JT Frazier

Ancestors

Descendants

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This profile is part of the Frazier Name Study.

Biography

Update 2/23/2021: After finding my grandfather's birth certificate, I was surprised to see that his actual birthdate is August 14, 1916. He wasn't born with the legal name Joseph. His birth certificate shows Joe Thomas Frasier. Another difference is the spelling of his surname. The birth certificate shows Frasier instead of Frazier.

Joseph Thomas Frazier birth certificate

Joseph Thomas (JT) Frazier was born on August 21, 1916 in Bennettsville, Marlboro County, South Carolina to John Colin Frazier and Lula Mae Gibson Frazier. At the time of his birth, his father, John, was 36 and his mother, Lula, was 19.

JT had one older half sister named Annie Mae Frazier. Annie Mae and JT shared the same father. Annie Mae's mother was named Mary Carlisle Frazier.

JT had 10 full siblings; five brothers and five sisters. JT was the second oldest of his siblings with only John Hampton "Kunkle" being the eldest. The other nine siblings were all younger. In order of birth were: John Hampton, JT, Sallie Susan, Pauline Carylee, Nora Jane, Noah Lee, James, Rosa V/Rosabelle (died in infancy), Emma Louise, David Franklin "Buddy" and Prentiss Alexander.

The 1920 US Census shows, 3 year old (census says 3 years and 5 months) Joseph living with his family in Smithville, Marlboro County, South Carolina. (Could be a discrepancy on the year of his birth) His father John Colin "Colin" was 39 years old and his mother, Lula, was 23 years old. Also shown on this record living with his family is JT's half sister, Annie, who is 12 years old at the time this census was taken. Older brother, John is 5 years old and younger sister, Sallie is 1 1/2 years old.

At the time of the 1930 US Census, 14 year old Joseph was living with his family in Blenheim, Marlboro County, South Carolina at Bennettsville and Marion Road. Dwelling number was 187. By this time, Annie, JT's half sister, is no longer living in the household. However, there have been five additions to the family; 10 year old Pauline, 8 year old Nora Jane, 4 year old Noah, 3 year old James and 2 month old Rosa (Rosa Victoria?/Rosa Belle). At this time, JT's father, John is 49 years old and his mother, Lula Mae is 33 years old.

Sometime in 1938, 21 year old Joseph Thomas (JT) Frazier married 18 year old Alice Eula Leviner. In March of 1939, she had given birth to their first son Ernest Frazier, who was stillborn.

By the time the 1940 US Census was taken, 24 year old JT and his wife, 21 year old Alice are living on Marshall Road in a rented home in Bennettsville, Marlboro County, South Carolina. This record also show that the highest level of education that JT completed was the fourth grade, elementary school. JT's occupation is listed as a wage or salary worker in Government work. His income shows $260.00 with no income for any other sources. This census shows that he worked 24 weeks in the year of 1939.

Alice and JT's second child, Leonard Weldon was born on July 17, 1940 in Bennettsville, South Carolina. Third child, Thomas Lee (Tommy) Frazier was born on November 15, 1942 in Bennettsville, South Carolina.

JT Frazier served in the United States Army during World War II. On March 28, 1944, JT enlisted in the Army at Ft Bragg, North Carolina. At the time of his enlistment, he was 27 years old. He enlisted for the duration of World War II. His release date was January 20, 1945.

JT and Alice's fourth child, a daughter, Mary Alice was born on August 20, 1945 and their youngest child, Billy Darrell was born on August 21, 1947, both born in Bennettsville, Marlboro County, South Carolina, USA.

JT Frazier died from cancer on Friday, February 8, 1991, in Bennettsville, South Carolina, when he was 74 years old. He is interred at Sunset Memorial Park in Bennettsville, Marlboro County, South Carolina.

Family Notes

My Grandfather and Grandmother raised their family on the Mill Hill near the old Firestone Plant in Bennettsville, South Carolina. The address of their house is 4 Patton Street. The house is still standing at this time.

My Grandfather was great at fixing most anything. He always had a shop in the back of his house on Patton Street in Bennettsville. People would bring their fans and various other items to be repaired. I have fond memories of nosing around his shop and looking at all of the tools and smelling the oil. The floor was wooden and a bit rickety. A carport was attached to the shop and my Pa would park his car under it. I recall running from the bumble bees and wasps that would be flying under there. Many people would get chairs and sit under the carport and talk. I also recall getting a new pair of roller skates and taking them to my grandparents' house. I was trying to skate on the concrete driveway and fell flat on my bottom. I felt a zing all the way up my back. That wasn't very pleasant.

I remember learning to ride a bike at my grandparents house. I was four years old. It was one of my cousin's bicycle. I didn't know how to stop but I was able to get going just fine. I would ride around and around the house and then run into the side of the house to stop.

Sources

• My father, his son

• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (Index Link: 14 December 2015), Joseph Frazer in household of J Colin Frazer, Smithville, Marlboro, South Carolina, United States; citing sheet 11A, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,821,703.

• "United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (Index Link : 8 December 2015), Joseph Frazier in entry for John C Frazier, 1930.

• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (Index Link : 17 May 2014), J T Frazier, School District 10 Bennettsville, Marlboro, South Carolina, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 35-17, sheet 17B, family 294, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 3826.

• "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (Index Link : 23 May 2014), J T Frazier, Residence, Bennettsville, South Carolina, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.

• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (Index Link : 20 May 2014), Joseph T Frazier, 08 Feb 1991; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

• "United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014," database with images, FamilySearch (Index Link: accessed 1 March 2018), Mr Joseph Thomas Frazier, North Carolina, United States, 09 Feb 1991; from "Recent Newspaper Obituaries (1977 - Today)," database, GenealogyBank.com (Genealogy Bank: 2014); citing Charlotte Observer, The, born-digital text.

• Ernest Frazier

• Find A Grave Memorial | Joseph Thomas Frazier

Research Notes

Fraser Name Meaning Scottish: of uncertain origin. The earliest recorded forms of this family name, dating from the mid-12th century, are de Fresel, de Friselle, and de Freseliere. These appear to be Norman, but there is no place in France with a name answering to them. It is possible, therefore, that they represent a Gaelic name corrupted beyond recognition by an Anglo-Norman scribe. The modern Gaelic form is Friseal, sometimes Anglicized as Frizzell. The surname Fraser is also borne by Jews, in which case it represents an Americanized form of one or more like-sounding Jewish surnames.

• Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press