Personal History

 

Editors Note:
The following biography has been edited from Judge Ferguson's own words found in records from his library, as well as other unknown authors and newspaper reports. ( Photo Left Texas State Representative Thomas Ferguson in 1930)

 

 

 

Biography
Judge Thomas Campbell Ferguson, Tommy to his friends, was born September 3, 1906 to William Marion Ferguson and Martha Ann Harvey. His Father was 68 years old upon Tommy's birth. He was one of four sons born to Martha. He had four step brothers and two step sisters from his father's previous wife, Mary E. Morey who died December 2, 1882. Ferguson was born in an adobe house near the banks of the Pecos River in Southeastern New Mexico. His birth home was believed to be near the old Goodnight-Loving Trail, close to Roswell, NM. He attended elementary school at Lake Arthur, NM. Sometime after his birth and before 1918, his family moved to Haskell and Tom Green Counties in Texas to ranch. In 1918 the drought devastated west Texas and the family exchanged their ranch for the entire stock of The Smart Telephone Company in Burnet, TX. So in the last days of August, Ferguson moved to Burnet with his father, mother, and his next oldest brother. On September 3, Also in 1918, Ferguson entered Burnet High School at the age of 12 and attended with other well known Burnet citizens like Dr. J.W. Edgar, Gordon Fry, Clyde Debo and Miss Eva Hahn. From 1918 to 1919, Ferguson worked for his father at the telephone company while attending high school. Ferguson graduated in May of 1921 at the age of 15 with eleven other people. After graduation, he went on to work for the Burnet Bulletin as a printers devil from August 1921 to January 1923. At the age of 15, he became the owner-editor of the Liberty Hill Index. And from March 1923 to August 1924, Ferguson worked as a reporter of the Blanco County Courier. From August 1924 to May 1926 he was the publisher of the Burnet Bulletin. From May of 1926 to December, he worked as a Floor Foreman and Advertising Manager of the Superior Sun, in Arizona. January 1927, he was appointed Deputy District Clerk of Burnet County, TX under District Clerk, R.E. Johnson. While at the District Clerk's office he studied law under the tutelage of Johnson and Captain T.E. Hammond. Judge Ferguson took the Bar Exam in October of 1928 and was licensed as an attorney in January of 1929. Once he was licensed as an attorney, he continued to be an associate of Mr. Johnson until Johnson's death in 1937. When he started his general practice, he spent much time in the Justice of the Peace Court. At this time, very few people pleaded guilty to their charges. In 1930, Judge Ferguson ran and was unopposed when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives and served two years. Some of the major issues he faced was assistance for cotton farmers and the low price of oil (10 cents a gallon). His first bill to be passed allowed Probate Court to be in business all the time instead of term limits. In 1933, he was appointed to

On February 9, 1935 he was appointed the Director of LCRA and served until September 1937. He also served two other terms in 1945 and 1966-1971. In 1932 he also became associated with the City of Burnet as their attorney and served in that capacity until 1938 when he was elected mayor and was instrumental in attaining water works in Burnet. Along with the new water works system he also helped to improve the fire fighting capability of the Burnet Fire Department. Before this time the fire department depended on a man-powered pull cart and rocker pump. He was the mayor of Burnet until 1942 when he entered the military. He served his country from September 18, 1942 to September 25, 1945. Judge Zimmerman was the judge of Burnet County became ill and the County Judge position became vacant. The County Commissioners appointed Ferguson as County Judge of Burnet and he served in that capacity from 1945 to 1946. In 1947, he was appointed the District Judge of the 33rd Judicial District by Buford Jester. As District Judge, Ferguson was re-elected three times and held the position until January of 1961. After that, he was appointed Chairman of State Board of Insurance. After one year, he resigned as Chairman to run for the Court of Civil Appeals. After losing this position, he returned to private practice in Burnet and Johnson City, Texas. In 1971 he retired but still continued to serve on special assigned cases. After his retirement, Ferguson was active in numerous local social and civic organizations like: Masonic Lodge, Burnet County Historical Society, Lower Colorado River Authority, Boy Scouts, Chamber of Commerce and numerous Bar and Banking Associations. In 1974, LCRA dedicated and opened the Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant. He passed away February 10, 1991.