Robert Pierce Ferguson was a U.S. Civil War veteran who served with the Union 144th New York Volunteer Infantry from 1862 to 1865. He was discharged with a disability from St Augustine Florida.
While he lived in the Truckee community he was a respected man of the area and was often mention in the local newspapers of his whereabouts.
Unfortunately he lost his life while trying to save another man from drowning, see below...
Reno Evening Gazette, March 24, 1881
"Greater Love Hath no man Than This, That He Lay Down His Life for a Friend"
The sad news announced in yesterday's Gazette that R.P. Ferguson had lost his life in the vain attempt to save a man who had accidentlly fallen into the river is confirmed this morning. Mr. Ferguson was owner, with J.S. Thompson, of Nevada City, of the Pacific Shingle Mill at Camp 16, two miles above Boca. The mill is run by water power and a dam crosses just below the mill, to form a pond, which catches the shingle blocks as the float down the river. Mr. Ferguson had hired a stranger named Frank Childs to help him make some repairs on the dam, and yesterday afternoon, about 3 o'clock, Childs fell into the river. To rescue him Fegruson jumped in immediately after and both were drowned. Whether the cold water gave him a cramp or whether Childs seized him and dragged him to the bottom is not known. While he was struggling in the water, his little boy saw him and plunged in to help him, but he was taken out safely. A man was sent to Tahoe this morning to shut the water off at the dam and let the river run down, so the bodies can be recovered. Mr. Ferguson was a New Yorker about 42 years of age. He leaves a wife and four children, the eldest aged about 11 years. he has been on the river ever since the railroad was built and has done a large business. He was a man of very generous nature and habits, and had a great many warm friends. The manner of his death certainly shows a brave and tender heart. To spring to the relief of a drowning fellow man, in a swift and dangerous stream like the Truckee, shows the stuff of which he was made. Mr. Ferguson was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Chapter at Truckee.
While he lived in the Truckee community he was a respected man of the area and was often mention in the local newspapers of his whereabouts.
Unfortunately he lost his life while trying to save another man from drowning, see below...
Reno Evening Gazette, March 24, 1881
"Greater Love Hath no man Than This, That He Lay Down His Life for a Friend"
The sad news announced in yesterday's Gazette that R.P. Ferguson had lost his life in the vain attempt to save a man who had accidentlly fallen into the river is confirmed this morning. Mr. Ferguson was owner, with J.S. Thompson, of Nevada City, of the Pacific Shingle Mill at Camp 16, two miles above Boca. The mill is run by water power and a dam crosses just below the mill, to form a pond, which catches the shingle blocks as the float down the river. Mr. Ferguson had hired a stranger named Frank Childs to help him make some repairs on the dam, and yesterday afternoon, about 3 o'clock, Childs fell into the river. To rescue him Fegruson jumped in immediately after and both were drowned. Whether the cold water gave him a cramp or whether Childs seized him and dragged him to the bottom is not known. While he was struggling in the water, his little boy saw him and plunged in to help him, but he was taken out safely. A man was sent to Tahoe this morning to shut the water off at the dam and let the river run down, so the bodies can be recovered. Mr. Ferguson was a New Yorker about 42 years of age. He leaves a wife and four children, the eldest aged about 11 years. he has been on the river ever since the railroad was built and has done a large business. He was a man of very generous nature and habits, and had a great many warm friends. The manner of his death certainly shows a brave and tender heart. To spring to the relief of a drowning fellow man, in a swift and dangerous stream like the Truckee, shows the stuff of which he was made. Mr. Ferguson was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Chapter at Truckee.
Robert Pierce Ferguson was a U.S. Civil War veteran who served with the Union 144th New York Volunteer Infantry from 1862 to 1865. He was discharged with a disability from St Augustine Florida.
While he lived in the Truckee community he was a respected man of the area and was often mention in the local newspapers of his whereabouts.
Unfortunately he lost his life while trying to save another man from drowning, see below...
Reno Evening Gazette, March 24, 1881
"Greater Love Hath no man Than This, That He Lay Down His Life for a Friend"
The sad news announced in yesterday's Gazette that R.P. Ferguson had lost his life in the vain attempt to save a man who had accidentlly fallen into the river is confirmed this morning. Mr. Ferguson was owner, with J.S. Thompson, of Nevada City, of the Pacific Shingle Mill at Camp 16, two miles above Boca. The mill is run by water power and a dam crosses just below the mill, to form a pond, which catches the shingle blocks as the float down the river. Mr. Ferguson had hired a stranger named Frank Childs to help him make some repairs on the dam, and yesterday afternoon, about 3 o'clock, Childs fell into the river. To rescue him Fegruson jumped in immediately after and both were drowned. Whether the cold water gave him a cramp or whether Childs seized him and dragged him to the bottom is not known. While he was struggling in the water, his little boy saw him and plunged in to help him, but he was taken out safely. A man was sent to Tahoe this morning to shut the water off at the dam and let the river run down, so the bodies can be recovered. Mr. Ferguson was a New Yorker about 42 years of age. He leaves a wife and four children, the eldest aged about 11 years. he has been on the river ever since the railroad was built and has done a large business. He was a man of very generous nature and habits, and had a great many warm friends. The manner of his death certainly shows a brave and tender heart. To spring to the relief of a drowning fellow man, in a swift and dangerous stream like the Truckee, shows the stuff of which he was made. Mr. Ferguson was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Chapter at Truckee.
While he lived in the Truckee community he was a respected man of the area and was often mention in the local newspapers of his whereabouts.
Unfortunately he lost his life while trying to save another man from drowning, see below...
Reno Evening Gazette, March 24, 1881
"Greater Love Hath no man Than This, That He Lay Down His Life for a Friend"
The sad news announced in yesterday's Gazette that R.P. Ferguson had lost his life in the vain attempt to save a man who had accidentlly fallen into the river is confirmed this morning. Mr. Ferguson was owner, with J.S. Thompson, of Nevada City, of the Pacific Shingle Mill at Camp 16, two miles above Boca. The mill is run by water power and a dam crosses just below the mill, to form a pond, which catches the shingle blocks as the float down the river. Mr. Ferguson had hired a stranger named Frank Childs to help him make some repairs on the dam, and yesterday afternoon, about 3 o'clock, Childs fell into the river. To rescue him Fegruson jumped in immediately after and both were drowned. Whether the cold water gave him a cramp or whether Childs seized him and dragged him to the bottom is not known. While he was struggling in the water, his little boy saw him and plunged in to help him, but he was taken out safely. A man was sent to Tahoe this morning to shut the water off at the dam and let the river run down, so the bodies can be recovered. Mr. Ferguson was a New Yorker about 42 years of age. He leaves a wife and four children, the eldest aged about 11 years. he has been on the river ever since the railroad was built and has done a large business. He was a man of very generous nature and habits, and had a great many warm friends. The manner of his death certainly shows a brave and tender heart. To spring to the relief of a drowning fellow man, in a swift and dangerous stream like the Truckee, shows the stuff of which he was made. Mr. Ferguson was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Chapter at Truckee.
Inscription
Drowned near Pacific, Cal., Aged 38 yr's 7 m's 11 d's, Native of ??
Gravesite Details
Broken and needs repaired
Family Members
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