William Samuel Frazier

William Samuel Frazier

Research by Sarah Olsen

June 10, 2005

Generation No. 1

1. WILLIAM SAMUEL² FRAZIER (JAMES¹) was born 15 Sep 1823 in Granville, NC, and died 29 Jul 1896 in MIlton, Umatilla, OR¹. He married RACHEL PAULINA WILLIAMS 28 Jan 1843 in Hardin County, Tennessee. She was born 23 Nov 1827 in Selma, Dallas, Al, and died 05 Feb 1882 in Milton, Umatilla, OR.

Notes for WILLIAM SAMUEL FRAZIER:

William S. Frazier, Founding Father of Milton

William Samuel Frazier was born in North Carolina in 1823; married Rachel Polina Williams (born 1824 - Alabama) in 1843. Prior to the trek west Rachel bore eight children, the eighth being William Hardee (born December 29, 1862).

No doubt the severe drought, poor crops and possibly the property damage from the Civil War is what provided the incentive to uproot this large family and spur them down the road to a new venture. Possibly they had heard the tales of free land in the West. They left Texas in the Spring of 1867. Their oldest daughter Martha, her husband Martin Elam and their baby daughter joined the Frazier's on their trek West. It took them six months, traveling through Kansas, Nebraska and Wyoming. There were three wagons in the original group, one pulled by horses and the others by mule. William Hardee was just five years old when he crossed the Plains.

They arrived at LaGrande that Fall and met the mayor of Walla Walla there. The description of the Walla Walla Valley sounded promising, so they traveled over the Blue Mountains into the Walla Walla Valley and found their new home.

After purchasing land from Thomas Eldridge, one of the first settlers there, and laying claim to 320 acres, the Frazier's built a log cabin on the property. They lived in the log cabin for 24 years before building the Southern-style Colonial home in 1882 that is now the Frazier Farmstead Museum.
Their cabin sat at the foot of the hill leading into the Walla Walla Valley from Pendleton. It wasn't long before people were stopping there, looking for accommodations. Mrs. Frazier urged her husband to allow someone to build a hotel for the travelers so that there were accommodations available; which he did.

In 1872, W. S. Frazier laid out the town site of Milton, naming it for the poet "Milton." The post office was built in 1873, with William A. Cowl as the first postmaster. By 1874, the town consisted of a general store, grit and flour mill, livery barn, hotel/tavern, blacksmith shops and a school and a church.

When he first settled here, he planted an orchard. William Frazier was the first farmer to grow wheat. During the Baker City (Oregon) mining days he hauled fresh fruit, chickens, ducks, meat, and vegetables to the miners.

William S. Frazier was a lifelong Methodist and did his best to live by that faith. While crossing the plains the party ran out of meat and Mr. Elam went hunting and managed to frighten the mules with his shooting. Mr. Frazier took him to task, not for stampeding the mules, but for breaking the Sabbath for hunting on a Sunday. It was Mr. Frazier's opposition to liquor in any form that led to a ban on saloons in Milton. When a dissident group moved a few miles north to Freewater, they very quickly permitted the opening of a saloon.

Mr. Frazier helped establish the Methodist church in Milton and was known as a gentle, friendly man. He particularly liked children and as he walked down the city's streets, he greeted little folks with a friendly "Howdy!" Soon, the children began to call him "Howdy."

The Frazier family all settled in the area of the growing city and influenced almost every facet of community life. They were founders of both the Methodist and Christian churches and remained active in those churches throughout their lives. They were early members of the Masonic Lodge and the I.O.O.F. Lodge and they supported the school system. But their largest influence was in the commercial life of Milton.

William S. Frazier was an early fruit farmer and in later years the W. H. Frazier's farmed about 5,000 acres of land and owned over 300 head of cattle. William Frazier's youthful dream of owning a farm--a dream which led him to Oregon--was indeed realized by himself and his family.

The Frazier family also entered into the business community of Milton and the political arena. Members of the family served as first mayor, early councilmen, and eventually county commissioners. They were also prominent business men who founded and ran the first bank, owned an early livery stable, hardware store and mill. Indeed, there seems almost no facet of community life they did not enter and influence.

