Biography of Dr. John Ferguson of Manchester NH
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Information located at http://www.nh.searchroots.com/Manchester
On a web site about GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE 
TRANSCRIBED BY JANICE BROWN 
Please see the web site for my email contact.
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The original source of this information is in the public domain, 
however use of this text file, other than for personal use, is 
restricted without written permission from the transcriber 
(who has edited, compiled and added new copyrighted text to same).
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SOURCE: History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire 
Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1885
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page 128
DR. JOHN FERGUSON
The ancestors of Dr. Ferguson were Scotch, who settled in the North
of Ireland, and were generally engaged in the celebrated linen
manufacture in that part of the country. His grandfather, David,
settled in the South of Ireland, and was a merchant in the town of
Rathkeale, County of Limberick, which is watered by the "Lordly
Shannon," one of the noblest rivers in the United Kingdom. Here he
was married, and here reared his family of five sons and two daughters,
giving them good educations. The professions of the law, divinity and
medicine claimed one each of the boys, only one of whom is at this
date living, and he is judge of the Circuit Court for the Southern
District in Ireland. The remaining son, named for his father, chose also
his father's business, which he carried on in his native town
successfully, and married a daugher of Councilor Fitz-Gerald, of the
city of Limerick, known in history as the city of the "broken treaty."
  From this union there were eight children, the eldest of whom was
John (the subject of this sketch), who was born October 28, 1829, in
Rathkeale. He was early placed under the care and instruction of a
private tutor, where he remained for several years, and completed his
collegiate course with the Jesuits. Immediately after he was placed
under the instructions of his uncle, Philip O'Hanlon, M.D., of
Rathkeale, who had a large city and country practice. In due time
Dr. Ferguson graduated at the Hall of Apothecaries, in Dublin, and
still associated with Dr. O'Hanlon, acquired a practical knowledge of
medicine, surgery, pharmacy and dispensatory practice.
  His uncle emigrated to America, and soon afterwards became justly
celebrated in its metropolis. Dr. Ferguson followed him to America in
1851, and that he might practice his profession here, he offered
himself for examination to the faculty of the Medical College of
Castleton, Vt., and received from them their diploma. The following
spring he passed the examination of the College of Physicians and
Surgeons of New York City, and received their diploma, At this time
he accepted the position of surgeon on a line of mail steamships plying
between New York, Liverpool, Bremen and Havre, where for a period of
three years he associated with many literary people among the traveling
public and made many valuable friends. Leaving the service of the
steamship company, Dr. Ferguson was appointed one of the post-morten
examining surgeons for the coroners of New York City, also assistant
anatomical demonstrator and assistant clinical examiner at the Medical
University, in Fourteenth Street, a college chiefly patronized by the
sons of Southern planters, who were a liberal and chivalrous class of
gentlemen.
  After practicising some years in New York City, he removed to
Manchester, NH in 1861, being the first Irish physician to settle here.
Dr. Ferguson, shortly after, was appointed by Governor Berry, surgeon
of the Tenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteers, and left for the
front, with his regiment, in the fall of 1862.  Dr. Ferguson, during his
residence in New York, was surgeon on the staff of Colonel Corcoran,
of the famous Sixty-Ninth New York State Militia, and saw service in
the quarantine riots on Staten Island.  This service fitted him all
the better to fill the position of brigade surgeon during the Civil
War, near the close of which he returned to Manchester, where he has
since been successfully engaged in his private practice, which has 
becom elarge and lucrative. Prior to removal to Manchester, Dr.
Ferguson married Eleanor Hughes, who were of an old and wealthy family
of New York City, where she was born June 24, 1838. From this union
there have been four children,--Eleanora, Mary C., John D., and
Alfred W.
  Among his professional brethren, Dr. Ferguson is known to be a
skillful and thoroughly educated practitioner, and in social life is
an affable and courteous gentleman.


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