(1) John Fraser, born about 1795 in Scotland; married Margaret Heley, born about 1820 in Ireland. They resided in the town of Edwardsburgh, Grenville Co., Ontario Co., Canada, where their two known children were born. Judging from the birth of their oldest known child, John and Margaret immigrated to Ontario prior to 1840; based on Margaret's age before then, it is probable that she immigrated with her parents or other close family members.
        According to the 1851 census of District 1 of the Town of Edwardsburgh, below, John, age 50, was a shoemaker and belonged to the Presbyterian church; Margaret, age 26, belonged the Roman Catholic faith. Their children were raised Presbyterian. John and Margaret's ages as reported in the 1851 census do not match their ages as reported in the 1861 and 1871 census, which are consistent with one another and can therefor be regarded as more indicative of fact.

        In the 1861 census of Edwardsburgh, John, age 65, and Margaret, age 41, were living with children Duncan, age 15, and Mary, age 20.
        In the 1871 census of Edwardsburgh, John, age 76, and Margaret, age 50, were living with Duncan, age 24, and his wife, Margaret, age 20; Mary was no longer in the household.
        On 23 June 1874, John Fraser transferred his farm to Margaret Fraser; it is not yet known if this record relates to his wife or his daughter-in-law.
        John died on 3 May 1880; the record of his death indicates he was a farmer who died of old age, no illness. His son-in-law, Henry Morgatroid, a farmer in Edwardsburgh, signed the certificate (# 008036) as informant.
        In the 1891 census of Edwardsburgh, Margaret was enumerated in the household of her daughter and son-in-law Mary Fraser and Henry Morgatroid; she indicated that she could not read or write. Margaret was not enumerated in the 1901 census and is presumed to have died by then.
        John and Margaret are buried in the Commons Cemetery at Johnstown, Town of Edwardsburgh, Grenville Co., Ontario.

Children:

1. Mary, born 29 August 1840 in Ontario, Canada, died 1922; married Henry Morgatroid, born 1837 in Kellington, Yorkshire, England, died 10 May 1915 in Brownsville, Edwardsburgh, Grenville Co., Ontario, Canada, son of Thomas Morgatroid and Mary Singleton. In the 1891 census of Edwardsburgh, Mary's mother was living in their home; by the 1901 census she was not. Parents of:
   1. Thomas John Morgatroid, born 30 December 1865, died 10 August 1941 in Cardinal, Edwardsburgh, Grenville Co.; married Frances Luella Hunter.
   2. Emma Morgatroid, born 1868, died 1934 in Mainsville, Edwardsburgh, Grenville Co., Ontario; John Hume.
   3. Margaret Fraser Morgatroid, born 12 March 1870, died 24 April 1943; married 1898 James Judson Merkley.
   4. George Morgatroid, born 1872, died 1919.
   5. Frank Morgatroid, born 1874, died 1874.
   6. Edson Morgatroid, born 1875, died 1955 in Ontario; married Elizabeth McRobie.
   7. Noah Morgatroid, born 1878, died 1967; married Annie McRobie.
   8. Delbert Morgatroid, born 1883, died 1960; married Mary Ellen Holmes.
2. Duncan, mentioned below

(2) Duncan Fraser, born about 1845 in "W. Canada" (Ontario) according to the 1851 census of Edwardsburgh, and in Edwardsburgh according to his marriage record, died between 1874 and 1881; married 18 November 1867, Margaret "Maggie" Cheney, born 24 May 1849 in Canada, died 30 December 1937 as the oldest resident of Riverside (Mallorytown Landing), Leeds Co., Ontario. She was the daughter of George Cheney and Rosetta Farley, (her parents were early Irish immigrants to the province).         In 2000, Jack Brown of Mallorytown located a record of marriage that refers to Duncan and Margaret. Brown's transcription of the record reads as follows: Richard Duncan Thrasher age 22 of Edwardsburg, born Edwardsburg, s/o John Thrasher and Margaret Heley married to Mary Ann Cheaney age 18 of Mallorytown b. Mallorytown d/o George Cheaney and Rose Farley by Rev. Alexander Youkerd Methodist Episcopal November 18, 1867 wits: William and Adelaide Thompson of Edwardsburg Source: Leeds & Grenville Marriages, Vol. 27 copied & published by Ed. Livingston

George & John Fraser, c.1888-1894 in Brockville, Ontario, Canada.

