John Fraser (1799 - 1893)

Born 21 Dec 1799 in Balanatua, Fort Augustus, Inverness-shire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Ann (Ferguson) Fraser — married 28 Dec 1837 in Bathurst, New Brunswick

Descendants

Died 12 Sep 1893 at age 93 in Cross Point, Bonaventure, Quebec, Canada

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Biography

John Fraser was baptized on 21 Dec,1799 at Fort Augustus by Reverend James Fowler. He was born to the lawful marriage of John Fraser and Ann McDonell at Balnatua, Fort Augustus in the North of Scotland. Fort Augustus was a settlement in the Parish of Boleskine and Abertaff, at the south west end of the Loch Ness, located 30 Miles southwest of Inverness on the Moray Firth.^[1]

He was well educated in Scotland and before he emigrated to Canada he worked in the offices of his uncles Alister McDonell, Solicitor. He arrived in Canada about 1820, first going to Nova Scotia and quickly moving on to Fredericton New Brunswick. While in Fredericton he studied law at the offices of Hon. J Ambrose Street until new business developments in a new colony called Chatham in New Brunswick caught his attention.

After serving as a member of the relief committee during the great fire of Miramichi ^[2] John moved on to Bathurst and became established in the export trade.

Lloyd's of London appointed John as their agent, adjuster as well he became the Justice of the Peace for Bay Chaleur.

On 28 Dec. 1837 he married Elizabeth Ferguson, she was the daughter of Robert Ferguson and sister of Alexander and Robert Ferguson, who had a lucrative export business and were two of the founders of Athol House. ^{[3] [4]}

In 1843 John purchased the Robert Christie estate where he and Elizabeth raised 10 children. The estate was inherited by John's daughter Elizabeth (Fraser) Jellett and remained in the family until 1956.

John's impressive devotion to public service includes: ^[5]

-Justice of the Peace in New Brunswick and District of Gaspe

-Clerk of Circuit Court in the District of Gaspe ( 1844-1860)

-Collector for His Majesty's Customs, North side of Bay Chaleur ( 1845-1873)

-Post master for Cross Point (1846-1893) ^[6]

-Lieutenant-Colonel for the Fourth Battalion, Bonaventure Militia ^[7]

-Collector of Inland Revenue (1855-1873)

- More than 30 years as Mayor of Mann Township, most of those years as Warden of Bonaventure County. ^[8]

John Fraser died on 12 Sept. 1893 in cross Point, Bonaventure, Quebec, Canada. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

Census

1861 Canada East (Quebec) ^[12]

1871 Census of Canada ^[13]

1881 Census of Canada ^[14]

1891 Census of Canada ^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ John Fraser baptism record extracted from the Register of Abertarff on 21 April 1820, by Colin Fraser, Dept. Clerk. Copy of record in the personal files of Johnston-8227 ;
2. ↑ The report of the Miramichi Committee appointed for the distribution of the subscriptions made for the relief of the sufferers by the Great Fire, on the 7th October, 1825 [microform;]
3. ↑ : New Brunswick Marriage Registers, 1789-1889
4. ↑ Provincial Archives of New Brunswick; County Council Marriage Records, 1826-1887
5. ↑ Treasure Trove in Gaspe and the Baie-des_Chaleurs, Mrs. MacWhirter,
6. ↑ The Canada Directory for 1857-58, Containing Names of Professional and Businessmen, and of the Principal Inhabitants, in the Cities, Towns and Villages Throughout the Province, Alphabetical Directories of Banks ... Post Office Department, Post Offices ... and Railway and Steamboat Routes Throughout Canada, Corrected to November 1857 page 95
7. ↑ 172 Gaspesian Militia Officers of 125 Years Ago; page 10
8. ↑ A LA CROIX---CROSS POINT BONAVENTURE COUNTY QUEBEC (at the very end of this write up is some information on John Fraser)
9. ↑ The Daily Sun
10. ↑ The Daily Telegraph
11. ↑ Union Advocate
12. ↑ Library and Archives Canada, Census of Canada East 1861
13. ↑ Library and Archives Canada 1871 Census of Canada
14. ↑ Library and Archives Canada 1881 Census of Canada
15. ↑ Library and Archives Canada 1891 Census of Canada