Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Fraser, Samuel B 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com October 3, 2007, 5:20 am

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County

SAMUEL B. FRASER, who resides on section 28, Wheatland Township, has made his
home in this county since 1847. During all these years he has been a witness 
of the wonderful transformation that has taken place. He has seen cabins 
replaced by commodious residences of frame and stone, villages and cities 
spring into populous life, and raw prairies transformed into fertile farms.  
In all possible ways he has aided in the development of its agricultural 
interests, instituting a system of tilling the soil, draining the land and 
harvesting the crops that proves him to be a man of excellent ideas. He has  
made farming his life work, and by his enterprise and industry has become one 
of the substantial men of the township. Always public spirited, he has aided  
in the establishment of schools and churches, the building of roads, and the 
carrying forward of other worthy movements. An honored pioneer, he is highly 
respected and esteemed.

When a young man Robert Fraser, our subject's father, came to America from 
Ireland. He enlisted in the war of 1812 and at its close began to farm in 
Sullivan County, N. Y., clearing a tract of heavily timbered land. In 1847 he
brought his family to Illinois via Buffalo and the lakes to Chicago, thence by 
wagon to this county. At that early period all travel between Chicago and 
Joliet was conducted by wagons, as railroads had not yet been built, and the  
canal was not opened until the spring of 1848. His wife was taken sick while 
on the lake and died in Chicago. In religion he was connected with the
Associate Reformed (now the United Presbyterian) Church. Politically he 
favored the Democratic party. He married Elizabeth Brown, of Sullivan County, 
daughter of William Brown, a hotel keeper, and also an engineer of local 
prominence. Eleven children were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Fraser, 
five of whom are living, viz.: Thomas, whose home is in Manitoba; Mrs.
Elizabeth Smiley, of Plainfield; Samuel B., Harvey R., of Denver, Colo., and 
Louisa.

Born in Sullivan County, N. Y., in September, 1832, our subject was seventeen 
years of age when he came west with his parents. Three years later he started 
out for himself, renting a farm in Plainfield Township. Later he moved to
Lockport Township. Saving his earnings each year he was enabled to buy eighty 
acres in Iowa, but later had an opportunity to get a farm in Lockport 
Township, so remained in Will County, cultivating one hundred acres. In 1865  
he bought eighty acres forming the nucleus of his present property. As he 
prospered he added to his land until he now has two hundred and forty acres, 
devoted to the raising of cereals and stock. He has a number of Durham cattle 
on his place, usually milking from fifteen to eighteen cows. He assisted in 
the organization of the creamery company, of which he was the first president 
and in which he is still a stockholder. Having the welfare of the Prohibition  
party at heart he supports its principles in the national elections, and in 
township and county affairs supports the man rather than any special party.   
In 1878 he was elected road commissioner, and continued in the position until 
the spring of 1899, when he resigned. He is a stockholder in the Normantown
elevator, which is owned by the farmers of his locality. In religion he is  
connected with the United Presbyterian Church and has for many years served as 
an elder in the same. In 1891 he erected the handsome residence now occupied by
his family; all of the other improvements, other than a part of the old 
residence (now occupied by his son), were made by him.

In 1859 Mr. Fraser married Ann A., daughter of James Brown, a farmer in 
Sullivan County, N. Y., who settled in Will County in 1853. Six sons were born 
to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Fraser, two of whom are living, Herbert A., who
teaches in Joliet, and Ernest J., who conducts the home farm. The heaviest 
sorrow of their married lives was the loss of four of their sons, Frank having 
died at nine years, Gillian at seven years old, and Harry at the age of four
months; while another son, Thornton, a young man of intelligence and ability, 
and at the time a teacher in Golconda, Ill., was drowned in 1886, while trying 
to rescue one of his lady pupils.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900


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