David and Ella Fraser

David Fraser (1802-05-10 – 1884-03-13) and Alexandrea “Ella” Maxwell (1804-06-03 – 1891-07-26) were Scottish immigrants to America and my 4th-great-grandparents, being the parents of my ancestor Margaret Burt. I have been unable to find any information about their life in Scotland. Their birthdates come from their gravestones and are assumed to be accurate, and are corroborated by other records. Alexandrea was variously called Aly, Ely, Ella, and once even “Agnes” (error?). The form Ella was used on her gravestone, so I use it conventionally.

Origins

Exact birth dates are listed on their gravestones, and track fairly well reported ages on other records such as the census, and so are probably accurate. David’s age at death is reported as 82^ref, but that may have been rounded up. Ella’s death record gives her age as 87 years, 1 month, 23 days^ref, which tallies with the gravestone birth date. David’s grave shows his death date as the 14th rather than the 13th; all other records say the 13th.

The only source for their parents is these death records. For David, it only says his father is also named David Fraser, which is probably correct. Ella’s lists parents William Maxwell and Agnes Drake. Drake is not a characteristically Scottish name, so some of her roots may be elsewhere.

Immigration

As noted under Margaret, her son’s death record claims that she was born en route to America, which would place their immigration in 1826. However, Betsey is recorded as born in Scotland, including by her parents in the 1850 census. So either of these claims could be wrong, or there could have been multiple migrations.

There do seem to be Frasers living in Vermont even earlier, but they may not be related. I haven’t put much effort into trying to figure this out. Many scenarios are possible, including an extended family migrating in multiple parts.

Children

Jeannette and Betsey are consistently recorded as having been born in Scotland. Margaret is uncertain. The rest were born in Vermont, probably all Hinesburg.

Jeannette (1824-05-12 – 1883-12-23)^ref; she moved to Kansas, where she is found named Jennett Love and living with a son Andrew Jackson Hubbard born in Michigan; from this it is inferred that she had husbands named Hubbard and Love, although I have not found record of them.
Margaret (1826-11-20 – 1875-05-10), my great-great-great-grandmother.
Betsey (1828-11-07 – 1884-10-11), married John Houghtland.
Euphemia (1829-11-07 – 1908-10-10), married Lewis Bissonette.
James (1832-01-11 – 1908-02-26), married Helen Margaret Owen.
John (* 1835). I have found scanty information of him. He is listed in the 1850 census, and in the 1860 census as “David”, which could be an error, but could mean he’s David Jr. or the like but went by John. His reported ages imply birth in 1835, which may make him a twin of Hugh. He is named in his father’s will and not mentioned as dead in the probate, whereas Betsey was, so he was presumably alive in late 1884; he was not involved in the dispute over Alexander’s estate in 1899^ref, so he may have died by then.
Hugh (1835-05-30 – 1848-08-16), died aged 13; maybe Harrison Hugh. He is buried with Alexander and his wife, and so is assumed to be of this family.
Alexander B. (1837-07-20 – 1899-05-09), married Marietta Mousier. Widowed and childless, he bequested most of his estate to his wife’s sister Jane Selina Ross (née Mousier), and the rest to his niece, Margaret’s daughter Olive. The surviving four siblings disputed the will, saying Alexander was “not of sound mind and memory… but on the contrary, was insane, imbecile, demented and wholly incapable of legally executing” the will; that he of “weak and disordered mind… was by… undue and improper influence, and by divers importunities and by fraud, deception, flattery and duress, induced to execute” it.^ref This challenge was apparently unsuccessful.
Mary Jane (1839-09-04 – 1878-01-22), married Joseph Bissonette.
Henry W. (1841-09 – 1917)^ref, married Clara Samson.
Agnes (1843-08-17 – 1876-07-19), married Anson B. Cook. She seems to have had no children.
Thomas Angus (1846 – 1899-05-28), or Angus Thomas, married Emma Mercy Houghton.

David’s will does not mention any children not on this list, and mentions all except for Hugh and Agnes, who had already died without apparent children. He mentions Margaret only to exclude her heirs from his estate.