Franklin D. Fraser
Encyclopedia
Franklin D. Fraser was a Florida
lawyer
and a Republican
politician who served on the Florida Supreme Court
from 1873 to 1874.
Fraser was born in Montrose, Pennsylvania
in Susquehanna County
on April 23, 1819. His father was Dr. Charles Fraser and his mother was Mary. He attended schools at Montrose and at Oxford, New York
and attended Union College
at Schenectady, New York
. He returned to Montrose to read law with Judge William Jessup, Sr. He was admitted to the Bar
in 1842 and worked in Susquehanna and Wyoming counties. He married Jane B. Clark. They had one daughter, Fannie. He had a reputation for careful, thoughtful preparation, great ability, and for tenacity once he'd reached a decision. He served as a Prosecuting Attorney in Pennsylvania.
His older brother Philip, who had a law practice in Jacksonville, Florida
and who had served as mayor, was an ally of Isaiah and Ossian Bingley Hart. Philip had fled to Montrose after the Unionists
evacuated Jacksonville in 1862. When he returned as Federal judge for Northern District of Florida, Franklin Fraser came to work briefly as the district's deputy clerk before returning to Pennsylvania
. In 1869, he returned to Florida as the Northern District's register in bankruptcy.
When Hart became governor in 1872, he needed someone he could trust to fill his position on the bench. He appointed Fraser to the Court January 16, 1873. After Hart died in March 1874, Fraser resigned from the court that May, expressing dissatisfaction with his salary and with Southern society. He had served 16 months on the court, having written opinions in seven minor cases. He returned to his law practice in Pennsylvania. He died of pneumonia
on November 10, 1879.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician who served on the Florida Supreme Court
Florida Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. The Supreme Court consists of seven judges: the Chief Justice and six Justices who are appointed by the Governor to 6-year terms and remain in office if retained in a general election near the end of each...
from 1873 to 1874.
Fraser was born in Montrose, Pennsylvania
Montrose, Pennsylvania
Montrose is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States, north by west of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Montrose was laid out in 1812 and incorporated as a borough on March 19, 1824. Its name is a combination of "mont", the French word for “mountain” and Rose, for Dr. L R. Rose, a...
in Susquehanna County
Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,238 people, 16,529 households, and 11,785 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 21,829 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
on April 23, 1819. His father was Dr. Charles Fraser and his mother was Mary. He attended schools at Montrose and at Oxford, New York
Oxford, New York
Oxford is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The town contains a village named Oxford. Oxford is an interior town in the south-central part of the county, southwest of the City of Norwich. At the 2000 census the town population was 3,992...
and attended Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
at Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
. He returned to Montrose to read law with Judge William Jessup, Sr. He was admitted to the Bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1842 and worked in Susquehanna and Wyoming counties. He married Jane B. Clark. They had one daughter, Fannie. He had a reputation for careful, thoughtful preparation, great ability, and for tenacity once he'd reached a decision. He served as a Prosecuting Attorney in Pennsylvania.
His older brother Philip, who had a law practice in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
and who had served as mayor, was an ally of Isaiah and Ossian Bingley Hart. Philip had fled to Montrose after the Unionists
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
evacuated Jacksonville in 1862. When he returned as Federal judge for Northern District of Florida, Franklin Fraser came to work briefly as the district's deputy clerk before returning to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. In 1869, he returned to Florida as the Northern District's register in bankruptcy.
When Hart became governor in 1872, he needed someone he could trust to fill his position on the bench. He appointed Fraser to the Court January 16, 1873. After Hart died in March 1874, Fraser resigned from the court that May, expressing dissatisfaction with his salary and with Southern society. He had served 16 months on the court, having written opinions in seven minor cases. He returned to his law practice in Pennsylvania. He died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
on November 10, 1879.