Thomas Fraser (Upper Canada politician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Fraser was a soldier and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Stratherrick
, Inverness
, Scotland
in 1749. His family came to North America
in 1767 and settled on the estate of Sir William Johnson
in Tryon County, New York
. In 1777, he and his brother were captured while trying to escape to Quebec
. They escaped and joined Major-General John Burgoyne
at Fort Edward
. After the fall of Saratoga
, they escaped north to Quebec. In 1779, they served as border guards at the Yamaska River
and later became part of Edward Jessup
's Loyal Rangers.
In 1784, he settled in Edwardsburg Township, where he built a sawmill
. In 1786, he became a justice of the peace and, in 1792, was appointed to the land board for Leeds
and Grenville
counties. He was also the first sheriff in the Johnstown District. He represented Dundas
in the 2nd Parliament of Upper Canada
and Glengarry
in the 5th Parliament
.
During the War of 1812
, he commanded companies in the militia. After the war, he moved to Matilda Township in Dundas County. He was appointed to the Legislative Council
for the province in 1815. He died in Matilda Township in 1821.
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
He was born in Stratherrick
Stratherrick
Stratherrick is a strath, a wide and shallow valley, situated above the south-eastern shore of Loch Ness, in the Scottish Highlands, Scotland. Much of the strath is covered by Loch Mhòr...
, Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1749. His family came to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in 1767 and settled on the estate of Sir William Johnson
Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet
Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet was an Anglo-Irish official of the British Empire. As a young man, Johnson came to the Province of New York to manage an estate purchased by his uncle, Admiral Peter Warren, which was located amidst the Mohawk, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois League...
in Tryon County, New York
Tryon County, New York
Tryon County, New York was a county in the colonial Province of New York in the British American colonies. It was created from Albany County on March 24, 1772. It was named for William Tryon, the last provincial governor of New York. Its boundaries extended far further than any current county...
. In 1777, he and his brother were captured while trying to escape to Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. They escaped and joined Major-General John Burgoyne
John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
at Fort Edward
Fort Edward
Fort Edward could refer to:* A historic site located in Windsor, Nova Scotia* A temporary fort in South Africa, ca. 1901. It was established in 1901 by British forces during the Boer War...
. After the fall of Saratoga
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
, they escaped north to Quebec. In 1779, they served as border guards at the Yamaska River
Yamaska River
The Yamaska River is a river in southern Quebec, Canada.Its source is the Sutton Mountains region of the Eastern Townships of Quebec. It flows north-west to Farnham and from there north to the Saint Lawrence River at Sorel-Tracy. Altogether it is long with a drainage basin of 4784 square...
and later became part of Edward Jessup
Edward Jessup
Edward Jessup was a soldier, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1735 and moved with his family to Dutchess County, New York in 1744. In 1759, he served with Jeffery Amherst in the Lake Champlain region...
's Loyal Rangers.
In 1784, he settled in Edwardsburg Township, where he built a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
. In 1786, he became a justice of the peace and, in 1792, was appointed to the land board for Leeds
Leeds County, Ontario
Leeds County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and merged with Grenville County in 1850 to create Leeds and Grenville County....
and Grenville
Grenville County, Ontario
Grenville County area is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and named in honour of William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, Secretary of State in 1790. The First settlers were Loyalist from the United States...
counties. He was also the first sheriff in the Johnstown District. He represented Dundas
Dundas County, Ontario
Dundas County is a county in the Canadian province of Ontario.Dundas was created in 1792 by the area's first settlers: German Loyalists who had fought with Sir John Johnson in the American Revolutionary War. The settlers, descendants of the Palatine immigrants to America in 1710, had immigrated to...
in the 2nd Parliament of Upper Canada
2nd Parliament of Upper Canada
The 2nd Parliament of Upper Canada was opened 1 June 1797. Elections in Upper Canada had been held in August 1796. The first session was held at Navy Hall in Newark. The Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada John Graves Simcoe believed York was a superior location for the capital as it would less...
and Glengarry
Glengarry County, Ontario
thumb|right|Glengarry located within OntarioGlengarry County , an area covering , is a county in the Canadian province of Ontario, and is historically known for its settlement of Scottish Highlanders due to the Highland Clearances.Glengarry was founded in 1792 by Scottish loyalists, mainly from...
in the 5th Parliament
5th Parliament of Upper Canada
The 5th Parliament of Upper Canada was opened 2 February 1809. Elections in Upper Canada had been held in May 1808. All sessions were held at York, Upper Canada and sat at the Parliament Buildings of Upper Canada...
.
During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, he commanded companies in the militia. After the war, he moved to Matilda Township in Dundas County. He was appointed to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Upper Canada
The Legislative Council of Upper Canada was the upper house governing the province of Upper Canada. Modelled after the British House of Lords, it was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was specified that the council should consist of at least seven members. Members were appointed for...
for the province in 1815. He died in Matilda Township in 1821.