The Frazer Family Collection (1767-1922)
Scope and Content: The collection consists primarily of correspondence and legal documents written to various members of the Frazar family. Much of the correspondence deals with matters concerning their jobs within the Union army. There are also more personal letters of correspondence. The legal documents concern their travels throughout the world and governmental appointments.
Biographical Information: Douglas Frazar was born to Amherst Alden Frazar and Sarah Drew Bradford of Duxbury, Massachusetts around 1836. During the Civil War he served for the Union Army in New York and eventually became a brigadier general. After the war, Douglas went to work for the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands. He married Emily May Durrell and they settled in Somerville, Massachusetts. In 1887 he was appointed judge in Middlesex County. Douglas also had a strong history of travel, having been to Liverpool, England; Shanghai, China; Jordan; Mecca; and Paris, France.
Samuel A. Frazar (c. 1742-1838) was the son of Capt. Thomas Frazer and Rebecca Alden. He was raised in Boston, MA but eventually moved to Duxbury. In 1791, at the age of 49, he married Abigail Drew. He was a shipbuilder as well a Plymouth County Judge. He built a house on the Blue Fish River at 47 St. George St. in 1793 which still stands.
Organization: The collection is separated into three series:
Series I – Correspondence (1843-1922)
Series II –Legal Documents (1771-1894)
Series III – Miscellaneous (1767)
Series I – Correspondence (1843-1922); 14 items.
- Folder 1- Correspondence (1843-1870)
- Secretary of War to U.S. Senator Henry Wilson; Feb. 4, 1843.
- Stearns to A.A. Frazar; Sept. 3, 1861.
- Note from Oliver Eldridge; Feb. 6, 1863.
- Eclectic Association secretary A.G. Montgomery to Major Douglas Frazar; Nov. 12, 1863.
- Secretary of Union Club to Major Douglas Frazar; Dec. 15, 1863.
- Josiah Quincy to Governor of New York Reuben Fenton; Dec. 5, 1864.
- U.S. Senator Charles Summer to Governor of New York Reuben Fenton; Dec. 15, 1864.
- Assistant Secretary of War to Major Douglas Frazar; Jan. 27, 1865.
- Governor of Massachusetts John A. Andrew to Governor of New York Reuben Fenton; July 7, 1865.
- O.B. Wilcox to General Douglas Frazar; Apr. 3, 1868.
- Assistant Commissioner of Virginia for Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands to General Douglas Frazar; Sept. 9, 1868.
- Mosby to Frazar; Dec. 9, 1886.
- A.A. Frazar to Brother Thomas; May 16, 1870.
- Folder 2- Correspondence (1922)
- Estelle Tyler Warner to George Frazar; June 14, 1922.
Series II – Legal Documents (1771-1894); 12 items
- Folder 1- Military (1865-1894); 4 items
- Orders for Colonel Douglas Frazar; Sept. 24, 1865.
- Honorable Discharge of Douglas Frazar; Apr. 22, 1873.
- Military Record of Douglas Frazar; Jan. 6, 1894.
- Folder 2- Business (1771-1868)
- Charter Party of Affreightment; 1771.
- Notice of new business office of Frazar & Co.; Apr. 1, 1859.
- Complaint filed at Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands; Aug. 8, 1868.
- Folder 3- Travel (1854-1857)
- Certificate of American citizenship for Douglas Frazar; June 23, 1854.
- Passport from the U.S. to travel to France; Aug. 14, 1857.
- Folder 4- Government Appointment (1816-1887)
- Samuel A. Frazar appointed Plymouth county judge; Aug. 29, 1816.
- Samuel A. Frazar appointed Plymouth county judge; Apr. 20, 1837.
- Douglas Frazar appointed Massachusetts judge; March 23, 1887.
Series III – Miscellaneous (1767); 2 items.
- Family tree by Thomas Frazar; 1767.
- Chinese map; date unknown.
Hello, 07 Jun 2011
I do hope there is someone that actually reads and responds to these messages.
I, Martin Strong Burrell, am the the great grand of Thomas Frazer’s daughter, Rosetta [Frazar] Burrell. She married, Martin Strong Burrell at Hazel Wood Farm.
