Fergus County was created by act of the
Fourteenth Legislative Assembly, Montana Territory, in the Spring of 1885.
The Bill was sponsored by Hon. James Fergus, a delegate to the assembly from
Meagher County, then including Central Montana. The new county was to become
operative through the selection of officers in November 1886, when the
following were chosen: Sheriff, John Beck; Recorder, Win. H. Kelly; Clerk of
District Court, Charles S. Fell; Probate Judge, Daniel A. Meagher; County
Attorney, Frank E. Smith; Assessor, Michael Gurnett; Surveyor, L.W.
Eldridge; Coroner, A.W. Sit ton; Superintendent of Schools, David Galbreath;
County Commissioners, William Berkin, E.P. Chandler, J.P. Barnes.
The new county covered an area approximately
130 miles from east to west and 90 miles from north to south. It contained
209 townships, over 7,524 square miles and 4,824,000 acres.. The original
Fergus County was subsequently divided into what are now entirely or partly
the counties of Musselshell, Petroleum, Judith Basin, Wheatland, Golden
Valley and the present Fergus County. The size of Fergus County at it's
inception was greater than many of the New England States. Fergus County now
covers 4,253 square miles and 2,765,685 acres. It is ‘70 miles north to
south at the longest distance and 90 miles across the longest distance east
to west.