Ferguson Ford Perdue (1826 - 1900)

Born 1826 in Giles, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1900 at about age 74 in Mercer, West Virginia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Michael Perdue [send private message]

Biography

Private Ferguson Perdue served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: July 15, 1862
Mustered out: Sep 20, 1862
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): Company D, 51st Regiment, Virginia Infantry, and Clarke's 30th Battalion, Sharpshooters

Ferguson Ford Perdue was born about 1826 in Giles County, Virginia. His parents were Zachariah "Uriah" Perdue and Mary (Conley) Perdue.

• Ferguson married his 1st cousin once removed Nancy Blankenship. Most recent common ancestors are Edith Mary "Morning Hale" Hale-538 and William Uriah Perdue
• Ferguson was born about 1813. He was the son of Zachariah Uriah Perdue and Mary Conley. He passed away before 1900.

Marriage

Ferguson married Nancy Blankenship before 1842.

In the 1850 census, Ferguson [called "Furges" on this record] (age 24), was enumerated with his wife and children in Giles County, Virginia, United States. His father, Zachariah "Uriah" Perdue, lived on one side next door, and his brother, Samuel Perdue, lived on the other. Neither Fergus nor his wife, Nancy, were able to read and write. No real estate was listed for Fergus.^[1]

In the 1860 census, Ferguson (age 46), Farm Laborer, was enumerated with his wife and children in Giles County, Virginia, United States. His older brother, Samuel, was enumerated a few households away; his father, "Uriah," was living in Samuel's household. Ferguson owned no real estate and had a personal estate valued at $100.^[2]

Ferguson fought on behalf of the Confederacy during the Civil War. He was a Private in Company D of Regiment 51 of the Virginia Infantry, and enlisted on 15 July 1862. Captain Akers was his enlisting officer. Ferguson was transferred to Clarke's Battalion on 1 October 1862, also called the 30th Battalion, Virginia Sharpshooters. Fergus was shown as present but under arrest for the muster rolls of January and February, 1863, and was court martialed in April of 1863 (one source states this was for desertion, with sentence of two months hard labor^[3]).^[4] Ferguson's firstborn child, Harrison, also fought with the 30th Battalion of Virginia Sharpshooters; he mustered out on 26 March 1862, deserted in April and June of 1863 and returned to duty, and was injured and hospitalized with a broken ankle in Charlottesville, Virginia, on 8 June 1864. He was held by Union forces as a prisoner of war in September of 1864 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. No description has yet been found of Fergus, but Harrison was a tall young man, standing 6 feet 1 inch tall, with brown hair, hazel eyes, and a dark complexion.^[5] Ferguson's second son, William, also may have been in the 30th Battalion of Sharpshooters [a William Perdue was present; uncertain if son of Fergus.]

In the 1870 census, Fergus [recorded as "Fergas Perdew" on this record] (age 60), Farmer, was the head of household in the Plymouth Magisterial District, Mercer, West Virginia, United States. The youngest child in the household, Dicy Ann, had been born the previous December. Ferguson's wife, Nancy, was recorded as the only member of the household who could read (but she could not write); everyone else could neither read nor write. No real estate nor personal estate was recorded for Fergus in 1870.^[6]

Burial

Ferguson was buried in the New Zion Cemetery located in Elgood, Mercer County, West Virginia.^[7]

Reasearch Notes

• Find A Grave (unsourced) has his birth date as 1826^[7] which would put his mother being about age 56 at his birth. The various censuses show his birth year ranging between 1810 and 1826.
• Marriage estimated year is based on estimated birth date of eldest child born about 1842. I have looked in the marriage records of Giles and Franklin Counties and found no mention of the couple. BJS

