Obituary (from Watertown Daily Times of June 6): CLAYTON---George Fraser, 92, retired blacksmith and garage operator, and once a playmate of Andrew Carnegie as a youth in Scotland, died at his home, 535 James St., Clayton, at 12:30 this
morning.Funeral services will be held at the home Sunday afternoon at 2, Rev. Henry Bridge, pastor of the Clayton Methodist Church, will officiate. Burial will be in the Clayton Cemetery. There will be a Masonic service.
Surviving Mr. Fraser are his son, Cameron Fraser, Reynolds Corners; a daughter, Mrs. George (Frances) Laniger, Brownville; three grandsons, five granddaughters, and nine great-grandchildren.
Mr. Fraser was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, March 20, 1855, a son of John and Clementina Robinson Fraser. He spent much of his childhood and early manhood within a few miles of that city. His father died when George Fraser was very small
and at the age of eight he went to work on a farm, his compensation being $20 a year and keep. When Fraser was 16, he began a four year apprenticeship in the blacksmithing trade and completing it, he followed that line of work for about 40
years.Mr. Fraser recalled many hours fishing beneath a bridge over the Don River which is said to have been one of the favorite haunts of George Gordon Lord Byron, the celebrated poet.
Mr. Fraser married Miss Georgina Mair in Scotland. There was one child by that marriage, a daughter, Frances. About 1880, Mr. and Mrs. Fraser and the baby daughter left Scotland and crossed the ocean, landing in Canada. Mrs. Fraser died
about 60 years ago on Grindstone Island.Later Mr. and Mrs. Fraser and their daughter came to Grindstone Island, where he worked in the Thurso quarry for a few years. While living on Grindstone Island and following the death of his first wife, he married Miss Ora Murdock in
April, 1889. Elder Warren, then pastor of the Clayton Methodist Church, officiated. Three children were born to this marriage, Cameron, Clarence, and Lena. Clarence and Lena died several years ago. His wife died at the age of 72 on May 16,
1938.During his youth in Scotland, Andrew Carnegie, also a native of Aberdeen, was a playmate of Fraser, but after coming to the United States, the two never met.
In 1890, Mr. and Mrs. Fraser moved to Clayton, where he opened a blacksmith shop on the present Frink Sno-Plow company site. Eventually he was engaged in selling farm machinery and carriages. In 1914, he built the Fraser Garage which he
used in connection with this business and for car storage.In 1922, he retired and sold the property he had acquired to William Charlebois of Watertown. It has since been operated by the late Charles Plumpton, the late Earl Van DeWalker, C.H. Good Chevrolet Company and now by the Frink Sno-Plow
firm.Mr. Fraser visited Scotland in 1892 and again in 1900 and spent a few years working in western quarries, but most of the time since leaving Scotland, he had made his home in and around Clayton.
He often said that Scots are never "high hat," and recalled a time when Lord Aberdeen, governor general of Canada, and his wife,[who] was a cousin of the late Queen Victoria, passed through Clayton and called on him because he was a native
of the same town as Lord Aberdeen. Some time later Judge Chester, who maintained a summer home near Clayton, met Lord Aberdeen at a luncheon in London, and that he inquired about Mr. Fraser.Mr. Fraser was a member of the Jolly Six Five Hundred Club and a member of the Clayton Lodge of Masons for about 65 years. he had been active during the past few years. He was a well known driver in this area, having been driving his car
up until about four years ago without an accident of any kind since 1914.He maintained a garden every summer and as a hobby, made cabinets and had a work bench at his home. Mr. Fraser was honored by many parties on his birthday during the past few years.
Mr. Fraser emigrated to NYC in August of 1883 and was naturalized 18 Oct. 1889 in Jefferson Co.
Obituary (from newspaper of 17 May 1934): CLAYTON---Mrs. Ora Murdock Fraser, 72, wife of George Fraser, died at her home on James St. Monday afternoon. She had been in poor health for several years and had been confined to her bed for the
past month. She had resided in Clayton 46 years.She was born on Grindstone Island on April 19, 1866, the daughter of William and Margaret Murdock. In April, 1889, she was married to George Fraser by Elder Warren, then pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Clayton. Three children
were born to this union, Cameron, Clarence and Lena. Clarence and Lena died several years ago.Mrs. Fraser is survived by her husband; one son, Cameron; a step-daughter, Mrs. Frances Laniger, and one sister, Mrs. Stanley Lewis of Clayton. Funeral services will be held from the home Thursday afternoon at 2, Rev. Royal Fishbeck of
the Methodist church officiating.
1 CMNT May Be Uncle To Isabelle Instead Of Margaret
1 CMNT Of Cape Vincent/ Says Maiden Name Is Farr
1 CMNT Ref. 68 Says Born 1843.
Obituary (from newspaper of 3 Jan. 1922): CLAYTON---John S. McConnell, formerly of Watertown, aged 78 years, died on New Year's Day at the home of his son, Walter McConnell of Grindstone Island, after an illness of a year. The funeral will be
held Wednesday at 1 from the home of his son and at 2 from the Grindstone Island Methodist Episcopal Church. Interment will be made at Grindstone Island.Mr. McConnell was a retired carpenter, and had lived with his son for the past year. He was born in Canada in 1843, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John McConnell.
Surviving are his widow, of the town of Brownville, Mrs. Emma McConnell, and five sons, George of Watertown, Sidney of Deferiet, Archie of Philadelphia, N.Y., Walter and Frederick of Grindstone Island; one sister, Mrs. Mary Smith of
Chicago, Ill.; four brothers, Joseph, Thomas and David of Odessa, Canada, and Alexander of Michigan.Mr. McConnell was well known in Watertown where he made his home for many years, being employed there as laborer.
It was thought at first that the body would be taken to Watertown for funeral and interment in North Watertown Cemeter, that city, but the difficulties of bringing the body to the mainland over the ice influenced relatives to change their
plans.
1 CMNT Of Watertown