Harvey Butler Fergusson


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This article is about the U.S. Representative from New Mexico. For the American writer, see Harvey Fergusson.

Harvey Butler Fergusson (September 9, 1848 – June 10, 1915) was a Delegate from the Territory of New Mexico and a U.S. Representative from New Mexico.

Harvey Butler Fergusson

Western Liberal newspaper (Lordsburg, NM), June 25, 1915

Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's At-large district
In office
January 8, 1912 – March 3, 1915
Preceded bydistrict created
Succeeded byBenigno C. Hernández
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico Territory's At-large district
In office
March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899
(Delegate)
Preceded byThomas B. Catron
Succeeded byPedro Perea
Personal details
BornSeptember 9, 1848
Pickensville, Alabama
DiedJune 10, 1915 (aged 66)
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materWashington and Lee University
ProfessionLawyer

Born near Pickensville, Alabama, Fergusson attended the public schools in the state. He was graduated from Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, in 1873 and from the law department of that university in 1874. He taught in the Shenandoah Valley Academy, Winchester, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1875 and commenced the practice of law in Wheeling, West Virginia.

He moved to White Oaks, New Mexico, in 1882, and to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1883. There he engaged in the practice of law and served as special United States attorney in 1893 and 1894. He also served as member of the Democratic National Committee in 1896–1904.

Fergusson, a Democrat, was elected as a Delegate to the Fifty-fifth Congress (March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1898 to the Fifty-sixth Congress and for election in 1902 to the Fifty-eighth Congress. Upon the admission of New Mexico as a State into the Union, Fergusson was elected to the Sixty-second Congress. He was reelected to the Sixty-third Congress and served from January 8, 1912, to March 3, 1915. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1914 to the Sixty-fourth Congress. He died in Albuquerque.

His children Erna Fergusson and Harvey Fergusson were both noted writers.

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico

1897-1899
Succeeded by
Preceded by

New district

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's at-large congressional district

1912–1915
Succeeded by

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress