Biography:

Dr. John Stanley Ferguson was born in Harwich Twp (Chatham-Kent), Ontario on the 7th of January, 1897.  Dr. Ferguson was the 9th of 11 children born to William Alexander Ferguson and the former Jennie McNaughton. His parents were farmers and his siblings were; Jane “Jennie” Ferguson, William Ferguson, Dougald Ferguson, Margaret Ann Ferguson, Archibald Douglas Ferguson, Edith Ferguson, Jessie May Ferguson, Robert R. Ferguson, Duncan James Ferguson and Hector Alexander Ferguson.  His father died of blood poisoning on the 6th of October, 1900 at St Joseph’s Hospital in Chatham when Dr. Ferguson was just 3 years old.  Dr. Ferguson attended S.S. #9, Harwich Twp, a one room school house, before attending Chatham Collegiate Institute for his secondary school education.

Dr. Ferguson attended The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine but World War I interrupted his studies. He enlisted in Toronto in the Royal Canadian Navy on the 5th of August, 1918. His address at the time was 320 Huron St. in Toronto.  On his Medical History Sheet he was listed as 5′ 6.5″ tall, 119 pounds, with brown hair and grey eyes.

After his service to his country, he completed his medical training and graduated M.B. in 1921. The 1928 Ontario Medical Register records that Dr. Ferguson joined the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 30th of June, 1921.  Dr. Ferguson practiced in Strasburg, Saskatchewan for 3 years, before returning to Chatham-Kent. He joined the practice of Dr. James Warren Rutherford in Chatham.  They remained partners until Dr. Rutherford’s death in 1939. In the 1960’s Dr. Ferguson’s office was located at 47 King St., West in Chatham.  According to the 1941 Shepherds City of Chatham Business Directory, Dr. Ferguson’s office phone number was 39.

Dr. Ferguson married Audrey “Grace” Parsons on the 9th of January 1933, in Hamilton. Mrs. Ferguson was born on the 19th of December, 1905 in Somerset, England. She was the youngest of 3 children born to Walter Parsons and the former Rachel Hurst.  Her siblings were; Leonard Ralph Parsons and Marjorie Edna Dorcas Parsons.  The Parsons family immigrated to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1911, where her father was a merchant.  By 1916, Walter and Rachel Parsons and their children lived in Pilot Mound, Manitoba.  At the time of their marriage, Mrs. Ferguson was a teacher at Hamilton Collegiate Institute.

After their marriage, Dr. and Mrs. Ferguson moved to a home located at 522 King Street West in Chatham.  Dr. and Mrs. Ferguson became the parents to 3 children; Elizabeth who died in childhood, John Duncan Ferguson and Sheila Jean Ferguson.

Dr. Ferguson was the President of the Kent County Medical Society in 1940.  He was a member of the Chatham Kinsmen Club, the Wellington Lodge, A.F. & A.M. and the Scottish Rite. In his spare time, Dr. Ferguson enjoyed hunting, fishing and raising standard bred horses.

Dr. Ferguson retired in 1970.  He died at St Joseph’s Hospital in Chatham on the 23rd of January, 1988.  Mrs. Ferguson died on the 1st of August, 1996.  Dr. and Mrs. Ferguson were interred at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Chatham.

*Dr. Ferguson is also featured on the Gathering Our Heroes website.

**Dr. Ferguson’s brother Dr. Duncan James Ferguson became a dental surgeon.  He enlisted in WWI but his unit was demobilized before he was deployed.  

***Dr. Ferguson’s brother Robert R. Ferguson served with the United States Military during WWI and WWII.

****Dr. James Warren Rutherford is also featured on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.