Brief Life History of James Lester
When James Lester Fraser was born on 14 January 1873, in Kansas, United States, his father, Alexander Fraser, was 36 and his mother, Savannah A. Ferguson, was 27. He lived in Walnut Township, Cowley, Kansas, United States in 1880. He died on 13 September 1950, in French Camp, San Joaquin, California, United States, at the age of 77.
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Family Time Line
Sources (3)
- James L Frazer in household of Alexander Frazer, "United States Census, 1880"
- James Lester Fraser, "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994"
- James Lester Fraser, "California Death Index, 1940-1997"
Spouse and Children
1873–1950 Male
– Female
Parents and Siblings
1837–1887 Male
1846–1884 Female
Siblings (3)
1873–1950 Male
1877–1965 Female
– Male
World Events (8)
1875 · A Treaty with Hawaii
Age 2
1877 · Nicodemus is Founded
Age 4
1896 · Plessy vs. Ferguson
Age 23
Name Meaning
Scottish: apparently a nickname from Anglo-Norman French fraser(e), fresere ‘strawberry plant’. Fresel and Frisel, from Anglo-Norman French fresel ‘strawberry’, are early variants of the Fraser surname, the modern Gaelicized form of which is Friseal. See Frizzell . The crest on the Scottish family's coat of arms takes the form of a strawberry plant, but its antiquity is unknown. Claims of a habitational derivation, in particular from a place called la Frézelière in Anjou (France), are attractive but they lack verifiable evidence.
Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish surnames.
History: There are two clans Fraser in Scotland, with common ancestry going back to Simon Fraser of Keith in East Lothian, who lived in the 12th century. One of these clans has its seat at Philorth Castle (subsequently re-named Cairnbulg) on the northeast coast of Scotland. Sir Alexander Fraser, 8th laird of Philorth (c. 1536–1623) converted the fishing village of Faithlie into the burgh of Fraserburgh in the 1590s. The other clan is Fraser of Lovat, associated mainly with the city of Inverness are. They are descended from Simon Fraser, a younger son, who lived in the early 14th century. In Gaelic, the head of Clan Fraser of Lovat is known as Mac Shimi ‘son of Simon’.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
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