Thomas Fraser (1749 - 1821)

Contents 1 Biography 2 Sources 3 Research Notes 3.1 Acknowledgments

Biography

Thomas Fraser was a Scottish-born army officer, colonizer, landowner, JP, office holder, politician, and militia officer in Upper Canada.^[1]

He came to New York with father and family in 1766. He was a captain in Edward Jessup's Loyal Rangers during the American Revolution. Settled in Twp #6 (Edwardsburg}, Upper Canada, after the American Revolution. He represented the County of Glengarry in the the 5th Parliament (1808 - 1812).^[2]

During the War of 1812, he was Lieutenant Colonel of the 1st Regiment of Dundas Militia and its flank companies stationed between Cornwall and Prescott.^[3] He saw action at Ogdensburg, New York, on February 22, 1813. ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Catherine Shepard, “FRASER, THOMAS,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 6, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed October 14, 2017, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/fraser_thomas_6E.html.
2. ↑ Notes for Thomas Fraser from Fantan Fraser
3. ↑ Library and Archives Canada, War of 1812, A Return of the 1st Regiment of the Dundas Militia
4. ↑ Catherine Shepard, “FRASER, THOMAS,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 6, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed October 14, 2017, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/fraser_thomas_6E.html.

Research Notes

A source is needed for what follows:

 !Thomas Fraser (1748-1821) was born in Stratherrich, Inverness, Scotland, and with his father, William Fraser and other members of his family, came to New York Province in 1766, afterwards settling in the Mohawk Valley on some land leased from Sir John Johnson. Thomas married Mary McBain and remained on this farm, his father and brother, William, having in the meantime bought a farm of 600 acres near Ballstown. Thomas was present when the six hostages were taken on Jan 1776 at Sir John Johnson's Estate and the remainder of his followers disarmed. In the spring of 1777, the two brothers attempted to reach Canada but they were attacked and, with others, made prisoners and confined in Albany Gaol.

During the following July, Mrs. Thomas Fraser (Mary McBain) concealed a file and a rope in a loaf of bread which she was allowed to carry to her husband. Thomas had small hands and managed to get rid of his handcuffs. With the file he cut out the iron bars of the gaol window. Unfortunately, his brother William was a large man, and got stuck going out the window. It looked as though the plot was doomed to failure but by some squeezing on William's part and pushing and pulling by the others he was at last free, and the whole party escaped.

On August 24, 1777, both brothers received commissions in the British Army; William as Captain and Thomas as Lieutenant. Before Burgoyne surrendered, the Frasers, with their followers, escaped to Montreal, reaching there about October 24th.e brothers performed garrison duty on the Yamaska River beyond St. Francois, Quebec, each having a company as Captain until the end of the war.

In May 1780, their father with the other members of the three families came to Canada, the wives and children of the two brothers joining them at Yamaska.

In 1784, the Frasers looked after the settlement of their men in Edwardsburg, Upper Canada, Thomas himself receiving a land grant of 1,000 acres, afterwards increased to 3,000 and 4,000 acres because he had a wife and five children.

Thomas' first wife, Mary, died in 1793 and he married Mary, daughter of John Mcdonell of Leek in 1795. There was no issue of this marriage.

Thomas Fraser afterwards represented Glengarry in the Fifth Parliament 1808-1812. In 1797 he described himself as Lt-Colonel of the Militia of the County of Grenville. In the War of 1812 he commanded the Dundas Militia and was at the taking Ogdensburg Feb 22, 1813. In 1815 he was appointed to the Legislative Council.

His third wife was the widow of Allen Paterson and was the daughter of the Honorable John Munro of Matilda.

Thomas Fraser died October 18, 1821.

The following is the listing of Thomas Fraser from William Reid's "THE LOYALISTS IN ONTARIO":

Fraser, Thomas of Edwardsburg. Captain, Loyal Rangers. Born in Scotland in 1748; m.(1) Mary McBean of Glenlochy; m. (2) Mary Macdonell of St. Regis on Feb 7, 1795. She was the dau of John McDonell; he died at Matilda 18 Oct 1821. Appt Capt., 10th Co. Loyal Rangers on June 22, 1782.

Children with Mary MacBean

William of Edwardsburg, b. 1772

Grace T., b. 1777; m. Alexander McQueen of Edwardsburg

Mary, b. 1785; m. Edward P. Kingsbury, Capt 81st Regt; d. 27 April 1855.

John of Edwardsburg, b. 1790; d. prior to 1826; Lt. Glengarry Fencibles.

Richard Duncan of Edwardsburg, b. 1790; m. Mary Mcdonell

Margaret bap 7 March 1792

Simon of Edwardsburg

Daniel of Edwardsburg

Hugh of Matilda

Ref: Clan Munro files - Munro, Henry Dallas - GEDCOM file HMUNRO.GED dated 9

Oct 1996

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Kevin Munro for creating WikiTree profile Fraser-1615 through the import of HenryHerbertMUNRO.ged on Dec 24, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Kevin and others.