Alexander Ferguson (1885 - 1966)

Born 7 Oct 1885 in Torbeg, Bute, Scotland, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Marjorie (Sidwell) Ferguson — married 29 Mar 1933 in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada

Died 1 Jul 1966 at age 80 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Marion Corrigan [send private message] and Janette Smith [send private message]

Biography

Alexander was born on 7th October 1885 at the Lakin Farm, Torbeg, Shiskine, Isle of Arran, Scotland. ^[1] He was the son of Daniel Ferguson and Mary Bowie.

The Scotland Censuses of 1891^[2] and 1901^[3] document his early life at home in Torbeg. It is known from family sources on Arran, Scotland ^[4] that Alexander was a carpenter/joiner during his adult life on Arran, also confirmed in a ship's passenger list entry.^[5]

At the age of 24 in 1910, Alexander followed his brother Lachlan Bowie Ferguson on a similar voyage and immigration to Canada, via the Port of New York ^[6] then on to Quebec in Canada ^[6] with a final destination in Strathcona, Alberta, the nearest railway station to his brother's farm near Edmonton, Alberta.

No doubt his skills as a joiner would have been invaluable on the new farm but documentation ^[7] suggests Alexander stayed with his brother for a year then, in April 1911, he decided to move on, perhaps, as Lachlan had married Jean (McDougall) Ferguson. Alexander may have worked his passage as a waiter on the railroad to Halfax, Nova Scotia from where he sailed to Vancouver, British Columbia,^[7] where his sister Mary Bowie (Ferguson) MacKenzie had newly arrived with husband Duncan (McKenzie) MacKenzie.^[8]

Alexander found employment in the Fish Canneries around the coast of Vancouver Island for the rest of his working life, holding responsible positions as Cannery Manager.^[9] Shipping manifests to Honolulu and Seattle suggest that Alexander may have either been there on behalf of the fish canning company he worked for or he was seeking other employment opportunities. ^[10][11] The latter may be likely as in the 1931 Census of Canada ^[9] Alexander was noted as a Cannery Manager with "no job". Historically, around that time of The Great Depression the fishing industry was in decline. ^[12]

Alexander maintained contact with the family in Arran, Scotland. He travelled back around the time of his father's death in Dec 1919, returning to Vancouver in early March 1920. ^{[13] [14]} He must also have been around when his 80 year old mother from Arran visited his sister in Kildonan, Vancouver Island in 1928. ^[15]

At the age of 47 on 19th March 1933 he married Marjorie Fryburg (nee Sidwell), a seamstress and widow, aged 42, in New Westminster, British Columbia. Marjorie's origins were in Alchester, England, UK.^[16]

After he retired from the fish cannery, he lived with his sister Mary (Ferguson) MacKenzie in New Westminster, Vancouver.^[17] He passed away on 1st July 1966 in Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia.^[18] He is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver.

Research Notes

Requires a final revision.

i. The file photo for citation 15, re- Alexander's mother from Arran visiting family in Vancouver in 1928, is too large to upload.

ii. Research Marjorie Fryburg's death.

iii. Reduce lengthy citations i.e. 1931 Canada Census and Passenger Lists.

iv. *Perhaps Alexander's close family can confirm, correct and add to his biography.*

