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Fergus Smith

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fergus Jago Smith (8 June 1843 – 25 January 1924) was an Australian politician and pastoralist.

Early life

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He was born at Gulgong to John Smith, a chemistry professor and later politician, and Mary née Tom,[1][a] the eldest of 11 children.[3] He attended The King's School in Parramatta, and after a world tour worked on his father's station at Molong and then on another station near Bathurst which he later owned.

Political career

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In 1887 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the Free Trade member for West Macquarie. He did not re-contest in 1889. In 1895 he was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council,[4] where he remained until his death. He was a brother-in-law to fellow politicians Charles Barton and Sir Joseph Innes.[1]

Personal life

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Smith married Emily Grace Machattie on 25 January 1866. They had no children,[3] but adopted a daughter, Violet Kathleen Marion,[5] who married Lieutenant-Colonel Chetwynd Rokeby Alfred Bond, who served in the Indian Staff Corps.[6] Smith died at Bathurst on 25 January 1924(1924-01-25) (aged 80),[3] and his estate was valued at £76,810.[5]

Notes

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  1. ^ Different locations are given for his place of birth, with his parliamentary biography and Obituaries Australia entry listing it as Gulgong,[1][2] while his obituary in The Sydney Morning Herald gives it as Molong.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Mr Fergus Jago Smith (1843-1924)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Smith, Fergus Jago (1843–1924)". Obituaries Australia. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "Obituary Mr F J Smith MLC". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 January 1924. p. 10. Retrieved 19 May 2021 – via Trove.
  4. ^ "Summons to the Legislative Council". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 528. 8 August 1895. p. 5075. Retrieved 19 May 2021 – via Trove.
  5. ^ a b "Wealthy MLC" late Mr F Jago Smith". The Sun. 22 April 1924. p. 10. Retrieved 19 May 2021 – via Trove.
  6. ^ "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 19, 281. New South Wales, Australia. 29 December 1899. p. 1. Retrieved 19 May 2021 – via Trove.

 

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Member for West Macquarie
1887–1889
Succeeded by