Our History

Samuel D. Aultman was the first to begin the establishment, which later became known as Ferguson Funeral Home. It was Aultman's service in the Civil War as a field mortuary technician that led him to begin a funeral parlor in Scottdale. He was also considered a pioneer in the emerging art of embalming.

Scottdale Funeral Museum

The business was then passed on to J. Patrick Owens in 1899. Owens was a turn of the century undertaker and livery service operator. He decided to team up with William "Will" Ferguson, a foreman at the town's casket factory, to create "Owens and Ferguson Undertaking & Livery" in 1901.

Will was a cabinetmaker by trade and some of his original artifacts can be found at the Ferguson Funeral Home today. Shortly afterwards, Owens retired due to illness. It was then that Will decided to have his sons, George and John, operate the Ferguson Undertaking & Furniture Store. (In those days, it was not unusual for furniture entrepreneurs to also be in the casket business.) The store was located at 120 Pittsburgh Street, Scottdale.

It was Will's stern business sense and sympathetic demeanor that led the funeral home to flourish during the course of two world wars. Will Ferguson passed away in 1951. Tragically, within a year and ten days, his son George also died as a result of an ambulance accident in January of 1952. His wife, Nellie, operated the firm on a widow's license until her son, Robert B. Ferguson, the third generation, purchased the business in 1963.

Bob immersed himself in a daily commitment as funeral director for close to 38 years. He trained and mentored his son, Robert B. Ferguson, Jr., the fourth generation, until his well deserved retirement in 1992

Robert B. Ferguson, Jr., bought Ferguson Funeral Home in 1993. In the early 1990s the funeral industry was experiencing a period of transition including personalization features, alternative customs, and cremation. Rob took a hand in all of this to certain the Ferguson Funeral Home remained true to its traditions, offering an exceptional level of customer service and state-of-the art funerary offerings.

Today, Ferguson Funeral Home offers the latest in funeral preplanning and advanced funeral arrangements, funeral services, and cremation services.

To celebrate the history of the business, Rob acquired an 1880 era domestic-made Rockfalls horse-drawn funeral hearse, and built both a vintage carriage house and an aggregate concrete driveway with a functioning portico. He also adorned the funeral home with handmade wood carved artifacts from his great-grandfather, including tables, stands, plaques, and two grandfather clocks.

Historical Documentary