Shep's Place Family Tree

Gilbert learned farming skills from his father that were to stand him in good stead when he later established his own properties. After his father died in 1864, he joined his older brother, Charles Cliff Ferguson on his farm. He was a farmer at Stockport when he married Jane Forrester in 1867. Jane's brother John also farmed in the area and the couple met through their brothers. Jane was born in Willunga in 1845, the daughter of William Innes Forrester and Deborah Bowman. Her parents ran a hotel in Gilberton. Jane's father was murdered in 1866 by a disgruntled guest, to whom he had refused further alcohol. According to the witnesses reports, "in a few minutes, the girls came screaming that their father was stabbed."

Gilbert and Jane were married at Trinity Church Adelaide, the same church as her parents. The Register announced the marriage "On the 6th April, 1867, at Trinity Church, Adelaide, by licence, by the Rev Dean Farrell, Gilbert, son of the late Daniel Ferguson, of Glenunga, Glen Osmond, to Jane, second daughter of the late W. I. Forrester, of the Bow and Arrow Hotel, Gilberton."

Gilbert Ferguson moved to Victoria, where all of his children were born. In 1867, he lived in Melbourne and the birth of his oldest son; Lindsay McFarlane was registered in Collingwood. In 1869, the family is recorded as living at Ballarat where Flora was born. In 1871, when Emma was born, the birth was recorded at Inglewood. In 1872, Gilbert moved to Mysia, naming his farm "Ellabeck Farm," after a farm owned by his mother-in-law. A biographical index of early Victorian settlers in 1888 states "about sixteen years ago, Gilbert took up a selection of 320 acres, at Mysia, being one of the earliest settlers in the locality. He has bought additional land since, and has now in all 1,400 acres, of which about 450 acres are under cultivation, chiefly with wheat and barley, the balance being used for grazing purposes. His homestead is about a mile from the railway station. Mr Ferguson is a member of the Korong shire council and a Justice of the Peace for the midland bailiwick."

In 1890, Gilbert Ferguson decided to return to South Australia. He is listed in Sands and McDougall's Directory of South Australia from 1892 as a farmer in Bordertown. He bought a property named Delta, located on a good strip of land north of Bordertown, in the Hundred of Tatiara. He added to the property by later buying surrounding sections and taking up Crown Land, building up a holding of 2,683 acres. As the Tatiara Creek flowed through Delta, spreading out and flooding country to the north of its course, Gilbert built a bank several feet high, a few feet north of the creek, confining the flow of water to the creek bed to prevent flooding.

Bordertown was expanding when Gilbert Ferguson decided to settle in the area. The extension of the railway to the town in 1881 had given business confidence in its future and the Tatiara Mail in 1887 commented that the town had been "almost entirely rebuilt during the past six years. Nearly all the old dilapidated huts have given place to substantial stone or wooden buildings and as the blank allotments are built on, the town is assuming a compact and handsome appearance." Metalled roads had also begun to appear. Bordertown had a school, post office, a local court meeting on alternate months, a football club and cricket club. There was no Presbyterian church, but a Congregational Church had been established, attended by the Fergusons. An Institute had been established, with a library and reading rooms. The focal point of the town's cultural life, it also provided a hall for meetings, concerts and musical productions.

Although Delta had been established by its first owner, Mr Marshall, as a wheat farm, yields were poor in the era before the introduction of super phosphate and Gilbert was one of many farmers who used their land mainly for grazing, first for cattle and later for sheep. Gilbert Ferguson used Delta for dairy production. Between 1891 and 1897, he was one of the biggest suppliers to the butter factory in Bordertown, which had been established after a public meeting on October 1890 resolved that the Tatiara Produce Company be formed for the purpose of "starting a creamery and butter factory." The foundation stone of the factory was laid on 25 April 1891 and the factory formally opened on August 5. The first batch was sampled at the opening ceremony.

The presence of the butter factory encouraged farmers to increase their herds. Tatiara: The First 140 Years states, "when the factory was still under construction, Mr Gilbert Ferguson purchased Delta, three miles north of Bordertown, principally to run cows to supply milk to the factory. In June 1891, he bought thirty well-bred cows in the Mount Barker district as the basis of his herd."

When the butter factory opened, the daily average supply of milk was 45 gallons. In the spring and summer of 1895, the peak production months, the daily average was 500 gallons. The supply of milk varied with the season, the preceding winter's average being only 80-100 gallons a day. During most winters the factory either reduced operations to three days a week or closed completely for several weeks or even months. In November 1895, three quarters of a ton of butter was being produced, most exported to England. According to Jones' History of the Tatiara farmers were paid two and a half pence per gallon for milk supplied. However, Jim Ferguson remembers his father Alex telling him of a period of time when they received only a penny a gallon. Separators were unknown in the Tatiara in the 1890s and the whole milk was delivered to the factory where it was separated and the milk churned to butter. The majority of the milk cart drivers were the older students of Bordertown Primary School, Gilbert Ferguson's sons amongst them. A queue of nondescript vehicles, mostly of the box cart variety, formed outside the factory each morning. It required two youths to lift out the ten gallon milk cans. The skim milk was later carted away to a piggery.

