Born: 1903 - Atlantic Highland, NJ
Christened:
Died: 14 Dec 1943 - Campbell, NY Steuben County
Buried: 17 Dec 1943 - Semans Cemetary, Savona NY
Father: Daniel Buzby Ferguson (1874-1955)
Mother: Sarah Jane Burrell (1878-1911)
Married:
Born: 10 Jan 1915
Christened:
Died: Nov 1987 - Bath, NY Steuben County
Buried: - Semans Cemetary, Savona NY
Father: Frederick Gordon Hoad (1881-1958)
Mother: Alida Towner (1887-1958)
Other Spouse: Fredrick Holmes ( - )
SealS (LDS):
Children
1 M Living Ferguson
Born: 4 Dec 1930 - Bath, NY Steuben County / At Home Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Marion (1923-1998)
2 F Living Ferguson
Born: 22 Jan 1932 - Bath, NY Steuben County / At Home Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Benny Brown ( - ) Marr: 1952 Spouse: John Smith ( - ) Marr: Abt 1964
3 M Living Ferguson
Born: 3 Oct 1935 - Bath, NY Steuben County / At Home Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Aletha Hough (1942-1993) Spouse: Mary
4 F Living Ferguson
Born: 20 Mar 1940 - Long Branch, NJ Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Vincent James Jewell (1930-2000) Marr: 22 Mar 1958 - Savona, NY Steuben County Spouse: Living Cragg ( - ) Marr: 20 Nov 1988
Husband's General Notes
Malcolm worked in Bath and New Jersey. In Bath, New York,
Steuben County he was a cook in a restaurant: he worked
for Conine and Cooper in their Garage, then for Barkley's
gas station. He also drove Taxi. In Long Branch, New
Jersey he worked for the Jersey Central Railroad. It is
also noted that he was a watchman in a tower on the beach
during World War II. After coming to Avoca, New York, he
got a job at Corning Glass Works but had no transportation.
In September of 1942, he went to work at the Ingersoll
Rand and was a core maker and rode the bus, owned by
William E. Platt of Bath, New York. Before World War II,
This bus served as a local bus route between Wallace,
New York and Bath, New York. But, the bus was under
jurisdiction of the Transportation Committee of the
Steuben County War Council, during World War II.
THAT FRIGHTFULL MORNING:
On December 14, 1943, at about 5:30 a.m. on Route 15 near Campbell,
New York, Steuben County, a tragic accident took place. This story is about a World War II tragedy that took place,ironically, on the
domestic scene and not abroad as one would think. It was an ordinary
December night, ready to turn into dawn , cold and still with bright
moonlight. There was some snow in the fields and on the shoulder of
the highway, but the pavement was clear.
In Wallace, New York, at 3:30 a.m. men and their wives were up. Four
men were leaving their farms to take the bus to the defense plant
in Painted Post, New York. In Avoca, New York, several men were
picked up by the bus, including Malcolm Ferguson. Its first stop
after leaving Avoca was " The Antlers" and then on to Kanona, New
York. Three men were picked up in Bath, New York. As the bus made
its way from Avoca to Savona, Orval Putnam, the bus driver,
maintained a steady speed of 35 miles per hour, only accelerating
a little to get momentum to climb Savona Hill. After the last
passengers got on in Savona, the bus headed down Route 15 toward
Campbell. Nineteen in all were on their way to work at the
Ingersoll Rand Foundry - work devoted to the war effort.Traffic was very little at this early hour . Lights, roughly a half
mile away, then becoming obscured as the vehicle rounded River Bend.
Again lights emerged from the darkness as the two vehicles came into
close proximity. Approximately 25 feet away the vehicle turned
sharply toward the bus. Orval stomped on the brake. He didn't turn
the bus. There were three jolts, the slamming of the breaks; when
the truck hit the bus; and when the bus crashed onto its side.Twenty-seven thousand pounds of vehicle and load shattered the bus,
six men killed instantly. The bus tipped onto its right side and slid
about 200 feet down the highway. Fire immediately broke out from the
gas tank. There were no sides or top, pieces were strewn along the
shoulder of the road. Five of the men were trapped and burned, so
charred were their bodies, they were unrecognizable. Eight men were
able to crawl out and assist each other. The tractor-trailer, out of
control, turned to the north side of the road and
crossed the eastbound lane, landing with its nose in the bank on the
south side of the road . There were men lying along side of the bus,
some were sitting amidst the flames, immobile and quiet, charred
beyond recognition.
Malcolm was one of those unfortunate.
Husband's Medical Notes
Cause of Death: Injuries sustained in A bus accident
Source Citations
1. TITLE, page eleven.
2. Ibid, Introduction, pg 1 - 12.
The German Spy