Children of Duncan & Margaret Fraser:

George Fraser, photo taken in a studio at Utica, New York.	John Farley, mentioned below George E., born 1873 in Ontartio, Canada, died in August 1930, buried in Mallorytown Cemetery, Mallorytown, Leeds Co., Ontario, Canada.  He married first on 7 January 1903 in Clayton, Jefferson County, New York, Ellen E. Joles, a teacher, born 1873 in Plessis, Town of Alexandria, daughter of Thomas Joles and Lavina Collins of Clayton.  Ellen died unexpectedly and suddenly the same year and in 1903 was buried in Omar Cemetery, Town of Orleans, Jefferson Co., New York.  George's grief was the subject of letters written by his mother Maggie and brother John.         George married next on 7 June 1911 in Pamelia, Jefferson Co., New York, Ione B. Timmerman, born 17 April 1894 in Pamelia, daughter of George W. Timmerman and Jessie Tallman.  Their marriage ended in divorce.  A family story tells that one night years later, George happened to be passenger in a friend's car, when they came near to the house where he and Ione had lived.  He asked his friend drive to by slowly so he could steal a glimpse of her or their child.  After a moment he was heard to remark "There she is . . .  in the window"--they didn't stop, and they apparently left unnoticed.         George was a champion checkers player--according to his great-niece Barbara, he used to "ride the trains" competing against people from different places for prizes. Perhaps it was on one such trip that his portrait (left) was taken by a Utica photographer, in central New York, nearly 150 miles from his home in Canada.         A relative tells  that George was quite fond on showing off his best clothes and his flashy rings.  While living in Mallorytown, he used to take daily walks into the center of town, wearing one of his two favorite suits on alternate days.  It was on one such walk one wintry evening that a coachman in horse-drawn sleigh passed by George, who was trudging through the snow on Main Street.  A few dozen yards beyond the coachman stopped and turned to offer George a ride.  George accepted and started to walk towards the sleigh--suddenly he feel flat in the snow for no apparent reason.  It was not long after that George died.
George was buried in Mallorytown Cemetery beside his mother (photo courtesy of Jack Brown, Mallorytown, 2000). Children of George Fraser and Ione Timmerman: Clarence, drowned, according to his death notice in the 15 January 1912 edition of the Brockville Times, published in Brockville, Ontario, Canada. "Mr. & Mrs. George Fraser" were noted as being "of Clayton" in the notice. Muriel Auldine Fraser, born 2 July 1912, died 20 May 1991; married Wallace Gilbert.  Parents of: Linda Gilbert.

          (3) John Farley Fraser was born 9 April 1874 in Scriba, Oswego Co., New York, while his parents were visiting relatives or friends.  Johnnie's father died when he was very young, and details of his youth conflict: his granddaughter says that Johnnie used to tell her that Maggie sent him to live with a doctor from whom he "learned his manners and got his education," but friends say he went to school in Mallorytown and a class portrait exists (below) showing him at the Riverside Secondary School #5, Front of Yonge, Lot 20 broken front (south side of road) at Mallorytown (third from left, standing in back row), yet his obituary says that he lived in Oswego Co., New York until 20 years of age, in which case he could not have gone to school in Mallorytown. Census records from 1881 and 1891 show John living with his mother, Margaret (Cheney) Fraser in Front of Yonge, Leeds Co., Ontario.

 

