Thomas Thompson Ferguson, an honored Kansas pioneer, and veteran of the Civil war, is a native of the Buckeye State, born in Franklin county, October 17, 1830, a son of William and Zela (Jamison) Ferguson. The father was a native of Kentucky and the mother of Ohio. They spent their lives in Ohio, where the former, died, November 19, 1868, aged seventy years, and the wife and mother departed this life in March, 1876, at the age of seventy-one. They had eight children, only two of whom are now living: Thomas Thompson, the subject of this sketch, and Malinda, now the wife of Joseph Spangler, a farmer residing near Columbus, Ohio.

Thomas Thompson Ferguson was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools of Franklin county, Ohio. He followed farming in his native State until 1874, when he removed to White county, Indiana, engaged in farming there until 1878, when he came to Kansas, settling in Butler county, and followed farming until 1887. He then engaged in the furniture and undertaking business at Latham, which he conducted for three years, when he engaged in the real estate, loan and insurance business, and at the same time was elected justice of the peace, holding that office twenty years. He has also held school and township offices for many years, and was police judge of Latham five years. He has taken an active interest in the public life of his town and county, and is one of the grand old men of Butler county. When the Civil war broke out he responded to the President's call for volunteers, enlisting in Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-third Ohio infantry, and at the expiration of his first enlistment he reënlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Ninety-first Ohio infantry, serving until he was honorably discharged at the close of a military career, of which he may be justly proud. Mr. Ferguson was married, November 7, 1850, to Miss Hannah Newland, of Franklin county, Ohio, where she was born October 10, 1831. She was a daughter of John and Aimy (Waldo) Newland. To Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson were born ten children: Mary Jane, born June 15, 1852; now the widow of Thomas K. Settle; George H., born April 10, 1855, now a hotel keeper at Wolcott, Ind.; Charles W., born March 2, 1859, a retired farmer, Latham, Kan.; William E., born May 22, 1861, now postmaster at Latham, Kan.; Oscar J., born May 23, 1863, now in the United States mail service, Latham, Kan.; Elnora, born June 1, 1867, died July i, 1887; Ira W., born July 27, 1870, now resides in St. Louis, Mo.; Frank T., born February 9, 1873, now Santa Fe station agent at Raton, N. M.; Eva M., born December 8, 1875, died February 20, 1904, and James O., born August 6, 1880, a merchant at Tulsa, Okla. Mr. Ferguson is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Latham Post, No. 340, and has been post adjutant for many years.