Sources

1. ↑ "Statutory Registers-Births, " database, ScotlandsPeople. (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 23 March 2024), data, birth registration, entry for Ferguson, Alexander, born 7th October 1885, District of Kilmory, County of Bute; citing statutory birth register no. 554/30.
2. ↑ "Scotland Census Returns 1891," database, ScotlandsPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk : accessed 21 April 2024), entry for FERGUSON, ALEXANDER, age 5, District of Kilmory, County of Bute; citing Census Returns 1891, Ref No. 554/7/10.
3. ↑ "Scotland Census Returns 1901," database, ScotlandsPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk : accessed 23 March 2024), entry for FERGUSON, ALEXANDER, age 15, District of Shiskine, County of Bute; citing Census Returns 1901, Ref No. 554/2 2/4.
4. ↑ Ferguson. Daniel. of Isle of Arran, Scotland. Personal Recollection-2, 15 Jan 1990, as told to Jean Donaldson (Taylor) Anderson via dictation. Notes in the possession of Marion (Smith) Corrigan (see attached image)
5. ↑ "Canada Passenger Lists, 1881-1922," , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2QS6-CF3 : 20 April 2024), Alexander Ferguson, Apr 1910; citing Immigration, New York, New York, United States, T-4699, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden Ellis Island), 1820-1927," database and images 79 and 80, Ancestry.com : accessed 21April 2024, entry for Alexander Ferguson.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} "Canada Passenger Lists, 1881-1922," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6YJR-D1?cc=1823240&wc=36YM-44J%3A981999201%2C982019801%2C981993401 : 20 April 2024), Halifax, NS > Apr 1911 > Sicilian > image 15 of 36; Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, entry for Alexander Ferguson.
8. ↑ Mary MacKenzie, "Canada Passenger Lists, 1881-1922," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2QS6-PMY : 20 April 2024), Mary Mackenzie, Feb 1911; citing Immigration, New York, New York, United States, T-4701, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} "1931 Census of Canada," database and images, Ancestry.com. (https://www.ancestry.co.uk/sharing/12968672?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a22485332366b7878474e6252654249357441446462306f433947487a7836725462436168747a7954344e4d453d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d : accessed 20 April 2024), entry for Alexander Ferguson.
10. ↑ "Hawaii, Honolulu Passenger Lists, 1900-1953", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR9-LXC9 : Thu Mar 07 07:26:20 UTC 2024), Entry for Alexander Ferguson, 1926.
11. ↑ "Alaska, U.S., Arriving and Departing Passenger and Crew Manifests, 1906-1963," database and images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.co.uk/sharing/12967662?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a224c48487a5556356e2f492b767939796a683575336c3476526b6f687976556c6a46696836727744552b31343d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d : accessed 20 April 2024) entry for Alexander Ferguson.
12. ↑ "From Tides to Tins," database and images, Gulf of Georgia Cannery Society. [1]. Accessed 21 April 2024.
13. ↑ "Canada, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1865-1935," database and images, Ancestry.com _phcmd=u(%27https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/categories/40/?name=Alexander_Ferguson&birth=1885_Scotland&gender=m&keyword=1919&location=3243&priority=canada&race=Scotland&successSource=Search&queryId=88ed0086-e26d-4e16-b8d0-df34cd72b28a%27,%27successSource%27 : accessed 21 April 2024, entry for ALEXANDER FERGUSON.
14. ↑ "Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919-1924," database and images, Ancestry.com ]https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/86990:1588?_phcmd=u(%27https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/categories/40/?name=Alexander_Ferguson&birth=1885_Scotland&gender=m&keyword=1919&location=3243&priority=canada&race=Scotland&successSource=Search&queryId=6557b3cf-95a8-471b-91db-f78b22588dbb%27,%27successSource%27 : accessed 21 April 2024], entry for ALEXANDER FERGUSON.
15. ↑ Image|file=Ferguson-23863-2.jpg |caption=Granny and Maggie Ferguson from Arran, Scotland in Kildonan, Vancouver. 1928
16. ↑ "Registrations of Marriage, Royal BC Museum and Archives," [2], (accessed 28 March 2024), entry for Alexander Ferguson and Marjorie Fryburg, 29 March 1933.
17. ↑ Canada, Voters List, 1935-1980," database and images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.co.uk/sharing/12970306?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a226c4267496c744a434e386852776a4b376f724375666a58522f4d4732303376392f4165465a4a75327644593d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d : accessed 20 April 2024) entry for Alexander Ferguson and Mary MacKenzie, 1965.
18. ↑ "Registrations of Death, Royal BC Museum and Archives," [3] ( accessed 28 March 2024) entry for Alexander Ferguson, 01 Jul 1966.

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