He attended Edinburgh University medical school, graduating in 1822.
In the 1841 census he is shown as a surgeon in Dundee and is listed with wife Isabella and children Elizabeth and John.[1]
In 1842 he sailed with his family to Australind.[2] The family lived there until 1846 when Dr Ferguson was offered the position of Colonial Surgeon.[3] The family then moved to Perth.
As Colonial Surgeon he was the first to use chloroform in Western Australia and is credited with warning the Colonial Secretary in 1852 about the impact of whooping cough on the Aboriginal people who had had no previous exposure to the disease[4].
He was a member of the central vaccnation board and also bought an estate on the Swan which had been planted with vines by a previous owner, Colin Houghton (The Houghton Winery is no one of WA's finest)[4].
He died in 1883 and was buried in East Perth Cemeteries, Perth, City of Perth, Western Australia, Australia with a death date of 11 September 1883.[5].
There is a family memorial in the Edinburgh Grange cemetery that reads "M152 In memory of John FERGUSON M.D., who died May 14 1877 aged 65; also of Isabella, wife of the above, who died March 16 1894 aged 85; also of Isabella Melrose, daughter of the above, who died September 1 1895 aged 61; also Elizabeth SMITH, aunt of the above, who died October 15 1895 aged 68."[6].
Sources
↑ FindMyPast. Online database. FindMyPast (accessed 14 Jan 2023). 1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census. Index entry for John Ferguson. First name(s): John; Last name: Ferguson; Sex: Male; Age: 38; Birth year: 1803; Birth county: -; Birth county as transcribed: Scotland; Birth place other: Scotland; Occupation: Surgeon; Full address: S Tay Street, Dundee, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland; Street: S Tay Street; Parish or township: Dundee; Town: Dundee; County: Forfarshire (Angus); Country: Scotland; Registration district: -; Family member first name(s): Margaret, Ann, John M, Elizabeth, Isabella; Family member last name: Rumgay, Aymer, Ferguson; Archive reference: -; Piece number: -; Book number: -; Folio number: -; Page number: -; Schedule: 5; Record set: 1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census; Category: Census, land & surveys; Subcategory: Census; Collections from: Great Britain, Scotland
↑ 4.04.1 190 Years of The West Australian. John Ferduson. p. 11. West Australian Digital Paper. June 10, 2023
↑Memorial:
Find a Grave (has image)
Find A Grave: Memorial #88074493 (accessed 15 June 2023)
Memorial page for Dr John Ferguson (1802-11 Sep 1883), citing East Perth Cemeteries, Perth, City of Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Maintained by graver (contributor 47037760).
B. C. Cohen, 'Ferguson, John (1802–1883)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ferguson-john-2040/text2521, published first in hardcopy 1966, accessed online 14 January 2023.
The Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians https://www.friendsofbattyelibrary.org.au/_files/ugd/f5623a_b9262e26bc30471ba64bc3e6a0e3a151.pdf?F accessed 14 Jan 2023. "FERGUSON, (Dr) John, b. 1799/1802, d. 11.9.1883 (Perth). arr. 6.12.1842 per Trusty with wife, M. 12.6.1838 (Scotland) Isabella MAXWELL b. 1.5.1819 (Scotland) d. 20.11.1910 (Perth). Chd. Elizabeth Stormonth b. 1839 (Scotland) d. 1918, John Maxwell b. 1841 (Scotland) d. 1924, Charles William b. 1847 (WA) d. 1940, Helen Fleming b. 1850 d. 1913, lsabella Maxwell b. 1853 d. 1928. Surgeon. Appointed Magistrate at Australind 1844 & farmed at Brunswick. Apptd. Col. Surgeon at Perth 1846 & was 1st to use cbloroform in W.A. in 1848. Surgeon to Mt. Eliza Depot 1852 & 1st President of Medical Bd. of W.A. in 1870. Bought "Houghton", Upper Swan 1859 & developed vineyards for wine. Chd. went to England for education. Wife visited England & returned 6.10.1858 per Aerolite with family. Employed 19 T/L men on occasions 1855-1875. Commemorated in 1979 in a brass plaque in Perth pavement for year 1859."
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