Successive Branch Presidents, #3, Peter Lee Ferguson

Peter Lee Ferguson, Third Branch President, March 6, 1925-Sept. 12, 1937

      Peter Lee Ferguson was born in Ogden, Utah, June 11, 1892 the youngest of his mothers’ eight children. 

Peter didn’t speak much of his growing up years, but he had great strength of spirit in his life and many talents. He was very talented in music; he could play the spoons, the saw, and the xylophone.  He had a wonderful tenor voice and sang all of his life in male quartets and duets in many a church meeting. He was not shy or retiring, quite the contrary, he was very outgoing, energetic and a leader in business and at church.

He met and married Winifred Johns also a native of Ogden, Sept 21, 1910. He was endowed in the Salt Lake Temple and sealed to Winifred April 9, 1918.They were the proud parents of seven children, four of which were born in Sparks, Nevada. 

In 1918 Peter obtained work on the Southern Pacific Railroad in Sparks. The job offer was irresistible. After they relocated to Sparks, Winifred rarely returned to Ogden to visit her family. Because of a large family, Winifred remained at home. However, Peter, for many years, traveled to Salt Lake at least once a year for General Conference in Salt Lake City.

In about 1923, Peter opened up a sheet metal shop in Reno and his oldest son Leland worked with him.They also did auto repair work and auto painting. In late 1929 the nation experienced a major economic depression and Peter lost his business. It was located on Sierra Street in Reno across from the old Chism Ice Cream Company.

When the sheet metal shop closed, Peter began selling insurance and real estate throughout the state of Nevada and California. He traveled in both states, extensively. As his prominence grew, he was elected to the county commission and was supervisor over the Fernley, Wadsworth, Pyramid Lake area.  He owned a summer home in Woodfords, on the Carson River.  He was also on the Washoe Medical Center Board of Directors for many years.  He served on the Nevada Fish and Game Commission and started the fish-derby in Reno for children held once a year at Idlewild Park. 

Peter was raised in the church and remained very active all of his life. In 1921 he was called and set apart as the third branch president of the Sparks, Nevada Branch.  He served in that capacity for twelve years. Peter was a natural missionary because of his outgoing personality and his leadership abilities; he was well known for his beneficial influence throughout the state.

In his capacity as branch president he helped organize and promote the first Boy Scout troop formed in Sparks for the L.D.S. church in 1924. He spent many hours with the Boy Scouts in establishing, organizing and leading it.  He loved the Boy Scout organization and what it did for boys.

While he was branch president he focused on caring for the widows and the fatherless. In the fall his children remember him saying it was time to cut wood for the widows and make sure they had what they needed for winter. 

During much of Peter’s life, the prophet of the church was Heber J. Grant. President Grant formed many friendships with the men in the Reno/Sparks area in and out of the church, President Ferguson was greatly admired by the prophet.

For most of the years Peter served as branch president he and his family lived at 526 14^th Street in Sparks. LaVerne, his oldest daughter, remembers being married in that home in the living room by her dad in 1938.  Many social events were held there as well.  It is still a beautiful two story home today.  In the mid-forties Peter faced challenging economic times and was forced to leave this home because he couldn’t pay the bank $1,000 due to pay off the mortgage. He bought an old chicken coop from a rancher in the Fernley area and brought it to Sparks. He bought a lot at 423 5^th Street and converted the chicken coop into a small two bedroom home.  It still stands in Sparks. Sister Ferguson never loved the little chicken coop house and it is understandable when compared to the large two story home on 14^th street.   

President Ferguson served as the Sparks Branch President from March 6, 1925 to September 12, 1937. The longest serving branch president/bishop in the Truckee Meadow's 100 year history. When Peter was released as Branch president, he was given a much deserved rest after so many years of responsibility.  He spent the next ten or so years in business and watching his children and grandchildren grow. 

At the very young age of fifty-seven he suffered a ruptured appendix and was rushed to Washoe Medical Center for surgery: the very hospital that he helped develop and represented.  After surgery he returned home to the little house on 5^th Street, looked at his wife and said, “How will we ever pay these hospital bills?” 

During those early years there were no blood thinners.  A blood clot formed in the days following surgery; it traveled to his heart causing a fatal heart attack.

In this life he was never financially well off.  But he served the Lord to the best of his capacity all of his days. He left a legacy of being an intelligent, righteous, dedicated, husband, father, priesthood holder and businessman.  He was loved by hundreds of people who knew him.  At his funeral, the procession following his family to Mountain View Cemetery stretched as far as the eye could see. 

President Ferguson suffered with diabetes through much of his adult life. He did not feel well much of the time, but it did not stifle his sense of responsibility to his church and his community or family. 

He was an avid fisherman and spent many hours fishing with friends and family.  He often used this time to do missionary work for the Lord and many people were taught the gospel by him on the banks of a river or lake without realizing it until later when they looked back.

*Information taken for this life sketch was submitted by Donna Renee Jensen, a granddaughter of Peter and Winifred Ferguson.