John Ferguson was born in Invercargill, New Zealand, the son of a Presbyterian minister. Educated at schools in Invercargill and Sydney, Ferguson subsequently attended the University of Sydney, taking a BA in 1902 and an LL.B in 1905. Ferguson was admitted to the bar in 1905 and forged a successful career, specialising in equity and industrial law. In 1934 he was appointed the first lecturer in industrial law at the University of Sydney, and two years later he was appointed Judge, serving until his retirement in 1953.
Ferguson was the son-in-law of the publisher and bookseller, George Robertson. With Robertson's support and encouragement, he pursued his interest in Australian history and bibliography, collecting so many books that he was forced to move house to accommodate his growing collection. Ferguson collected books, newspapers, periodicals and pamphlets on a variety of subjects and published an article on 'Studies in Australian Bibliography I - The Tasmanian "Pickwick Papers"' in 1918. This article prefigured the work for which he is best known, Bibliography of Australia: 1784-1900, which appeared in seven volumes between 1941 and 1969.
Ferguson served as president of the Royal Australian Historical Society (RAHS) for two terms (1922 and 1940-42) and won an RAHS fellowship in 1927. He held several offices with the Public Library of NSW and was made a life member of the Library Association of Australia in 1958. He received an OBE in 1957 and a knighthood in 1961.
Ferguson died in May 1969. His outstanding collection of books is held at the National Library of Australia.
