves around the edge.  Some were chipped.  Coffee or tea in cups and saucers were on the table and served with the meal.  No wine.

     The North Bryant apartment was smaller--a two bedroom.  Everyone gathered in the living room or sat at the table before the meal was served.

     The kitchen was small.  Grams was in there readying the feast.  Pop Pop was the potato masher.  The women relieved Grams of kitchen duty after the dinner, clearing the table and washing the dishes.

     Pop Pop always called the sweet potatoes....yams and as a joke the green beans....bems.  

     Grams' food was always so wonderful.  Nothing fancy.  Just delicious.  

     Her baked items...wowee!  There were always two pies.  Pumpkin and mincemeat.  Although Grams was a teetotaler, she still put a little somethin-somethin in the mincemeat.  One year Pop Pop added another healthy pour.  Best pie ever.  LOL

      I have covered this in other blogs about Grams; however, I want to add it again here.  Grams learned her cooking and baking skills from her mother, Jessie Pool VanGilder.  Jessie ran boarding houses after her husbands death and Grams and her sisters grew up assisting their mother with household and kitchen chores.  When her girls were grown, Jessie was a stewardess (the cook) on river boats.

     Jessie was skilled at baking, breads and sweets.  My Dad told me of coming home from school and knew when his Grandmother VanGilder was in town from the aroma of the baking bread wafting toward him as he entered the house.  I do not have a memory of Grams baking bread.

     My Mom told me when remembering Grams....whenever Grams wanted something sweet, she would find a recipe in a magazine and bake it to have with her tea.  

The usual Thanksgiving Meal

• Turkey
• Stuffing
• Mashed potatoes
• Gravy with giblets (I don't have them in my gravy...lol)
• Green Beans (bems)
• Candied Yams
• Rolls and Butter
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce
• Coffee, tea and milk for the grandchildren
• Pumpkin Pie
• Mincemeat Pie

 

Grams and Pop Pop dressed for
Faith and Ed's wedding

     Nothing to do with Thanksgiving; however, a favorite photo of mine from the 1950's....clear and in color.  They both look terrific!!!  Grams was a seamstress.  The plan was for her to make Aunt Faith's dress and probably her own.  Unfortunately she broke her arm and was unable to do any of the sewing.  She is wearing long white gloves to cover the cast on her arm.  

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



Mary Tomlinson Houston--Tombstone Tuesday

Find A Grave photograph
by Nicholas Laraway 2023

Mary and Purnell Houston
Tombstones back to back
My photograph

Mary
Houston
Born   18--
Departed this life
January 31, 1830 ?

     Mary Houston and her husband Purnell Houston were originally buried in the Old Hill Family Cemetery.  In 1928 their caskets along with the caskets of Robert and Rebecca Caldwell Hill were removed from the Old Hill Family Cemetery to Mt. Union Cemetery.

     There is a controversy surrounding Mary's maiden name.  Tomlinson/Tumlinson and Carey are both shown in various documents.  Was she married to someone else before Purnell?  Did Purnell marry two separate women with the name of Mary?

     One of the clues in determining her possible maiden name is the will of Cary Tumlinson of Kent County, Delaware dated November 18, 1790.  He bequeath one half part of his estate to Mary Houston to be paid annually in the sum of pounds until her amount of the estate is reached.  If she should die before the amount is reached, then the annual amount is to be divided among her living children until then reach the age of twenty-one.

     "and whereas it is the wish of Purnel Houston and the said Mary Houston his wife--that the said Mary Houston should relinquish her claim of twenty pounds per year and that the said bequest should be received in one sum and laid out in lands in the counties of Monongalia or Harrison Commonwealth of Virginia for the benefit of said Mary Houston and that such lands when purchases shall be made the surity to William Candy who was left executor of the will afordsaid.  Provided he should be willing to pay the aforesaid bequest in one sum.  Therefore we Purnel Houston and Mary Houston wife of said Purnel, do by these present constitute and appoint Benjamin Reeder of Morgan Town in the county of Monongalia in the Commonwealth of Virginia our true and lawful attorney"

  Benjamin Reeder was to facilitate the above portion of the will for Mary and Purnell.  The above was signed by both Mary and Purnell on October 3, 1796.

  Mary and Purnell's daughter, Sarah Houston Hill, named a son Alexander Carey Hill, perhaps for her maternal uncle Cary Tumlinson?

