The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1

FERGUSON, Justus (c. 1831-1878) and Lucretia (c. 1833-after 1880)

The Fergusons were farmers living in Wright Township, Ottawa County, Michigan, having an association with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but the exact relationship is uncertain. 1EGWLM 826.3

While attending meetings in Wright in 1859, the Whites visited the home of Justus and Lucretia Ferguson. They lived close to the Sabbatarian Adventist meetinghouse, and the Whites “had a profitable season of conversation and prayer” with them. There is very little information on the Fergusons in available church sources. Ellen White refers to them as “Brother and Sister Ferguson” and Justus Ferguson's obituary appears in the Review. However, the same obituary pointedly refers to him as “Mr. Ferguson,” with no mention of his association with the church. This strongly suggests that Justus Ferguson was not a church member in 1878, at the time of his death, even though he may have been one earlier. Nothing is known of Lucretia Ferguson's relation to the church after 1859. 1EGWLM 826.4

See: Obituary: “Justus Ferguson,” Feb. 7, 1878, p. 47; 1860 U.S. Federal Census, “Justen Furgeson [sic],” Michigan, Ottawa County, Wright, p. 122; 1880 U.S. Federal Census, “Lucretia Ferguson,” Michigan, Ottawa County, Wright, p. 33; Ellen G. White, Ms 6, 1859 (May 1 entry); Illustrated Historical Atlas of the Counties of Ottawa and Kent, Mich. (Chicago: H. Belden & Co., 1876), p. xviii. 1EGWLM 826.5