Educator, businessman.
Born at Ontario in July 1851, son of Isaac G. Ferguson (1824-1879) and Elizabeth Bowerman (1826-?), he moved to Winnipeg and, in November 1876, applied to join the teaching staff Protestant Board of Education. Accepted in December of the same year, he joined their ranks and taught at the Central School (1876-1878). In December 1878, the School Board gifted him with a set of Cassels’ publications, bound in half morocco, and a $300 increase in annual salary. He was also named Principal of the Central School (1879-1882). In December 1881, the Board of Education planned to offer him the position of School Inspector for the Springfield area, replacing the resigning Reverend Alexander Matheson, though it is unknown if he accepted the position.
Ferguson was also a well-regarded businessman, operating a wholesale stationary business in Winnipeg and British Columbia for many years. He married twice, first at Winnipeg to Harriet Lorette Flumerfelt (?-1891) on 14 February 1882. The couple had at least one child, including Harriett Loretta Ferguson (1891-?). After the death of his first wife, he married Helen Walsh (1869-?) at the Grace Methodist Church on 8 May 1894. In August 1896, he left Winnipeg to pursue gold prospecting at Rossland in the Kootenay mining region. By 1911, he had returned to Ontario and resided at St. Catharines.
He died at Toronto, Ontario on 14 October 1919.
1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
Birth, marriage, and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Winnipeg estate file #989, Harriet Loretta Ferguson, Archives of Manitoba.
“School Board [Mr. J. F. Ferguson, sic],” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 30 November 1876, page 3.
“Winnipeg Public Schools [Mr. J. F. Ferguson, sic],” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 9 December 1876, page 3.
“Board of Education [Mr. J. F. Ferguson, sic],” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 14 December 1876, page 2.
“Presentation,” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 23 December 1878, page 1.
“The Winnipeg Protestant Schools,” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 12 July 1879, page 1.
“Board of School Trustees,” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 9 June 1880, page 1.
“Mr. J. B. Ferguson,” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 3 September 1880, page 1.
“Board of Education,” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 28 December 1881, page 1.
“Wedding bells,” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 9 May 1894, page 6.
“Off for Rossland,” Winnipeg Tribune, 26 August 1896, page 5.
“Mining stocks,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 September 1896, page 4.
John Bowerman Ferguson (1851-1919), Wikitree.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 6 October 2016
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