Peter Fraser (1765 - 1849)

Peter Fraser was the first President of the Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew. He served for seven years. In 1923, the then President Mr Justice Oswald S. Crocket wrote extensively about him: 

Peter Fraser, the first president of the Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew, was a leading merchant and one of the most prosperous and prominent citizens of Fredericton. Born at Forres, Morayshire, Scotland in 1765, he came to New Brunswick in his eighteenth year about the time it was founded as a separate Province in 1784, and by his native ability and unremitting industry and prudence soon hewed out the path upon which he advanced to business success and public prominence. 

As early as 1789, Mr. Fraser purchased from William Garden (original grantee) the block of land bounded today by Queen, Church and King Streets, situated beside Parliament Square. Not long afterwards, he built a residence on the Queen Street side of his property (today known as Farraline Place). Later he built a wharf nearby and added a westerly half to his home, where he carried on his import and trading business until his death in 1840.

The following advertisement of Peter Fraser appeared in the first issue of the Fredericton Telegraph, published Aug. 6th, 1806:

PETER FRASER Has just received a general assortment of Spring Goods suitable for the Season, all of which are of the best quality and will be sold on the lowest terms for cash. 

Peter Fraser married Maria Berton, an aunt of the late George F. D. Berton, barrister, the first reporter of the Supreme Court of New Brunswick, but had no children. His only blood relation in this country was John Manson, a first cousin whom he brought out from Scotland and established on a farm at Douglas. Peter Fraser owned this farm, which consisted of 800 acres and included four lots on Sugar Island. John Manson became a member of the Society on December 20th 1825. 

Mr. Fraser's prominence in Fredericton spanning as far back as 1795, as well as his public­ spirit and patriotism, is illustrated by the appearance of his name in the list of subscribers to the York County voluntary patriotic fund that was opened that year "for carrying on the just and necessary war against all His Majesty's enemies." Besides the subscriptions of the King's New Brunswick Regiment, of Major Robinson's 2nd Battalion Royal Artillery, and of the eleven companies of Light Infantry that were then garrisoned in York County, the list contained nineteen individuals, including Lieutenant-Governor Carleton, Chief Justice Ludlow, Peter Fraser, James Bell and Andrew Rainsford, all of which were annual subscribers to the fund during the British war with France. 

It appears that Mr. Fraser was a candidate for one of York's four seats in the Legislative Assembly in the General Election of 1802, when John Davidson, Archibald McLean, Rev. Walter Price (a clergyman of the Church of England), and Stair Agnew were returned by Sheriff Wm. Anderson as the elected members. In total, Peter Fraser represented York County for a period of 18 years from 1809 until 1827. 

      Peter Fraser's mercantile business pictured far left, circa 1800.     
Artist: Society founder George N Smith
Collection of the Fredericton Region Museum, 1985.466.1

Mr. Fraser's high standing in Fredericton and in the citizenship of the province generally may be judged not only by his having been thrice elected at the head of the poll as one of York's four representatives in the Legislative Assembly, but by other records disclosing his service in other important public positions. 

He was chosen by a public meeting Vice president of the Fredericton Savings Bank in 1824, of which Lieutenant-Governor Sir Howard Douglas was Patron and the Honourable Chief Justice John Saunders was President. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the College of New Brunswick, member of the executive of the very important New Brunswick Agricultural and Emigrant Society, one of the incorporators and provisional directors of the Bank of New Brunswick that was incorporated in 1820, a member of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for York County, and in 1825 was senior Justice of the Sessions of the Peace for the County. 

Mr. Fraser was one of the promoters of the steamboat Company that placed the "General Smyth", the first steamer to navigate the river St. John, on the Fredericton-St. John route, in 1816. He was associated in this enterprise with four Saint John men and one other Frederictonian, Robert Smith.

There is in Judge Crocket's document an extensive summary of Peter Fraser's will, which according to Judge Crocket shows his true character. Unfortunately, however, Mr. Fraser's estate did not realize his expectations, and the sale of the properties failed to yield a sufficient sum to cover any of the public legacies bequeathed by his last will and testament. The unfortunate failure of his estate, however, in no way lessens the value of his will as evidence of his broad and liberal mind and his generous and charitable heart.

In 1832 Mr. Fraser tendered his resignation as President of the Society through Mr. Mark Needham. It was at once resolved that: "this society do receive with sincere regret the announcement by Mr. Needham of Mr. President Fraser's intention to withdraw from that office, the duties of which he has so long and so faithfully discharged," and a committee was appointed to convey to him "the unanimous thanks of this Society for the exemplary manner in which he has discharged the duties of his office since the formation of the Society in 1825, and also for his zealous and uniform exertions to promote the interests of the Society." 

Mr. Fraser died August 19th 1849. The President and Members of the Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew walked in front of the funeral procession in deep mourning and wearing the badge of the Society. 

His grave in the Old Burial Ground was origianlly marked by a large horizontal tablet in section 8, supported on stone posts. On this tablet (now almost illegible) is an inscription:

SACRED TO 

THE MEMORY OF 

PETER FRASER, ESQUIRE, 

Lieut-Colonel of Militia, Justice of the Common Pleas
and Justice of the Peace for the County of York
and for many years a Member of the Provincial Assembly. 

As a public man the deceased was
universally dis­tinguished for zeal, integrity
and independence of mind.
As a private citizen he was respected
for his moral worth and conciliatory manner
in the -------- relations of domestic life
he was honored, reverenced and beloved. 

Mr. Fraser was a native of Forres, Morayshire, Scot­land
and came to this Province in the year 1784,
being thus one of its earliest inhabitants.
He departed this life on the 13th day of August, 1849,
aged 74 years.

In a footnote Judge Crocket states: 

Mr. Fraser's tomb may be found 2 or 3 rods west of the central walk south of the first long walk paralleling Brunswick St. along the crest of the hill. From it may be seen, but a few steps away, the tomb of Thomas R. Robertson, the first Treasurer of the Society, and a little beyond, the tomb of John Simpson, the first Secretary of the Society, as well as that of Robert Fulton, another of the founders and a later president of the Society, while closely overlooking it on the northerly side is the marble shaft, which marks the grave of the Reverend Dr. John M. Brooke, who for 38 years from 1843 till 1881, filled the office of Chaplain of the Society and in that long period seldom missed a Society meeting.