Richard Duncan Fraser
Encyclopedia
Richard Duncan Fraser was a fur trade
r, businessman, farmer and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Quebec
around 1784, the son of Thomas Fraser
, and grew up in Edwardsburgh Township in Upper Canada. He worked from 1802 to 1806 as a clerk for the North West Company
with Duncan Cameron
at Lake Nipigon
. He returned to Upper Canada in 1807 and settled at Johnstown
. He served as lieutenant in the local militia during the War of 1812
, becoming captain in 1813, and fought at the Battle of Crysler's Farm
. Fraser was named justice of the peace in the Johnstown District in 1816. In 1818, he was fined for an assault on Robert Gourlay
who was holding meetings in the eastern part of Upper Canada. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
in 1830 for Grenville
. In 1832, he was appointed customs collector at Brockville
. He commanded a group of militia at the Battle of the Windmill
in 1838. In 1839, Fraser triggered some friction between Canada and the United States
when he seized an American schooner for failing to declare a cannon to customs. By 1840, several banks had secured judgements against him for unpaid loans and the government was pressing him for customs duties that he had collected but not provided. He lost his post as customs collector and justice of the peace in 1843. He retired to the farm that he had named Fraserfield located on the Saint Lawrence
, where he died in 1857.
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
r, businessman, farmer and political figure in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
He was born in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
around 1784, the son of Thomas Fraser
Thomas Fraser (Upper Canada politician)
Thomas Fraser was a soldier and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Stratherrick, Inverness, Scotland in 1749. His family came to North America in 1767 and settled on the estate of Sir William Johnson in Tryon County, New York. In 1777, he and his brother were captured while trying to...
, and grew up in Edwardsburgh Township in Upper Canada. He worked from 1802 to 1806 as a clerk for the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
with Duncan Cameron
Duncan Cameron (fur trader)
Duncan Cameron was a Canadian fur trader and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Glenmoriston, Scotland around 1764. He came to Tryon County, New York with his parents in 1773. His father served with a loyalist regiment during the American Revolution and the family came to Upper Canada...
at Lake Nipigon
Lake Nipigon
Lake Nipigon is the largest lake entirely within the boundaries of the Canadian province of Ontario . It is sometimes described as the sixth Great Lake. Lying 260 metres above sea level, the lake drains into the Nipigon River and thence into Nipigon Bay of Lake Superior...
. He returned to Upper Canada in 1807 and settled at Johnstown
Johnstown, Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario
Johnstown is a community in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, in eastern Ontario, Canada, part of the township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal. It is located at the Canadian terminus of the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge and at the southern terminus of Highway 416 and Highway...
. He served as lieutenant in the local militia during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, becoming captain in 1813, and fought at the Battle of Crysler's Farm
Battle of Crysler's Farm
The Battle of Crysler's Farm, also known as the Battle of Crysler's Field, was fought on 11 November 1813, during the Anglo-American War of 1812. A British and Canadian force won a victory over an American force which greatly outnumbered them...
. Fraser was named justice of the peace in the Johnstown District in 1816. In 1818, he was fined for an assault on Robert Gourlay
Robert Fleming Gourlay
Robert Gourlay was a Scottish-Canadian writer, political reform activist, and agriculturalist.-Biography:...
who was holding meetings in the eastern part of Upper Canada. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
in 1830 for Grenville
Grenville County, Ontario
Grenville County area is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and named in honour of William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, Secretary of State in 1790. The First settlers were Loyalist from the United States...
. In 1832, he was appointed customs collector at Brockville
Brockville, Ontario
Brockville is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Though it serves as the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Brockville is politically independent and is grouped with Leeds and Grenville for census purposes only.Known as the "City of the 1000...
. He commanded a group of militia at the Battle of the Windmill
Battle of the Windmill
The Battle of the Windmill was a battle fought in November 1838 in the aftermath of the Upper Canada Rebellion. Loyalist forces of the Upper Canadian government defeated an invasion attempt by Hunter Patriot insurgents based in the United States.-Background:...
in 1838. In 1839, Fraser triggered some friction between Canada and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when he seized an American schooner for failing to declare a cannon to customs. By 1840, several banks had secured judgements against him for unpaid loans and the government was pressing him for customs duties that he had collected but not provided. He lost his post as customs collector and justice of the peace in 1843. He retired to the farm that he had named Fraserfield located on the Saint Lawrence
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
, where he died in 1857.