Gilbert Ferguson died in hospital at Mount Gambier on 2.12.1898. The Advertiser reported, "On 2nd December, at Mt Gambier, after a short, but severe illness, borne with much patience, Gilbert Ferguson, aged 62 years, of Delta, Bordertown, fourth son of the late Daniel Ferguson of Glenunga, Glen Osmond". He was buried in Bordertown, "To the Dear Memory, Gilbert Ferguson, of Delta, Dec 2 1898 in his 62nd Year, Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to the Cross I cling"

Gilbert left his estate valued at £1,300 "unto my dear wife and nine children". He left £300 to his wife, £200 to his eldest son Lindsay "as soon as he requires it" and £100 to his second son, Gilbert. His wife was "to have the proceeds made on the property to maintain and educate the children until the youngest is 15 years of age." The property was then to be divided between his wife and children. He also stated "my youngest daughter Elsie is to be under the control of her mother till she is 21 of age." He appointed his wife and son Lindsay as executors. His brother Alex Ferguson and brother-in-law Mark Goldsack witnessed the will.

Delta was sold. According to the diary kept by his son Glen, Delta was first advertised for sale more than 12 months before the auction was finally held on 23.2.1910. Some of the land had been sold in February 1909 for £3.15.0 an acre and Glen recorded that horses brought a good price from £41 to £46. Glen sold 100 of his own sheep for 7/2. The proceeds of the sale of Delta were divided amongst his children, the family retaining Winterlake, the income from the property providing for Jane. Glen records in his diary that he looked after the sheep on Winterlake, taking them to be shorn.

After Gilbert's death, the Fergusons moved into Bordertown, to a house in Binnie Street, occupied by members of the family until for over 50 years until 1958. It is a solid, stone house with high verandas on three sides. Her grand daughter Doris remembered children used to enjoy roller-skating around it, although at the risk of ending up in the garden below. Another granddaughter, Jean recalls the plum trees in the large garden.

Jane's main interest in life was her family. Religion played an important part in her life. On Sundays, she attended the Congregational Church in Bordertown. The family had its own pew, with a long padded cushion. At home, Jane assembled her family every day to read verses from the Bible. Her granddaughter Jean recalls her grandmother Jane calling her inside from the garden to listen to the readings.

A photograph of Jane in later years shows her with snowy white hair, with the same stocky build as her youngest sons. She always wore a bonnet with a big bow, refusing her daughters suggestions that she wear a hat. She was cared for at home by her unmarried daughters, Violet and Elsie, who despite their advancing age, were referred to as the girls. Her grand daughter Gwen remembers her once saying quite unexpectedly to her daughter "that's an abominable dress you have on Elsie." It sounded so funny that Else and Violet went into peals of laughter.

At the age of 75, she suffered the first of three strokes. Her son Alex was summonsed by the doctor, in the belief that there was no hope of her recovering. For the last 12 years of her life, she was confined to a wheelchair, towards the end unable to speak. Violet and Else continued to care for, later assisted by a nurse, Sally Umpherston, a relative of James Umpherston. Jane died on 22.2.1936 aged 91. She was buried in the family grave in Bordertown, the inscription reading "Jane beloved wife of Gilbert Ferguson 22 Jan 1936 in her 91st year For children arise up and call her blessed Beautiful life at set of sun Our mother"

She left her estate of £5,929, to her daughters Violet Julia and Elsie Jean, with provision also that payments be made to four of her children, Margaret, Gilbert, Emma and Lindsay, who had received lesser shares of their father's estate. Her daughters continued to live for a number of years in the same house in Bordertown.

The Border Chronicle paid tribute, "At the great age of 90 years, Mrs Jane Ferguson, one of the very oldest residents of the Tatiara passed peacefully away at her home in Bordertown last Wednesday, January 22. With her death, the Tatiara lost one of its most gracious and dignified Christian women, who had accomplished much in a courageous life, the long eventide of which had been characterised by great fortitude. Mrs Ferguson, who was the widow of the late Mr Gilbert Ferguson, of "Delta," had been a resident of the Tatiara for nearly half a century. She leaves a family of four sons and five daughters: Messrs L. Ferguson ‎(Menindie, SA)‎, G. F. Ferguson ‎(Glencoe)‎, A. R. Ferguson ‎(Caulfield, Vic.)‎, G.D. Ferguson ‎(Bordertown)‎, Mrs John Hay ‎(Olive Grove)‎, Mrs A E. Virgo ‎(Bordertown)‎, Mrs D. A. Collins ‎(Mount Gambier)‎, and Misses V. and E. Ferguson ‎(Bordertown)‎. The burial took place in Bordertown cemetery yesterday afternoon, the service being conducted by the Rev. E. Philpott, assisted by Mr. A. E Milne."

When Bordertown celebrated its centenary in 1976, the Border Chronicle in 1976 reported "Doubtless there were many family re-unions during the celebrations. One such was held at the Woolshed Inn on Sunday, when some 52 descendants of the late Mr and Mrs Gilbert Ferguson of "Delta" gathered for a luncheon, together with Miss E J Ferguson. A family roll call conducted by Mr Gordon Butler, a nephew-in-law, showed that each branch of the family was represented. Mr C H Kentish, husband of a niece, expressed the feeling of all present in a very sincere tribute of affection and respect to Miss Ferguson."