Rosa was married on 07 Jan 1862, at Hazel Wood Farm, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, to Martin Strong Burrell. Martin had come from a well to do Ohio farming family. He was drawn first to his brothers interests in California. After staying there a few months he decided to move on to Portland, Oregon where a couple of cousins had started up a store that marketed goods of all kinds to the valley farmers. After working for several years for his cousin as book keeper. He bought part ownership into the Portland based company and they renamed it Knapp-Burrell & Company. It grew to have many outlets located in farming centers and mining areas across the Oregon Territory of Oregon, Northern California, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
Her father tried to turn apart of Hazal Wood Farm [located about six miles east of the heart of Portland into an orchard. But, after several years of bad weather and crop failures. He lost hope. Then added to this trouble was the death of four of their beloved children while living at the farm. They sold out and moved back into Portland.
Rosetta Frazar Burrell grew to become the right arm of Martin Burrell. But, she was also her fathers daughter. One who fought for public schools and good government in Portland. Then for the whole state of Oregon. Rosa was one who had the ear of both men and women of wealth and position. Like her father she knew politics on all levels. When Rosa could not herself reach out as a woman, she was able to persade her husband and their friends’ to help.
In religious beliefs she followed her father and mother into the Unitarian Church and firmly supported it all her life. The family were founding members of the First Unitarian Church of Portland, Oregon and it is presently active today. Note: The church first met in community homes for worship and study. Several of men then went to California seeking a pastor to return with them. They were successful and enlisted a young man who became a great church leader.
The Burrell’s amassed great wealth for their day. The estate was worth well over a million dollars. They were capitalist and were involved in many businesses in Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon. It included mining, farming, banking, agriculture and the retail outlets based in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon.
Look at the womens groups she helped form with Mary Ann Phelps Montgomery, Constance Phelps Montgomery Burrell,
Margaret Phelps Montgomery Zogbaum, Helen Strong Burrell Voorhies and others. They formed the Oregon DAR, actions groups that were based on growing a strong patriotic Portland. They were watching a small town change each year into one of the largest and strongest in the West. These women wanted their city to be clean, with a good police force, fire department, with a good library system for all, with a free school system for all children, and a good political system that was fair and open to all it’s citizens.
Their son, Walter Frazar Burrell was not the smartest business man. Between the 1930′s Depression Era lasting until Pearl Harbor and lavish spending, and bad business deals. The money was soon depleted to a point where he was forced to sell major assets at great loss.
Rosa’s mother was Frances Ann Adams Bradford. Who was born on, 08 Oct 1815, to a sailing ship Captain named Daniel Bradford in Keene, New Hamshire. She died in Dorchester, Massachusetts on, 11 July 1848. Her place of burial has not been determined.
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I am hoping that your facility would allow me access to information found in letters written between, Thomas Frazar and his brother, Captain Amherst Alden Frazar. Do you have papers relating to their agreement to send, Thomas to Portland for the purpose of opening up a store. to sell goods and receive orders for goods to be purched on the East Coast and hense returned by his brothers ships to Portland? Do you have letters announing the death of Thomas’ children.
A store was indeed sent from the East Coast and built in Portland and operated for several years. It was one of the first stores in Portland, Oregon.. Conformation of it’s exsistance would be wonderful. Thank you for any help, Martin S Burrell, (503) 655-9017. You can go online and see Frazar Family Memorial at FindAGrave.com. They are all located within Portland, Oregon. Lone Fir Cemetery and Riverview Cemetery. To locate go to Portland, Multnomah, Oregon and search, Frazar. There are several historical books that include reference to Thomas Frazar.
How fascinating! I will have to look over our Collections to see if there is anything on the Portland store or other Frazer material. But, you may be interested to know that the Bradford Family Collection is related to Capt. Daniel Bradford of Keene, NH and I have much information on him. In fact, I just started a facebook account for Charlotte Bradford, a Civil War nurse who was Daniel Bradford’s neice. There is also a blog post about Charlotte on this site.
The Bradford Family Collection is primarily material of the family of Captain Gershom Bradford, Daniel’s brother, but there are letters and other materials that mention Daniel. The Daniel Bradford House in Duxbury still stands and is a beautiful private residence. Capt. Daniel had a harrowing experience at sea, his ship was de-masted during a storm on the Atlantic. They were rescued and no one perished but I often wonder if this is what induced him to sell and move to Keene.
I have the, Thomas Frazar Family Bible with it’s family record. Also, have a limited record from, Rosetta Frazar Burrell [Martin Strong Burrell’s wife and the daughter of Thomas Frazar.