"Early History of Milford & Other Parts of Otsego County" by Ezra Stevens
"Some time before the Revolution, people from different localities were migrating to the wilds of Otsego County, in order to better their pecuniary circumstances. A large percentage came from the Mohawk River. Among those were the Ferguson family who came by the way of Cherry Valley to the Susquehanna. The Ferguson family were on their way to the Otego Valley. They were descending the river in canoes when a little below Portlandville Mrs. Ferguson and her sister and a nursing infant were accidently drowned by the upsetting of a canoe. A strenuous effort was made to rescue them, but before they were rescued, life had become extinct.
This awful tragedy cast a gloom over the whole party for a long time. I will make this matter a little more explicit in regard to the great misfortune of the death of Mrs. Ferguson. William Ferguson, the father of Thomas and James Ferguson, first located at Cherry Valley and from there he left for the Otego Creek to make a permanent settlement. He embarked with canoes down the Cherry Valley to the river and down the river to the mouth of the Otego Creek and then up the Creek to the farm which is now occupied by his great great grandchildren.
William Ferguson and family, his wife and his wife's sister and some other members of the Ferguson family were all in the company.
Mrs. Ferguson and sister had changed babies for some cause and when this unexpected catastrophe occurred, Mrs. Ferguson's baby was with her sister and her baby was saved and her sister's baby was lost. Mrs. Ferguson's baby was named Thomas. The late Thomas Ferguson died March 16, 1864, aged 93 years. Polly, his wife, died June 8, 1854 aged 82 years.
This accident occured in April 1771, just prior to the Revolution. After they had located, they were soon compelled to return to Cherry Valley and from there to Montgomery County til after the war had closed. Then they returned to the Otego Valley to their wilderness home. This is a short biographical sketch of the Ferguson family together with their hardships and misfortune. The place and time where this great calamity occured should be marked by suitable monument and give all particulars.
The book entitled "Early History of Milford & Other Parts of Otsego County" by Ezra Stevens states that Mrs. William Ferguson, her sister and her sister's infant died in a canoeing accident in April 1771.
"Names and Sketches of the PIONEER SETTLERS of Madison County New York" by William H. Tuttle; pg. 92
FORBES, JACOB N. Son of Nicholas of Sullivan. Born August 17, 1786. Owned part of the Varrick patent lot 8 in Sullivan in 1818. Lived in Clockville school district in 1820. Bought part of lot 27 in Lincoln in 1831. Wife Nancy.
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