Thomas Fraser (1789 - 1865)

Born 1789 in Strathglass, Highland, Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 2 Nov 1865 at about age 76 in Frasers Grant, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Biography

Several families named Fraser immigrated from Scotland to Antigonish County, a number of others of this name settled in Pictou, but the most notable family of Frasers arrived at Antigonish sometime during the years 1812-14. To this latter family belonged the first Bishop of the Diocese of Arichat, and for a time Bishop of Halifax, of whom I have spoken more fully in another portion of this work.

Of the union of John Fraser and Jane Chisholm, parents of this distinguished Bishop Fraser, there were ten sons and one daughter, all of whom came to this country.

THOMAS married to Miss Chisholm.

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THOMAS, who married Catherine, daughter of Duncan Chisholm, farmer, Invercannich, with issue five children, of whom two survive, with fourteen grandchildren.

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Emigrated to Nova Scotia, Canada in 1821.

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Colin and his brothers; Thomas, John, David & Donald "Gobha" Chisholm (married to their sister Jean) settled in an area subsequentally called Fraser's Grant. Note: Fraser's Grant was in Tracadie Township.

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Land Grant - Thomas Fraser - Old No. 1770, Bk. 0, p. 78C - 200A. (not dated)

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FRASER'S GRANT, Antigonish County

• Settlement southeast of Antigonish.
• Derived its name from its first settlers - Colin, Thomas, John and David Fraser, the four brothers of Bishop William Fraser, and Donald Chisholm to whom their sister was married.
• It became a prosperous farming district and a new school section was erected here in 1876.
• John Fraser was the keeper of the postal way office in 1871.

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Note: Antigonish surrounding area (now Antigonish County) was originally part of:

• 1759-1824 - Halifax County (one of five original counties)
• 1824-1836 - Sydney County Upper District
• 1836-1863 - Sydney County
• 1863-present - Antigonish County

Census Returns, 1827

• Thomas Fraiser – Farmer – St. Andrews, Sydney County – 1827
• Religion: Roman Catholic
• Males: 1 [Thomas]
• Females: 4 [wife Catherine, daughters Unknown, Unknown & Ann]
• Servants (males): 0
• Servants (females): 0
• Total: 5
• Births: 0
• Marriages: 0
• Deaths: 0
• Area of land cultivated: 18
• Bushels of Wheat: 12
• Bushels of other Grains: 30
• Tons of Hay: 5
• Number of horses: 0
• Number of horned cattle: 7
• Number of Sheep: 12
• Number of Swine: 5
• Bushels of Potatoes: 250
• Commissioner of Public Records Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 vol. no. 446

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• Frasers Grant, Sydney County — 1838
• Reference: Commissioner of Public Records Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 vol. 449 no. 179

• Thomas Fraser, head, farmer,
• 1M <6, [Son John b. 1833]
• 1M 6-14, [Son Unknown] b. 1824-1832
• 2F 6-14, [Daughter Unknown b. 1824-1832 & Ann b. 1826]
• +1F >14, [wife Catherine]
• 25 acres clear land,
• 175 acres wild,
• 8 cattle,
• 1 horse,
• 9 sheep,
• 2 pigs.

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Census Year: 1861 Item Number: 704442 Province: Nova Scotia District Name: Sydney Sub-District Name: Tracadie

• Thomas Fraser
• Males:
• 1M 70-80 [Thomas b. 1789]
• 1S 20-30 [John b. 1833]
• 1S 15-20 [Unknown b. 1826-1831]
• Females:
• 1M 60-70 [wife Catherine b. 1795]
• Total: 4

Note: Transcribed in census as "Fruset".

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Note: Map of Fraser's Grant dated 1864 indicates a farm belonging to J. Fraser. This could have been Thomas' son John as Thomas died in 1865 and John & his wife were living with his mother Catherine in the 1871 census.

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Death Record - Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics

• death number: 1802-00004
• Thomas Fraser, Farmer, M, 76, M, b. Scotland, parents J'n Fraser & [blank], Farmer, died 2 Nov 1865, at [blank], of Gravel, informant [blank].

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"Gravel - A disease characterized by multiple small calculi (stones or concretions of mineral salts) which are formed in the kidneys, passed along the ureters to the bladder, and expelled with the urine. Synonym: kidney stone."

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Gravestone

• Thomas Fraser
• BIRTH 1789
• DEATH 2 Nov 1865 (aged 75–76)
• BURIAL
• Saint Mary's Cemetery
• Heatherton, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia, Canada
• PLOT Old Sec - Row 17
• MEMORIAL ID 134241419

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Inscription

In Memory

OF

THOMAS FRASER

DIED

Nov. 2, 1865

AE. 76 yrs.

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Antigonish Wills: Book C, 1867 – 1882

• P. 92
• Will: Oct. 08, 1865
• Probate: Dec. 11, 1868
• Thomas Fraser Senior
• Frasers Grant
• Catherine [spouse]
• John [children]

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Sources

1. ↑ A History of the County of Antigonish, Nova Scotia by the Reverand D.J. Rankin, Toronto: The MacMillan Company of Canada Ltd. 1929. p. 133
2. ↑ HISTORY F R A S E R S OF LOVAT WITH GENEALOGIES OF THE PRINCIPAL FAMILIES OF THE NAME; TO WHICH IS ADDED THOSE OF DUNBALLOCH AND PHOFACHY. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, M.J.I., PARK HOUSE, INVERNESS, March, 1896. p. 642
3. ↑ Reference: 1386 WikiTree profile Fraser-560 created through the import of MYCOPY.GED on Oct 20, 2011 by Daviann Giovannucci. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Daviann and others.
4. ↑ History of Antigonish Volumes I and II Paperback – 1976, by Raymond A. Maclean, p. 99 (Vol 1)
5. ↑ http://sites.rootsweb.com/~nsantigo/frasrgrnt.html
6. ↑ https://archives.novascotia.ca/places/page/?ID=220
7. ↑ https://archives.novascotia.ca/census/1827/returns/?ID=6898
8. ↑ https://archives.novascotia.ca/census/1838/returns/?ID=30006
9. ↑ https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1861&op=pdf&id=4108914_00408
10. ↑ https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1861&op=pdf&id=4108914_00409
11. ↑ https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1861&op=pdf&id=4108914_00410
12. ↑ https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1861&op=pdf&id=4108914_00411
13. ↑ https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1861&op=pdf&id=4108914_00412
14. ↑ http://www.novastory.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/antmaps/id/33/rec/6
15. ↑ https://www.novascotiagenealogy.com/ItemView.aspx?ImageFile=1802-4&Event=death&ID=2341
16. ↑ http://www.capitalareagenealogy.org/page_96b.htm#G
17. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134241419/thomas-fraser
18. ↑ http://sites.rootsweb.com/~nsantigo/Cemeteries/heathertoncemeteryold.html
19. ↑ http://sites.rootsweb.com/~nsantigo/willbookc1867-1882.htm