A Fatal Accident on the Sonoma

To the Memory of ~ Laban David Ferguson🚢

Sometimes we happen upon a headstone that suggests an interesting story. Such was the case of this headstone for a Mr Ferguson. A native of Michigan, USA, erected by the officers and crew of the S.S. Sonoma, and covered in Masonic symbols.

Laban David Ferguson was born on the 22nd February, 1879, in White Rock, Huron, Michigan, USA. His parents were Gilbert Ogden Ferguson and Rozanna Lester. He was the first of six children in the family.

Not much of his life is known before his death. But what we can gather from the article announcing his death, was that he was working as on oiler on the S.S. Sonoma. Laban probably found the job in San Fransisco as this was one of the stops on the ships route.

The S.S. Sonoma was a mail ship, carrying mail from San Fransisco, to Hawaii, to Samoa, to Sydney, and finally finishing in Auckland, New Zealand.

 

Labans death was an unfortunate one. An accidental death on the steamer while he was undergoing repairs on the main shaft. His life was cut short on the 17th May 1902. Upon arrival to Auckland, a funeral was held on board with all available crew attending and his body handed to the local Masonic lodges to take care of. He was buried at Purewa on the 21st May.

Though he is as far away from his family as he could possibly be on this Earth, Purewa has been a place of rest for him in this foreign land for all these years. Our duty is not just to serve those who are close to us, but to serve any who find their journeys end with us. We hope that his family know that the communities of New Zealand have looked after Laban well and will continue to as long as this sacred ground exists.

Read the News Article from 1902 here!🔗
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19020522.2.33?query=Fatal+Sonoma&snippet=true

 

Laban David Ferguson
22.02.1879 ~ 17.05.1902
Aged 23
Plot E/37/071