Cabinet Photograph of Chauncey Coffin Ferguson, born 1869 at Hampden, Maine

Cabinet photograph of a young man identified on the reverse as Chauncey Coffin Ferguson.  

The photograph was taken by the Oak studio of Merrimac, Massachusetts, and includes in the photographer's imprint the text "M. H. S. '97".  In 1897 Chauncey Coffin Ferguson was principal at Merrimac High School.

From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections welcome]

Chauncey Coffin Ferguson was born 4 April 1869 at Hampden, Maine, son of Denison G. and Marilla Marks (Coffin) Ferguson, who were married at Belfast, Maine, on 17 April 1865.

Chauncey's paternal grandparents were Ivory and Abigail P. (Goodhue) Ferguson.  His maternal grandparents were Joseph S. and Martha F. (Higgins) Coffin.

On 21 August 1894, Chauncey married Vann Etta Meserve, daughter of John H. and Eunice (Abbott) Meserve.  Vann Etta was born 31 July 1867 at Evansville, Indiana.  

Van Etta and Chauncey perhaps met while he was pursuing his master's degree at Bates College at Lewiston, Maine, and she was a teacher at Lewiston High School.

The following information on Chauncey's educational career comes from the 1915 General Catalog of Bates College:

• Principal Richmond High School at Richmond, Maine, 1892-93
• Sub-principal at Maine Central Institute at Pittsfield, Maine, 1893-95
• Principal of the high school at Merrimac, Massachusetts, 1895-99
• Principal at Somersworth, New Hampshire, 1899-1909
• Superintendent of Schools at New Braintree, West Brookfield and Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1909-1912
• Superintendent of Schools at Millbury and Oxford, Massachusetts, 1912- ?

According to the US Federal Census of Millbury, Massachusetts, Chauncey apparently stayed at his Superintendent job there through at least the 1930 Census.

Chauncey and Van Etta had at least one child, a son Stanton Meserve Ferguson, born 4 July 1895 at Pittsfield, Maine.

Chauncey was a noted collector of local American Indian artifacts and a frequent contributor of articles to the Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society, such as this one entitled "The Trail of the Indian" in the October 1951 issue.

If you have corrections regarding the information above, or additional information on the Ferguson, Coffin, Meserve or Abbott families, please leave a comment or contact me directly.   


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