Contra
Costa County
Biographies
JOHN
A. FRASER
JOHN A. FRASER. A prominent blacksmith and wagonmaker of Pinole, Contra Costa county,
is John A. Fraser, who was born in Picton
county, Nova Scotia, June 22, 1849, a son of Alexander and Jennie (Gray)
Fraser. At eighteen years of age he left
home and came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, arriving in San
Francisco August 7, 1867. His first
year was spent in Martinez in company with his brother, after which he came to
Pinole, and in partnership with Edmond Hazen opened a blacksmith, carriage,
wagon and general repair shop, in September, 1868. This association continued until 1871, when
Mr. Fraser bought out his partner and continued alone for the following
year. He then became associated with
John W. Boyd in his present location and continued these relations from
1872 to 1900, when, on the 29th of April, they dissolved partnership and
Mr. Fraser has since conducted his business alone. He now has a general blacksmith and repair
shop, including wagon making and painting.
In addition to these interests he also represents a leading fire
insurance company.
In 1875 Mr. Fraser married Annie Boyd, a
native of England, and the daughter of Alexander Boyd. She died November 9, 1887, at the age of
twenty-nine years, leaving five small children.
John A., Jr., who is foreman in the employ of the Western Electric
Company, was formerly a machinist with the Union Iron Works of San Francisco;
he married Mamie Bills. The other
children are George W.; Mabel J.; Harry G. W., a machinist;
and Ida E., a stenographer.
Mr. Fraser is a much-esteemed citizen and has held various public
positions, among them that of school trustee for several years, town trustee
and president of the board for two years.
Fraternally he was made a Mason in Martinez Lodge No. 41, when
twenty-one years old, and was demitted to Pinole Lodge No. 353, F. &
A. M., of which he is now serving as trustee.
[Inserted by D. Toole]
MISC
JOHN FRASER and
JAMES B. McKENZIE ARTICLES
(California
Death Index: Date of Death 28 Dec 1932)
1932
Dec 31, Oakland Tribune, P4, Oakland, California Masons to Conduct Pinolean’s Rites
Richmond,
Dec. 31 – Last rites for John Alexander Fraser, 83, Pinole and Contra Costa
pioneer, will be held today at 1:30 o’clock at the Wilson and Kratzer funeral chapel.
The services will be conducted by Rev. Peter Ruf
of the Pinole Community Church and the Pinole Lodge of Masons. Following the services interment will be in
the Martinez cemetery. Fraser had lived
in Pinole for the past 64 years. He
conducted a blacksmith shop there for 40 years and for the remainder of the
time was in the insurance business. He
was a charter member of the Pinole Lodge of Masons. He is survived by his two daughters, Mrs.
Mabel O’Connor and Mrs. Ida Poinsett of Pinole; three sons, John A. Fraser of
Berkeley, George W. Fraser and Harry G. Fraser of Pinole.
1887
Nov 21, San Francisco Bulletin, P3, San Francisco, California
FRASER
– In Pinole, Contra Costa county, November 19 [note difference in date from John A.
Fraser’s bio], Annie Rebecca, wife of John A. Fraser, a native of England,
aged 29 years and 4 days.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Page 1002. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Donna Toole.
Contra Costa County Biographies