In chapter 6 of my book, Port Carlisle, a history built on hope, I tried to disentangle the various Carlisle manufacturers who backed the canal. Including Joseph Ferguson.

I pondered that he might have been the son of William Ferguson and Fanny (née Grave). 

However, I have now discovered he was the son of John Ferguson and Elizabeth, née Beck.

They both died in 1802, leaving ten young children. Joseph, born in 1795, would only have been seven years old.

His siblings were Richard, John, George, Robert, Mary, Elizabeth, Catherine, Anne, and Alice Jane.

I pondered in the book:

If Elizabeth Ferguson who married William Nanson was Joseph’s sister, then Ann Page was Joseph’s niece. And John Nanson likely his nephew. 

Well yes. In that yes, the Elizabeth Ferguson who married William Nanson WAS Joseph Ferguson’s sister. And yes, I did use the word ‘disentangle’ for a reason!

That part of chapter 6 is only a page or so, and the rest of my book is a lot easier to digest! Meanwhile, until such time as I get round to revisions/additions of new information to the book, this post untangles things a bit and restores Joseph Ferguson to his actual parents, from the ‘possibles’.

The memorial stone can be found in St Cuthbert’s Church, Carlisle. A place I shall come back to in detail in a future post.