RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: hmcc on Saturday 04 November 23 11:07 GMT (UK)
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George Wilson Ferguson b 1895 Markinch, Scotland sailed from London to Brisbane on Osterley 1924 heading to Pioneer Estate, Lower Burdekin, Townsville.
Margaret Jane McCormick b 1907 Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland sailed from London to Brisbane on Orontes 1938 also going to Pioneer Estate, they married 16/07/1938 Queensland.
Son Wilson Murray Ferguson was born 21/10/1941.
Margaret Jane died 1962 (55) Barwon Downs, Victoria, George died 1966 (71) a farmer, Barwon Downs and son Wilson died 2010 (69).
All are buried in Warncoort Cemetery.
Would like to find where they were between time at Pioneer Estate (1938) and farming in Barwon Downs area (1966).
hmcc.
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Was Wilson born Queensland or Victoria?
And what was George's occupation on the marriage cert?
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Electoral rolls for George Wilson Ferguson
1941, 1943, 1949 Stableman, Pioneer Qld
Don’t know where they were in the 1950s
1963 Dairy farmer, Barwon Downs
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Thank you both for replies, Wilson Ferguson was born 21/10/1941 according to Find a Grave site and would be in Queensland.
George Ferguson had been at Pioneer Estate from 1924 and still there at time of marriage 1938, I don't have the marriage cert.
In 1950 the family go to Kansas to visit Margaret Fergusons brother.
Thank you for the electoral rolls Neale, it fills in some of the gaps.
hmcc.
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George Wilson Ferguson
Will
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/C596B6A0-F5C2-11E9-AE98-39740A29898F
Probate files
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/53ADBEAF-F258-11E9-AE98-8FF17A247649
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Thank you again Neale for Will and Probate links, I had found them earlier for Margaret and George Ferguson. Normally I use Scotlands People as I'm in Scotland and not sure about using and costs of records for Victoria.
Thank you for your help.
hmcc.
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G'day
I think I can help with this query. I worked with (Wilson) Murray Ferguson from 2005 until his tragic passing in 2010, in fact he was my mentor.
The following is purely from my memories of long conversations we enjoyed as fellow Fire Lookout Observers in the Otway Ranges so may be flawed.
Murray told me he was born in Queensland but that at some point during the war his family relocated to the USA. They must have spent quite a long time there as Murray recalled obtaining his driving licence in America at quite a young age during the era of gigantic, finned cars and subsequently driving to school. He described going to the drive-ins with his friends and how the restaurants would serve food on little tables attached to the car door.
I believe some of his later contemporaries here in the Otways called him Tex possibly because of his American experiences?
I hope these few snippets of information are of use to you in your research.
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Welcome to RootsChat Simon Hawkins.
What lovely recollections, I'm sure hmcc will be pleased to read this.
There are school year books on Ancestry that have photos of (Wilson) Murray FERGUSON at Trego Community High School, Wakeeney, Kansas in 1957 and 1958. He also appears with parents in the Kansas City and County Census Records at Wakeeney in 1957 and 1958.
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The family also travelled from Quebec on 16 Sept 1953 to Liverpool on the Franconia. Their intended address was 67 Ravelston Dykes, Edinburgh (last permanent residence USA).
They then returned to New York on the Ascania arriving 10 Dec 1953. The address given was Box 305, Wakeney, Kansas.
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Thank you maddys52
I did try to view the yearbook photos but found it awkward to register, having not been a US high school graduate myself. If possible/allowed could you share here so that I might show to colleagues who remember (Wilson) Murray ?
I have attached a photo of Murray and one of the Mount Cowley fire tower near Lorne in Victoria taken from a local newspaper article in 2007.
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Thank you very much Simon Hawkins and Maddy52 for all info about Ferguson family.
I had found them heading to Wakeeney, Kansas in 1950's, I assumed wrongly they were on a visit to Margaret Fergusons brother (Andrew McCormick) who had lived in Wakeeney for a number of years, not knowing they remained there for a few years.
George Fergusons brother lived in Edinburgh, both the Ferguson brothers married McCormick sisters.
I don't have a subscription to Ancestry to check out the yearbooks photo but thank you again for all information it is much appreciated.
hmcc.
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I'm not sure that I can share the photos from the Yearbooks here without breaching copyright. Simon, if you make one more post I can send you a message using the personal message system here.
Many libraries also have free access to Ancestry, so you could try your local library.