I thought I would like to tell you about Governor Ferguson. His name was Thompson Benton Ferguson, not Thomas as some people think. He was educated as a Methodist minister and taught school for a few years in Sedan, Kansas. Mrs. Ferguson’s father was a newspaper owner/editor. Sometimes T.B. helped at the newspaper, giving him the interest in publishing a newspaper. I recently found a newspaper clipping at the Ferguson Home Museum that is old, yellowed, and brittle, the date of the paper wasn’t with it. It’s old enough I think it is more accurate with the facts than some of the other things I’ve been told. I was told the Fergusons came by train to Kingfisher, then by wagon to Watonga. This article says they came in two covered wagons. She drove one with the household goods and camping equipment and he drove the one with newspaper equipment. The Washington hand press was sent by train to Kingfisher and they picked it up later. I read in another old book, which is at the Museum, that the Fergusons were at Homestead for a few weeks before moving onto Watonga. I’m at home writing this so can’t look up the name of the book or author. I thought why would they leave Kingfisher, go to Homestead, then back-track to Watonga? After reading this newspaper clipping it makes more sense. Sedan Kansas is in the southeast part of Kansas so coming from the northeast going west and slightly south they could have gone through Homestead. This old newspaper clipping said the old newspaper files were kept at Mrs. Walter Ferguson’s home in Tulsa. It goes on to say, Walter became a newspaper publisher in Cherokee and later a banker in Tulsa. I was told Walter was also into politics and that is the reason they lived back east. I guess living at Tulsa is east since Tulsa is east of Watonga but I always took it to mean East Coast somewhere close to Washington DC. I sure wish I had seen this clipping a long time ago so I could have been more accurate when telling their history.
The museum is in need of a site director; it’s 20 hours per week. You will be giving tours as well as helping plan programs and events. The new board members of the Friends of the Ferguson Home Museum will take over in November. Louise D. and I will help them get settled in. October is the 50th Anniversary of the T.B. Ferguson Home Museum being open as a museum.
If you are interested in the job as Site Director call the museum at 580 623 5096 and leave a message. You have to leave a call back number because there isn’t caller id and it may be a few days before someone gets back to you. Anyone that wants to become an active volunteer or become a member of Friends of Ferguson Home is welcome, all help is appreciated.
Hours of operation are Wednesday thru Saturday 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Right now since we are shorthanded make sure you call before coming. Closed city and state holidays. Please call before coming to make sure it is open since we are short handed. Give us a call at 580-623-5069 to make arrangements for after hours tour.