Ferguson, Nathaniel

Sapper

No. 30118, Postal Section, Corps of Royal Engineers

Died of disease on Friday 1 January 1915 (aged 36)

Buried:

Ste. Marie Cemetery, France (Div. 14 I 2)

Commemorated:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Comber and District War Memorial

Comber Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church

BIOGRAPHY

Nathaniel Ferguson was born on 31 October 1878 in the townland of Ballystockart, Comber and he was a son of John and Jane Ferguson (nee Ferguson) who were married on 28 November 1876 in Comber Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church.  John Ferguson from Ballyrainey was a son of Robert Ferguson, a farmer.  Jane Ferguson from Ballymagreechan was a daughter of Robert Ferguson, a farmer.

John Ferguson was a farmer and he and Jane had at least four children:

Margaret (born 4 September 1877 in Ballystockart; died 26 October 1877)

Nathaniel (born 31 October 1878 in Ballystockart)

Margaret (born 14 October 1881 in Ballystockart)

William (born 8 August 1884 in Ballystockart)

Prior to the outbreak of the Great War Nathaniel Ferguson worked as a sorting clerk and telegraphist in the General Post Office and he and Elizabeth (Lillie) McCaw Hunter were married on 2 July 1906 in Newtownbreda Parish Church of Ireland Church.  At the time, Nathaniel was living at 52 Bowness Street, Ballynafeigh, Belfast.  Elizabeth Hunter from Maghera Street, Kilrea was a daughter of James Hunter, a grocer.

Nathaniel and wife Elizabeth (Lillie) McCaw Ferguson (nee Hunter) lived at 83 Belmont Church Road, Belfast and they had at least one child:

Marion (Maria) Letitia (Leta, born 27 November 1909 at 83 Belmont Church Road, Belfast)

Nathaniel Ferguson enlisted in London, served in the Postal Section of the Corps of Royal Engineers and died of blood poisoning on 1 January 1915 in No. 2 General Hospital Le Havre.

His wife and family lived in Letaville, Kilrea, Co Londonderry.

Sapper Nathaniel Ferguson was buried in Ste. Marie Cemetery, France and there is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:

HUSBAND OF LILLIE McCAW FERGUSON KILREA CO. LONDONDERRY

Sapper Nathaniel Ferguson is commemorated on Comber and District War Memorial and in Comber Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church.