Vaporstang
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- Joined
- Apr 8, 2014
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My great-great grandfather, Pleasant Calloway Ferguson, 1826 - 1907, was a private in the CSA during the Civil War. Hint … never name your child after an emotion as they will sure turn out the opposite. "Meaner than a junk yard dog" according to neighbors. After serving two years he came home on a furlough at which time my great-great grandmother got pregnant with their seventh child. He returned to war. She died one month after giving birth, more than likely complications of childbirth. Pleasant wasn't allowed to come home for the death of his wife as he had recently been home. Six months later Pleasant was captured during the battle of Hatcher's Run VA 3/31/1865 and confined 4/3/1865 at Point Lookout, MD until he took the Oath of Allegiance 6/26/1865 at Point Lookout, MD. Pleasant was then allowed to return home. During this time, my 13-15 year old great-grandfather John Franklin Ferguson (the oldest of seven), ran the farm, family, and oversaw 100 sharecroppers. Pleasant came home screwed up from the war, POW, loss of wife, etc. John Franklin had gotten sweet on a neighbor, Clarentine, 10 years his senior, who helped John Franklin with the kids and other "things". But when Pleasant returned, he decided he wanted Clarentine for himself. During a fight in the corn bin over Clarentine, John Franklin wacked Pleasant with an ear of corn. That was the last straw, Pleasant promptly kicked John Franklin off the property with nothing but the clothes on his back and forbade him to ever return. He left and never returned. 15 year old John Franklin Ferguson traveled from North Carolina to Texas, the trip took him a full year. The Civil War had torn apart another family. John Franklin was disowned, left $1 in Pleasant's will, as was his sister for simply helping John Franklin when he left. John's first winter in Texas he lived in his wagon turned upside down. How he survived can only be a testament to his toughness. Plowed cotton crops with an ox and bartered that cotton for this Waltham pocket watch and case in 1893. Later he became a Baptist preacher and Mason, owned a small country store that went under during the depression, then reopened a few years later when the economy would support it. John Franklin passed before I was born but somehow I became the caretaker of his pride and joy. Among the six children he had, can only speculate why my grandfather inherited it. My grandfather was blinded in one eye during an at home birth, and John Franklin probably felt sorry for him, more than the others. Why my Dad got it over his two older brothers is not a mystery, my grandparents felt like they never did much to help him as he lived in the next state. The day they gave it to my Dad is documented by a one page note written that day by my mother. The note sounds like my Grandmother talks, can still hear her voice when I read it. True they didn't help my dad, they couldn't. They defined poor, if they didn't grow it, they didn't eat it. My Dad got his first pair of hand me down shoes when he went to first grade, got an eighth grade education, then lied about his age to get in the Navy in WWII. This is his dog tag. The TC is my main squeeze, the submariner goes on in the morning and off at bedtime, yardwork, gym, swimming, etc. Surprising how I can beat on a 13K watch but take great care when using a hundred dollar knife. Guess I know the watch is only headed to my son someday, wearing my patina, to go along with great-grandfather's pride and joy.
Peregrin thanks for inspiring me to share this.
Great story; thanks for sharing. Beautiful watches and gorgeous knife - and awesome picture.