Sources

1. ↑ 1850 Census: "United States Census, 1850"
   citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Record: M8DS-4MD (accessed 20 March 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-67L3-7FR Image number 00415
   Furges Perdue (24) in Giles, Virginia, United States.
2. ↑ 1860 Census: "United States Census, 1860"
   citing Page: 96; Affiliate Publication Number: M653;
   FamilySearch Record: M41W-LBG (accessed 20 March 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GBSF-SM63
   Ferguson Perdue (46) in Giles, Virginia, United States. Born in Virginia.
3. ↑ Military: "U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865"
   Historical Data Systems, Inc.; Duxbury, MA 02331; American Civil War Research Database
   Ancestry Record 1555 #1393676 (accessed 20 March 2023)
   Name: Fargus Perdue; Enlistment Date: 15 Jul 1862; Enlistment Place: Narrows, Virginia; Enlistment Rank: Private; Muster Date: 15 Jul 1862; Muster Place: Virginia; Muster Company: D; Muster Regiment: 51st Infantry; Muster Regiment Type: Infantry; Muster Information: Enlisted; Muster Out Date: 20 Sep 1862; Muster Out Information: Transferred; Side of War: Confederacy; Survived War?: Yes; Residence Place: Giles County, Virginia; Notes: 1863-02-10 Deserted, (Camp Clarke, VA); 1863-02-28 In arrest; 1863-03-24 Court martialed, CM for refusing to fall into ranks; 1863-03-25 Sentenced, 2 months hard labor; 1863-04-10 Absent; Additional Notes 2: Muster 2 Date: 20 Sep 1862; Muster 2 Place: Virginia; Muster 2 Unit: 786; Muster 2 Company: D; Muster 2 Regiment: 30th Battn SS; Muster 2 Regiment Type: Sharpshooters; Muster 2 Information: Transferred; MusterOut 2 Date: 19 Apr 1863; MusterOut 2 Place: Camp Clarke, Virginia; MusterOut 2 Information: deserted;; Title: The Virginia Regimental Histories Series.
4. ↑ Military: "U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865"
   National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Virginia; Series Number: M324; Roll: 930
   Ancestry Record 2322 #12551849 (accessed 20 March 2023)
   Name: Fargus Perdew [Fergus Perdue] [Ferguson Perdue]; Enlistment Date: 1862; Military Unit: Fifty-first Infantry.
5. ↑ Military: "U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865"
   Historical Data Systems, Inc.; Duxbury, MA 02331; American Civil War Research Database
   Ancestry Record 1555 #1255125 (accessed 20 March 2023)
   Name: Harrison Perdue; Enlistment Date: 26 Mar 1862; Enlistment Place: Monroe County, West Virginia; Enlistment Rank: Private; Muster Date: 26 Mar 1862; Muster Place: Virginia; Muster Company: D; Muster Regiment: 30th Battn SS; Muster Regiment Type: Sharpshooters; Muster Information: Enlisted; Casualty Date: 8 Jun 1864; Casualty Place: Charlottesville, Virginia; Type of Casualty: Hospitalized; Casualty Information: Injured ankle; Side of War: Confederacy; Survived War?: Yes; Complexion: Dark; Eye Color: Hazel; Hair Color: Brown; Height: 6 ft, 1 inch; Residence Place: Giles County, Virginia; Notes: 1863-04-10 Absent; 1863-04-20 Deserted, Deserted on march; 1863-05-03 Returned, Listed in Co C; 1863-05-05 Sentenced, Guard house, bucked & gagged, lost pay; 1863-05-13 Charged, Charged for lost gun & accoutrements; 1863-06-01 Deserted, Estimated day; 1863-06-15 Arrested, Estimated day; 1864-03-01 Detailed, Detailed on daily guard duty; 1864-04-23 Furloughed, For 20 days; 1864-05-13 Returned; 1864-06-18 Returned; 1864-08-11 Issued clothing; 1864-09-01 Deserted, (Martinsburg, WV); 1864-09-03 Confined, (Chambersburg, PA); 1864-09-17 Oath Allegiance, (Fort Mifflin, PA), Released; Title: The Virginia Regimental Histories Series.
6. ↑ 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870"
   citing Page: 1; Affiliate Publication Number: M593; Line: 32; FHL microfilm: 000553193; Record number: 6440;
   FamilySearch Record: MZ45-LZX (accessed 20 March 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HY-67K7-686 Image number 00168
   Fergas Perdew (60) head of household in Plymouth Magisterial District, Mercer, West Virginia, United States. Born in Virginia, United States.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Find A Grave

Acknowledgements

• Perdue-865 was created by Terri Jerkes through the import of perdue-7-16.ged on Jul 20, 2016.