The Life of John Shaw Fergus Jr

John S. Fergus

John Shaw Fergus, well and widely known of Olathe real Estate man, died at the family home in Olathe, Saturday evening, January 9th, 1932.

John Fergus, as he was familiarly known, was born in Washington, County, Pa,., June 3, 1861, ans was named after his father, who was also known as John Fergus. Young John grew up and married in  Pennsylvania, and of his first marriage three sons, were born, all of whom are still living, and were at the father’s bedside when death came. They are F.F.. Fergus of Carthage, Mo., H.L. Fergus o f Kansas City, Mo., and J.H. Fergus of Stockton, Calif.

In 1863 the Fergus family moved to Johnson County, Kansas, and John Fergus, sr., purchased a two hundred acre farm four and one-half miles east of Olathe, and John jr. lived with him and helped farm the place. The wife of John S. Fergus died in 1893. Three years later John. S. Fergus and Lida Walker, of Olathe, were married and lived upon and managed the Fergus farm until 1909, when Mr. Fergus gave up farming and moved to Olathe and entered the Real estate and  Insurance Business which he carried on until his time of death. His wife, Mrs. Lida Walker Fergus, survives him.

During his long residence in Johnson county, John S. Fergus made only friends - and he had a host of them. He was content to be just a private citizen and do his bit in the big world without brass band accompaniment. He never aspired to office and never sought publicity. He was just private John. Shaw Fergus, and a good soldier in the battle of life. He was always kindly and always smiling, no matter the grief that overtook him. He was a good citizen, a good neighbor, and upright business man, a good husband and father, and that’s all that can be asked of any mortal man.

Although past seventy, Mr. Fergus did not show his years, and was a man of unwonted activity right up to the last. His death was surely untimely and caused deep regret in Olathe and Johnson county. There remains a consolation in the verse of the poet::
“They cannot wholly pass away,
   How far, soe’er above:
Apart from those we love;
   For spirits in Eternity.”

Olathe Mirror, January 10, 1932