 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

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William Lanham and Catherine Ferguson of Monongalia County (West) Virginia

       The Lanham family dates back to 1678 in Prince Georges County when John Lanham first arrived on the Ship Dover from London along with 33 other passengers. John Lanham was indentured to Benjamin Rorer. According to county documents, John was born circa 1660 and died in 1751. He had two wives, Dorothy and Elizabeth. A son, William born circa 1700 to John and Dorothy Lanham. He married Alice Tolburt and they were probably the parents of John Lanham and the grandparents of William. The only other known sibling of William Lanham is his sister Drusilla.

     William Lanham, my paternal great great great great great grandfather, was born on February 4, 1753 to John and Catherine Lanham. The Lanham family lived in Prince Georges County, Maryland and there are records to indicate that William was born in Piscataway Parish. 

     My paternal great great great great great grandmother, Catherine Ferguson has two different records of birth.  Only years are given--1756 and 1757.  She was the daughter of John Ferguson and Bathsheba Griffith.  Prince Georges County, Maryland is the location given for Catherine's birth.

     In 1772, at age nineteen, William purchased 400 acres of land in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia (Core, 204)

     At this point in the story there surfaces a discrepancy in dates.  There are records that William Lanham and Catherine Ferguson were married as early as 1774 and a Maryland record for August 29, 1777.

     There is a record on August 29, 1777 that twenty-four year old William Lanham married Catherine Ferguson the 21/22 year old daughter of John Ferguson and Bathsheba Griffith also of Prince Georges County. 

      This is the first discrepancy I found of the marriage date of 1777.  On June 28, 1774 a deed was recorded from Catherine Ferguson, widow, of Prince Georges County, Maryland to her granddaughter, Catherine Lanham of Prince Georges County, Maryland, wife of William Lanham, a Deed of Gift, for "one negro girl named Lucy about two years old."       

1776 Parish Census Record

     There is a Prince George Parish of Prince Georges County, Maryland record in 1776 that shows William and Catherine as married. There is one male white age 15 to 50 and 2 female whites.  William is listed as age 26 and Catherine age 2? and an 18 year old.  Catherine's age is difficult to read.  No slaves are listed.  The 18 year old could be a sibling of either William or Catherine or live in house help that is white.  Note that Catherine's parents, John and Bathsheba Ferguson are also enumerated on the same page.

     There is a listing in the Muster Rolls of Maryland for William Lanham enrolled in Frederick County, Maryland on July 13, 1776 for service in The American Revolution.(Maryland Historical Society, 43)  There are Lanham's all throughout Maryland at this time and I have not determined whether or not this William Lanham is my paternal great great great great great grandfather.

     There are records of only three children born to the Lanham's. Sometime before 1790, William and Catherine headed west, moving their family to Monongalia County, Virginia which today is Morgantown, West Virginia. Catherine's parents, the Ferguson's also moved to Morgantown and were property owners by 1786. There seems to be some question as to whether Vilender Lanham (my paternal great great great great grandmother) was born in Maryland or Virginia. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the Lanham's were in the process of moving west during her birth.

     William Lanham owned property and slaves in Monongalia County. He was a saddler by trade and also farmed. The first record of the family in Morgantown is dated July 25, 1790. Bishop Francis Asbury, the great Methodist circuit rider, paid his third visit to Morgantown and spent the night at the home of "William Lenham sadlor." (Core, 183)

     In 1799, William served as a jailer for 50 cents a day in Morgantown. During the early 1800's, William served on a variety of grand juries in Monongalia County and was asked to testify for many court cases. He was also asked to help survey some of the early roads that were laid from Morgantown. 

     From 1800-1807 there are annual court documents regarding the Ferguson estate, for which William Lanham was an executor. 

 

     Catherine Lanham also has some records in the county court. In 1803 she had a peace bond sworn out against her by George R. Tingle and in 1806 Catherine was asked to testify that she delivered of Sarah Foster, widow, a male bastard child and in 1811, listed as “Cathy Lanham” she was summoned to testify at court.

1801 Tax Record
Monongalia County, (West) Virginia

     There are numerous records of William and Catherine Lanham in Monongalia County beginning in 1800. William is part of the early tax records dating 1801, 1802, 1804 and 1805. 

1810 (West) Virginia Census
Monongalia County
August 6, 1810

Wm Lanham

Males age 45 and over--1  William Lanham

Females under 10 years old--1  Mary Lanham

Females age 10 through 15--1  Vilender Lanham

Females age 45 and over--1  Catherine Ferguson Lanham

Enslaved Persons--3

 

     It is interesting to note one paternal great great great great great grandfather, William Lanham sold 134 acres on October 27, 1817 to another paternal great great great great great William Frum for $269.00. In 1818 these two families were not united.  On May 14, 1839 William Lanham Pool married Anna Louise Frum, my paternal great great great grandparents.