On 21 September 1898, John married Elsie Dorothy June, born 12 August 1878 in Calcium, Jefferson Co., New York, died 18 February 1943, a native of Theresa, Jefferson Co., New York.  The wedding was at Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence Co., New York, a place near his Aunt Harriet Hale's home, and a convenient point for his relatives in Edwardsburgh to cross the River to attend the ceremony.  More than thirty letters they exchanged in the year and a half leading up to the wedding still survive and they paint a vibrant picture of life on the St. Lawrence River--as well as of the troubles teens go through with their inquisitive parents!           After their marriage, they took up residence near Elsie's parents, where their first son, Reggie, was born 12 September 1900.  An expense log Elsie kept during their first year of marriage documents their costs purchasing household goods, clothing for the baby, and trips to Canada.  One page has a list of "baby's firsts" for Reggie, showing when he got his first teeth, what his first words were, and when he took his first steps.           Shortly after, Johnnie set up a logging farm in Williamstown, Town of Amboy, Oswego County.  Deeds survive for additional property in the Town of Amboy, beginning in 1864 through the early 1900s.  The young family stayed in Williamstown only a little while, returning to Jefferson County to a farm behind the library in Theresa, where they spent the rest of their days.         Like his brother, Johnnie was a great checkers player; he enticed people to play him, saying, "Why do you want to fight me when you know I'm gonna beat you?" -- of course he always won.  He enjoyed his son-in-law Austin Carter's violin music, so Johnnie used to make Austin play a song whenever he beat him in a checkers match.         Johnnie has been described as a gentle and religious man, but once a person crossed him or his loved one, he wouldn't be friends with them.  In 1935, when Elsie's father died, her brother Walter felt he should have gotten a larger share of the estate and consequently he fought hard with his sisters to get more.  Johnnie never spoke to him after that, though Elsie did.         After their daughter Dorothy and her husband Austin split around 1940, their two girls went to live with Austin's widowed mother, Ada Diepolder of Omar Village.  Johnnie and Elsie felt the children would be better off on the farm with them, so they petitioned the courts for custody and won.  Thereafter, Barbara and Lila Carter were raised on the Fraser farm in Theresa, learning to ride horses and developing a love of the outdoors.         Johnnie and Elsie were a devoted couple and were always doing "nice things" for each other.  When Elsie died it is said that Johnnie walked to the cemetery every day, weather permitting, to sit at the bench by her grave and talk to her.         John died on 25 August 1953 on the porch of his son Reggie's house after complaining that he was having trouble breathing.  He was buried with Elsie in Theresa.  The family farm was inherited by their daughter Jennifer and remained in the family until it was sold several years ago.

Elsie & John  on the occasion of their wedding on 21 September 1898 in Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence Co., New York

Children:

1. Reginald "Reggie" Lincoln, born 12 February 1900, died 8 August 1973, buried with his parents in Oakwood Cemetery, Town of Theresa, Jefferson Co., New York. On his 12 September 1918 draft card, he described himself as tall with a slender build, blue eyes and brown hair; he was a student, and had no dependents.
2. Clifford Fraser, born 19 May 1904, died November 1977 in Watertown, Jefferson Co., New York; married Geneva Clyde.  Father of:
1. Lloyd Fraser.
2. Clifford R., born about 1930; married Shirley. Parents of:
   1. Wendell George
3. Jennifer "Jennie" Ruth, born 1909 in Theresa, Jefferson Co., New York, died 25 September 1999 in Sackets Harbor, Jefferson Co., New York; married Guy Meeks.  Jennie was caretaker for all the family "heirloom items," and she kept the family photos, letters, wills, and deeds, clothing, and artifacts that survived the fire that destroyed the family farm house in the 1950s, some of which date back as early as the 1860s.
4. Dorothy "Dot" Armenta, born November 1915, died 1965 in Sackets Harbor, Jefferson Co., New York, in her 40's of a massive corony; married Austin Sinclair Carter and resided in Sackets Harbor, Jefferson Co., New York.

Four-Generation Family Portrait at the Fraser home, ca. 1935, showing (back row) Elsie (June) Fraser holding granddaughter Lila Carter, Elsie's husband John Farley Fraser, John's mother Margaret (Cheney) Fraser, and (front row) Elsie & John's daughters Jenny (Fraser) Meeks and Dorothy (Fraser) Carter holding Barbara Marie Carter.

 

Dorothy Fraser's high school photo.

Reggie Fraser, ca. 1940's.

Taken at Mallorytown Landing, Ontario, Canada on the occasion of John & Elsie (June) Fraser's anniversary, Saturday, 21 September 1940: in back are Guy E. & Jennie Ruth (Fraser) Meeks; in front are Lila Mae and Barbara Marie Carter.

Lila May Carter and Barbara Marie Carter, with Grandpa Johnnie Fraser, ca. 1948

Dorothy "Dot" Armenta Fraser, daughter of John Farley Fraser and Elsie Dorothy June, on her pet cow Grimmer, which she trained to ride like a horse. Dot used to ride Grimmer into town on errands to the store in the Village of Theresa, much to the amusement (and amazement!) of passersby.

 

Geneva (Clyde) Fraser, and her sister-in-law, Jennie Ruth Fraser