JAMES, JOHN TODD AND WILLIAM FERGUSON
|
When Jessie Todd , the first wife of James Murray Ferguson, died of typhoid, she left him with three young sons to raise. William was only a few months old the other two were 4 and 2 years old. A very early photo (below) of John with his Auntie Jessie Todd may well have been taken at the time of her funeral, They were soon to be surrounded by siblings when their father remarried Helen Sinclair Malcolm form Newton Stewart in Galloway. Together they had another 8 children . It can probably be assumed that Helen came from a wealthy family and they Fergusons moved into Malcolm Lodge. Education was a prioirity andJames, John and William all went to school at the prestigious Ayr Academy. Family stories have it that of the two older boys James (pictured left) was the more academic. He completed his education and was working as a Clerk by the time he was 17. He left Ayr for Manchester where he worked as a travelling salesman, a profession he continued when he emigrated to Adelaide Australia . |
|
After completing his education John spent several years working on his grandfather Todd's tenanted farm in Galloway. It was these two that moved to Manchester and eventually emigrated to South Australia, Much More can be found about John and James under the Fergusons in Australia tab.
|
|
Above: Jame s and John at Ayr Academy. 2nd row, second and fourth from the left resp[ectively.
Right; Ayr Academy Art Class.
The history of the Ayr Academy can be traced to 1233 when William the Lion granted a charter setting up the burgh of Ayr . The new town had a church and the church had a school. The school moved to its current location in 1800 and is
now known as the Old Academy and was described by one commentator as “ plain and not very ornamental....chaste and in good taste,”
Right; Ayr Academy Art Class.
The history of the Ayr Academy can be traced to 1233 when William the Lion granted a charter setting up the burgh of Ayr . The new town had a church and the church had a school. The school moved to its current location in 1800 and is
now known as the Old Academy and was described by one commentator as “ plain and not very ornamental....chaste and in good taste,”
William Ferguson
William was the full brother to James and John Todd Ferguson however, unlike their half sister Gracie there was very little information recorded about him until, in April 1951, Wyn Weidenhoffer, his great niece, travelled from Adelaide South Australia to Scotland to work as a governess. She met William, known as Willie, in Stranraer, Wigtownshire. Here is her account of their meeting.
Uncle Willy came over with his eldest on Agnew. Uncle Willy seemed very well- he has remarkable
blue eyes and white hair. He cannot see to read and had to sit close to me to get a good look at me.
He asked about you and Uncle Jim, and was pleased to hear that you (John and James) are both hale and hearty.
I have taken a photo. "
William had married Jessie McMeikan Agnew, daughter of John Agnew, on 29th March 1901 in Mark, Castle Kennedy. They had three children
(John James) Agnew was born in December 1903 and died in 1984. He worked on his grandfather s farm in Mark, Wigtownshire. He married a woman called Jean and had three children
Unknown was born 17th July 1914 in Castle Kennedy.
William was the full brother to James and John Todd Ferguson however, unlike their half sister Gracie there was very little information recorded about him until, in April 1951, Wyn Weidenhoffer, his great niece, travelled from Adelaide South Australia to Scotland to work as a governess. She met William, known as Willie, in Stranraer, Wigtownshire. Here is her account of their meeting.
Uncle Willy came over with his eldest on Agnew. Uncle Willy seemed very well- he has remarkable
blue eyes and white hair. He cannot see to read and had to sit close to me to get a good look at me.
He asked about you and Uncle Jim, and was pleased to hear that you (John and James) are both hale and hearty.
I have taken a photo. "
William had married Jessie McMeikan Agnew, daughter of John Agnew, on 29th March 1901 in Mark, Castle Kennedy. They had three children
(John James) Agnew was born in December 1903 and died in 1984. He worked on his grandfather s farm in Mark, Wigtownshire. He married a woman called Jean and had three children
- Margaret
- Elsie
- Jim.
Unknown was born 17th July 1914 in Castle Kennedy.
Above: Agnew, Jessie, Bill and Jean Ferguson.
Right: Agnew Ferguson with his children Margaret, Elsie and Jim and his mother Jessie. Far right: William (Willie) Ferguson. |
|
|