1820 (West) Virginia Census
Eastern Division, Monongalia County
August 7, 1820

William Landan (Lanham)

Males age 45 and over--1  William Lanham

Female age 16 thru 25--1  Mary Lanham

Female age 45 and over--1  Catherine Ferguson Lanham

Male Slave under age 14--1

Male Slave age 26 thru 45--1

Male Slave age 45 and over--1

Female Slave age 14 thru 25--1

Persons engaged in agriculture--1 

     I can find no 1830 census enumeration for William or Catherine Lanham.  Her only living child, Mary Lanham Morgan does not have seniors enumerated in her family.  

     There are two Lanham's enumerated in Monongalia County, Benjamin W. Lanham and Thomas Lanham.  I have no knowledge if these two men are members of my Lanham family or how they connect.  Benjamin does have a white woman in Catherine's age group enumerated and he is living in the Eastern District where William and Catherine lived.  Thomas Lanham, also living in the Eastern District does not have a white woman Catherine's age enumerated with the family.

  Of interest are the other Lanham families (Clement, Archibald, Thomas) living in Monongalia County in the late 1790's and early 1800's. There are no records indicating that they are related.  Both Benjamin W. Lanham and Thomas Lanham mentioned above are sons of Archibald Lanham and both were born in Prince Georges County, Maryland.  There is a widow, Lucy Ann Lanham, born in Maryland in 1767.  In the 1850 Eastern District, Monongalia County census she is enumerated with Rebecca Lanham.  

        

     William Lanham died in 1830. His will is dated August 31, 1830 and probated November, 1830.  The will only covers the property of his deceased son, Alexander Ferguson Lanham that was willed to William and is in the chancellery court.  He desired Charles S. Morgan to prosecute and recover those lands.   His son-in-law, Asby Pool also received a parcel of land in the South Park area of Morgantown. 

     Charles Stephen Morgan was at the time of the will, residing in Monongalia County and a member of the Virginia State Senate.  Charles was the brother of Henry Somerville Morgan, William Lanham's son-in-law.

     The exact date of Catherine Ferguson Lanham's death is unknown.  She signed the Will of her husband in November 1830 but she is not part of the 1840 federal census.  

     It is unknown where both William and Catherine Lanham are buried.

Known children of William Lanham and Catherine Ferguson:

1. Alexander Ferguson Lanham born 1773? died in (West) Virginia prior to 1830. County records show that Alexander purchased 100 acres in Dunkard Creek in Monongalia County in 1794. There are a few court records for him in 1807. Alexander F. Lanham has delinquent tax records for property owned in Alexander Brandon’s District in 1809 and 1810. His estate was in the Court of Chancery at Clarksburg, (West) Virginia in 1830 and he willed his property to Charles Morgan, the brother of Henry Somerville Morgan, his sister, Mary’s, husband.
2. Vilender Lanham born 1785 died circa 1830 in Monongalia County married Reverend Asby Pool. (my paternal great great great great grandparents)
3. Mary Lanham born August 23, 1803 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia died June 23, 1889 married Henry Somerville Morgan about 1824. Henry Somerville Morgan was the grandson of David Morgan the celebrated Indian fighter. He was a tanner and the family lived in the Paw Paw District of Marion County in Rivesville. Henry and Mary raised eight children: Louise M. Morgan born about 1825 married John C. Gallahue and had one son, Harry; Charles R. born in October 23, 1823 married Harriet Fairfax and had one child, May who married C.W. Wolfe; William Lanham Morgan born January 6, 1831 a physician; Edward Livingston Morgan born about 1833 married Susan Ellen Barnes and Eliza Weltz; Stephen A. Morgan born about 1835 married Louise Huffman and had Stephana and Otilla; Sarah K. Morgan born about 1839; and Henry H. B. Morgan, a minister, born July 3, 1847 married Myrtle Merrill and had Lily Sarah who married W. W. Davis and Eva Myrtle who married R.A. Watts.

       Henry died September 26, 1873 and Mary died on June 23, 1886.

Sources

Core, Earl.  The Monongalia Story.  Prelude, McClain Publishing, date?, page 204.

Core, Earl.  The Monongalia Story. I.  The Pioneers, McClain Publishing, 1976, page 183.

Maryland Historical Society, Muster Rolls and Other Records of Service in the American Revolution 1775-1783, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Maryland, 1900.

 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser