Dave Ferguson and other brothers and cousins were actively concerned in improvement of the horticultural and agriculture aspects of Howell County. Unusual trees and shrubs can still be found on the William Milo and Elizabeth (Hogan) Ferguson homestead.


Many of the companies from which Dave Ferguson purchased seeds, farming equipment, etc. offered Memorandun and Account Books as "gimmees". The booklets are full of advertisements, but also include space for notes - which Grandpa Dave used to the fullest. The oldest I found was dated 1895, from the David Bradley Mfg. Co. of Chicago, Illinois, an implement company, which he apparently received through their agent in Willow Springs, G. H. Clark & Son, Agents. Grandpa wrote notes to himself, included a few addresses, and sometimes a lot of talley marks, with no discernable meaning. He pastured stock for other parties, and kept track, using his own methods, of what different people owed. The date of the booklet seemed to have no relationship to his notes.

Example:
D S Ferguson, his Book

J Davis 1
V.G.E. June 3
-- Aug 30
-- Oct 13

Received of V Ednidee on Pasture 1905
Jun $2.00
July 12 2.00
August 42.00

to Fisher 50
to Sass $1.70
to Clark $5.50
to Clark 80
to Sass l.00


Cows on Pasture
V Edredge 2 cows
May 11.95
Paid $6.00
A calf at 75 cts per month put on Pasture July 14 Hogs June 1

James Gooch 2 bolts on Pasture Jul 19 at 1.50 cts per head

Jesse Bunch hogs in lot June 20

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Addresses and some notes found in some of the booklets:

John Teal
3121 South 7 St
Tacoma, Wash

J H Shibley
Vewalla, Okla

Land McGomic Loan, 20 A of So W of So W Section 13 Range 10 West

J. H. Cochran
1326 Boonville
Springfield, Mo

A Vandandique
(address smudged)

Mrs Mary Hogan
Greeneville, Tenn
Rfd No 2

James Edson
Justin, Texas

A Vandandique started for his home in Mich today. (Written in space for Mar 2 1906)

A Vandandique died on the 23 day of Jan 1911 at Prairie du Rocher, Ill

Alford Holden started for his home at Elgen, Ill Today, (Written on space for Mar 13 1906)

Piece of newspaper cut out, and in a booklet: Gray Hair Made Dark by a harmless Home Wash. Makes hair grow, cures dandruff and restores gray, streaked or faded hair to natural color, beauty and softness. Contains no poisons; will not stain scalp. Can prepare it yourself for few cents. Full directions and recipe 20c. Mrs A Huntley, 6982 Delmar Ave, St Louis, Mo.

Found colt May 2 1908

More addresses:

A. Vandandique
Prairie du Rocher, randolph Co, Ill

Chas Francis
Alamosa, Colo, TFD 2

S. P Linebaugh
Alamosa, Colo

James Edson
Italy, Texas

J. H. Warner
Hollis, Ok

J. H. Shibley
Newalla, Okla

J. E. Edson
Justin, Tex

Mrs. S. P. Byers
1102 north Prospect
Tacoma, Wash

Hay Sold in 1908
Mrs Edwards 1 ton 10.00
Thos Branton l ton 10.00
C. V. Mullen 1 ton 10.00
Ott Gooch 1/2 5.00
Mr Somebody 1 ton 10.00
Mr Buckles 1/2 5.00
Brandon 1 10.00
Buckles 3 bales 1.00
Mr Somebody 1/2 ton 5.00

Mrs Louis Smith
Rout 2
Springfield, Ill

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(Breeding notes)
Young Taylor to Bull Aug 25 1909 and Sept 11

Little Red Heifer to Bull July 7 1909 and again July 24

Rone August 17 and Sept 19 1909

Rone to Bull Oct 9 1909 Young Bull

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Work by Dave Hobson
3 days $1.90
2 1/2 days 1.50
$3.40

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Corn Planted 1907
N Garliner March 28
Yellow Corn April 16 & 17
Potato Pach April 24

Reids Yellow Dent
South West corner 6 grains

Early Learning
South East corner 7 grains

Farmers Interest
North East corner 6 grains
this is white corn

Cattle King
North West corner 6 grains

All planted April 24

Sowed cane
May 28 1907

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Monney taken from Bank
R S Hogan 200.00
Check for 11.00
check 35.00
check for 10.00
check for 10.00

Total $266.00

- - - - - - - - - - -

Expense of mooving Red House
Concrete 27.00
G Lovan .50
F S Ruhuly 3.48
Wm Greene 5.50
Blue paffer 3.04
nails .15
lumber 2.45
Whitman 2.75
tacks .50
O Lovan .98
Timmie l.00
Ruby 2.30
tax 5
Building flue 4.00
brick 2.10
Lyme 65
cement 2.20
A E Ferguson 1.00
paint & oil 5.50

Cost of Red House in full $73.83
(the figures won't add the same as some I could not read)

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Keeping track of the weather:

Page headed January, 1906
16th Windy but warm. Fire burnt my berries

17th Cloudy & a little cool, good spring weather

18th Windy & Warm

19th A Little cool but good Spring weather

20th Warm & Windy. Some people are plowing

21st Rain & Thunder in Morn - warm

22nd Snow & cold but Prettie suney weather.

29th I plowed in the after noon. Clear & prettie all day

30th Plowed all day. Cloudy & a little Windy and warm

31st Plowed all day. Clear & prettie warm enough

February

1st Prettie & warm, like spring. I plowed all day

2nd A little cold in Morning. I plowed in the afternoon

3rd A little cold in morning But pretie. I plowed in afternoon

4th Cold and is snowing this morning - 4 inches snow

5th Cold but clear. A Bout 4 inches of snow

6th Cold & a little cloudy . Snow hasn't melted much to day. A Little Windy

7th Clear & prettie. Snow is melting Today.

8th Clear and Warm, Just Like spring

9th A little cold. Taken Jersey to Stewarts today in morning about 10 o'clock

10th A Little Cloudy and a Little Cold but good March weather. D S L paid $7.00

14th This is ground hog day. Cold & cloudy till noon then the sun shoen out for a minute.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Under page headed September 1906

Dasey to Tompsons Horse, June 28 1912.

- - - - - - - -

Page headed November 1906

Rosa Died Dec 19, 1910
A Better Mair never lived.

Taylor to Bob
Aug 26, 1911

Pastuer Let year 1908

Doak Lovan, Aug 18 to
1 cow pd $2.00

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Page headed December 1906

found colt May 2 1908

Taken Daisy to Elbells horse June 29, 1907

Daisey to Turners horse, May 7 1908
Taken back May 16

Found colt, April 28 1909

Taken Rosey to Longs horse May 9 1908

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Memorandum Book for 1902 from Hamilton Carhartt, Manufacturer

Platform of the American Federation of Labor. (printed on the 4th page)

1. Compulsory education.

2. Direct legislation, through the initiative and referendum.

3. A legal work-day of not more than eight hours.

4. Sanitary inspection of workshop, mine and home.

5. Liability of employers for injury to health, body,, or life.

6. The abolition of the contract system in all public work.

7. The abolition of the sweating system.

8. The municipal ownership of street cars, water works, and gas and electric plants for public distribution of light, heat, and power.

9. The nationalization of telegraph, telephone, railroads and mines.

10. The abolition of the monopoly system of land holding, and substituting therefor a title of occupancy and use only.

11. Repeal all conspiracy and penal laws affecting seamen and other workmen incorporated in the Federal and State laws of the United States.

12. The abolition of the monopoly privilege of issuing money and substituting therefor a system of direct issuance to and by the people.

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This page was last updated January 18, 2001.