[2] Before undertaking a grand tour of Europe during 1758, Ferguson continued the family tradition of studying law in Edinburgh.

[1] Ferguson spent a great deal of time at Pitfour but also had an apartment in St James Place, Westminster, Middlesex.

[4] In a confidential report titled "View of the political state of Scotland" published in 1788, Ferguson was described as "a man of real good sense, but indolent.

[9] In a riddle written by the Duchess, the last two lines refer to Ferguson (Laird of Pitfour) and confirm that he was not an attractive man.

It reads:[10][11] My first is found upon the banks of Tyne My second is scarce quite half of nine My whole a laird of Aberdeenshire race An honest fellow with an ugly face Around 1813, he established the planned village of Mintlaw, and he is also credited with expanding Longside in 1801.

[13] He died without issue, and on his death in St James' Place, London, in September 1820, the estate passed to his younger brother, George Ferguson (1748–1820), who was then 72 years old and in poor health.

[15][16] Ferguson was again nominated for Aberdeenshire in July 1790 and was appointed after Skene withdrew when his alcoholism began to blight his political career.

In the elections of 1806, he retained the seat by just two votes, and his opponent General Alexander Hay demanded he be investigated for bribery and corruption.

Some records indicate that Ferguson never spoke in the Commons except to complain about a broken window behind his seat causing a draught.

[21][22] The diarist and fellow lawyer Henry Crabb Robinson gave an indication of Ferguson's political party affiliation when he recorded in his diary of 1826:[4] Late at the Athenaeum.

He related with great effect the experience of Ferguson of Pitfour, which he used to repeat when an old man, for the benefit of young Members: 'I was never absent from any division I could get at.

Covering a large area of Buchan, the policies stretched to around 50 square miles and would be valued at £30m at its peak in the 18th century.

However, four months later when two miles of the canal had been dug up to where the north and south Ugie joined, the Hospital did apply for an interdict, and this was granted in July 1797.

[31] A few years after starting work on the canal, the Member had an artificial lake built on a flat piece of land to the front of the mansion house.

He was succeeded by his illegitimate son George Ferguson who, despite incurring severe debts, continued to develop the estate by adding a stable block, race course, an observation tower and other follies.