F55

FRASER

Parents

John FRASER = Isabella ROBERTSON

Married 17 November 1783, Strichen

John FRASER:

Isabella ROBERTSON:

Children

Elizabeth FRASER

Born October 1784, Lonmay
Christened 30 October 1784, Strichen

Philip FRASER

Born Jan 1786, Lonmay
Christened 24 Jan 1786, Strichen
Died 1809, from manuscript 2

William FRASER

Born 1787, Strichen?
Died 1789, from manu 2

Charles S.J. FRASER

Born Feb 1789, Tyrie
Christened 26 Feb 1789, Strichen
Died 12 Mar 1835, Aberdeen
Buried Snow Graveyard
At the age of ten Charles Fraser had been sent to the Benedictine College at Ratisbon, where he became the most brilliant student of that time, and the pride of his masters; at sixteen he left, and went to Stoneyhurst, there to prepare himself for the priesthood. Here also he so distinguished himself that, when only twenty-two years of age, he was chosen as one of the small band of teachers to establish a large college at Clongowes Wood, near Dublin. He remained there for seventeen years, having been ordained by the celebrated Dr. Doyle a short time after his arrival in Ireland. During these years he gave all his spare time to preaching; he was constantly in demand, owing to the fame which his preaching had won for him, and he never refused any request which might help the cause of charity. There are innumerable institutions in Dublin which largely depend for their maintenance on the collections raised at these sermons. At times the collections which his powerful appeals produced amounted to two and three hundred pounds. One who knew him well at the time, and frequently accompanied him on these errands of mercy wrote:
"…I have seen persons frequenting his sermons who carried with them to the church only their intended contributions, fearing that the eloquence of the preacher might extort more than their circumstances in life could spare. Yet, with all their caution, they have yielded to his powerful advocacy and thrown their jewellery, along with their money, into the coffers of the poor."

After seventeen years of labour, his health began to give way. He went abroad for a time to recover, and was then appointed to help Father Gordon in his own native climate,' In the early Summer of 1830 Charles Fraser took up his duties in Aberdeen, not as a Jesuit, but as the Rev. Charles Fraser, Assistant Priest.

'He was beloved by all who knew him, rich and poor, young and old; but above all else, he himself loved the poor. " To them he opened wide his heart, which was large enough for every human misery. If his right hand had been gold he would have parted with it in charity to the poor. When asked to make his will, he said: 'I have no will but the will of God!' and let it be told to his immortal honour, that at his death he left only one suit of clothes, all the rest had gone to clothe the naked poor - they are now laid up where they are saved from earthly rust, and where they will be restored to him an hundred-fold."

For five years he was Father Gordon's right hand, but about the Christmas of 1834 he showed the first symptoms of that disease which was shortly to become fatal. On Sunday, the 4th of January, he said Mass for the last time, and preached his last sermon. He had to retire to bed immediately after, and though he was attended by the best doctors, and even carried to Edinburgh to receive the best medical advice there, all was useless, and at his express wish he was taken back to Aberdeen to die. His sufferings were great, but he bore them with perfect serenity, and having received the last sacred rites of the Church at the hands of his beloved friend, Father Gordon, he gave himself up to prepare for death, calmly and even happily. Father Gordon remained at his bedside almost continually during the last days, and on the 12th of March, at half-past four in the afternoon, he died. On the 19th of March, Solemn High Mass was celebrated by Bishop Kyle, assisted by Bishop Carruthers, and a large number of priests, after which the body was carried through a dense crowd of sympathetic onlookers, to the Snow Churchyard, and laid in the same grave as that of Bishop Grant, Bishop Geddes, and Father John Gordon, Priest Gordon's brother, who had died on the 8th of December, 1823.

One of his fellow-priests, after his death, spoke of him as "that eminent man, the champion of faith, the orator of the pulpit, the glory of the priesthood, the light of the sanctuary, the friend of the poor."

Alexander Clinton FRASER = Elizabeth LE VIGNE > Family

Married BEF 1820, Ireland?

Alexander Clinton FRASER:

Alexander Clinton Fraser c.1870

Elizabeth LE VIGNE:

Elizabeth Levinge

Elizabeth Levinge, possibly

Catherine Ann FRASER = William FRASER > Family

Married 9 July 1815, in brides mothers house aberdeen RC

Catherine Ann FRASER:

William FRASER:

James FRASER

Born May 1794, Mormond village (old name for Strichen)
Christened 7 May 1794, Strichen

Jean FRASER = Joseph RUSSELL > Family

Married 1 June 1816, Parish of St. Nicholas, Aberdeen, Aberdeen

Jean FRASER:

Jean Fraser

Joseph RUSSELL:

John FRASER = > Family

John FRASER:

Isabella FRASER

Born July 1800, Aberdeen
Christened 15 July 1800, Strichen

Margaret FRASER

Born June 1802, Aberdeen
Christened 30 June 1802, Strichen
Died 2 June 1877, St Mary's Priory, Princethorpe
We have a manuscript of memoirs of Margaret dictated to her grand neice Ethel.

This obit from St Marys Priory translated from the French, abridged.

She belonged to an ancient Scottish family of which many members were Clergy and which was distinguished by their attachment and devotion to the Faith.
Marguerite Fraser, the youngest of a numerous family, was born in Aberdeen the 30th June 1802; her primary education was somewhat neglected, but when she had reached sixteen years old, one of her Uncles, Reverend Father 'Benedictine', [ James Robertson became Father Gallus Robertson O.S.B. 1758-1820] obtained her admission as at our monastery. Her studies, begun so late, could not be called brilliant, but she made herself noticed by a great energy, an character ; she also had a great taste for Music and a strong voice , and which she put to good use for the Community in the years to follow.
She did not seem to have to start with any inclination towards a religious life, but little by little her attitude changed, the soothing grace of God acted on her heart to show it the vanity and the dangers of the world, and she was determined to respond to the divine call; this was not a , but it held however firm and sure, as was proven by what followed. having done her year as a noviciate she had the happiness to say her vows on the 27th Nov 1823. during 20 yrs she directed the Choir as 1st Singer,
She also made herself useful as Bursar of the girls school and they loved her on account of her cheerfulness
she was naturally given to a great generosity towards the poor, and was ingenious at finding the means to help them
very handicapped towards the end of her life, but, the Sunday before her death, she descended, , to see the schoolgirls, amongst whose number was one of her great-nieces; that evening, at recreation, she walked in the avenue of limes; That night passed very peacefully, and at the break of day she heard the call "Ecce???venit". may she remember us to God and pray for the Community of which she was part here below, and which was so dear to her
(Strangely the next entry in the book of obituaries is for a Mother Marie Honorine Byrne from near Clonmel, possibly the same family that her gr- neice Maude married into, the Byrne-Colemans of Clonmel)

Family

John was living in Lonmay at the time, Isabella in Strichen.
Isabella's younger brother Charles is a witness. (father Philip did not approve)
17 Nov 1783 marriage of John Fraser and Isabel Robertson in the OPR for Strichen, Aberdeenshire. The IGI Batch number for this entry is A458820 [rather than the traditional OPR number prefixed by M for marriages, B for births and C for christenings], except for William born 1787, the IGI Batch numbers for all of the children of this couple begin with the number 7

FRASER

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