Birth and Death dates from Old Milton Pioneer Cemetery transcribed by Garland E. Wison in 1979.

Pioneer Picnic Roster 1892 in Weston Oregon shows W.S. Frazier arriving in Oregon 1867 by Mule Team.

From HISTORIC SKETCHES of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia, Garfield Counties, Washington Territories, and Umatilla County, Oregon. 1882 F.T. GILBERT.

W.S. Frazier: lives in Milton; is a farmer; owns 320 acres of land; was born in Granville Co., North Carolina, September 15, 1823; came to Walla Walla valley in 1867, and to this county the same year.

P. 61 Appendix Umatilla County.

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1850 Census TN Hardin Dist 9 Pg 212 (16 October 1850 Geo D Morrow)

Line 26

33 33 William Frazier 26 M Farmer 200

Rachel P Frazier 22 F Tennessee

Henry S Frazier 4 M Tennessee

Martha Frazier 1 F Tennessee

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1860 Census TX Johnson Rock Creek Pg 479B (21 August 1860 G.H. Massey)

Line 27

586 598 Wm S Frazier 36 M Farmer 400 312 NC

Rachael P Frazier 33 F Housewife Alabama

Henry L Frazier 14 M Tennessee

Martha L Frazier 12 F Tennessee

Robt R Frazier 8 M Tennessee

John B Frazier 6 M Tennessee

Susan H Frazier 3 F Texas

James L Frazier 2/12 Texas

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1870 Census OR Umatilla Walla Walla Pct Pg 382B (4 Aug 1870 JS White)

line 24

174 157 Frazier William 47 MW Farmer 700 1025 North Caorlina

------------------, Paulina 43 FW Keeping House Alabama

------------------, Henry 24 MW Farm Laborer Tennessee

------------------, Robert 19 MW At Home Tennessee

------------------, John 16 MW At Home Tennessee

------------------, Susan 13 FW At School Texas

------------------, James 10 MW At School Texas

------------------, William 8 MW Texas

------------------, Thomas 3 MW Nebraska

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1880 Census OR Umatilla Milton Pg 3B

W. S. FRAZIER Self M Male W 57 NC Farmer NC NC

Rachel P. FRAZIER Wife M Female W 53 AL Keeping House GA GA

John FRAZIER Son S Male W 26 TN Farmer NC AL

James FRAZIER Son S Male W 20 TX Farmer NC AL

William FRAZIER Son S Male W 18 TX School NC AL

More About WILLIAM SAMUEL FRAZIER:

Burial 1: 31 Jul 1896, Old Pioneer Cem., Milton, Or

Burial 2: Pioneer Cem. Milton, Umatilla, OR¹

Census 1: 1850, TN Hardin Dist 9 Pg 212

Census 2: 1860, TX Johnson Rock Creek Pg 479B

Census 3: 1870, Milton, Umatilla, OR¹

Census 4: 1870, OR Umatilla Walla Walla Pct Pg 382B

Census 5: 1880, OR Umatilla Milton Pg 3B

Emigration: 1867, TX by Mule Team 44 yrs old¹

Name source: 1867, Pioneer Step #32 Pd by Ms Roy Frazier

Occupation: 1892, Farmer¹

Residence: 1892, Milton, Umatilla, OR¹

Notes for RACHEL PAULINA WILLIAMS:

Birth and Death dates from Old Milton Pioneer Cemetery transcribed by Garland E. Wison in 1979.

1880 census shows her father and mother were both born in GA.

More About RACHEL PAULINA WILLIAMS:

Date born 2: Abt. 1827, NC¹

Burial: 06 Feb 1882, Old Pioneer Cem., Milton, Or

Census 1: 1880, OR Umatilla Milton Pg 3B²

Census 2: 1850, TN Hardin Dist 9 Pg 212²

Census 3: 1860, TX Johnson Rock Creek Pg 479B²

Census 4: 1870, OR Umatilla Walla Walla Pct Pg 382B²

More About WILLIAM FRAZIER and RACHEL WILLIAMS:

Marriage: 28 Jan 1843, Hardin County, Tennessee

Children of WILLIAM FRAZIER and RACHEL WILLIAMS are:

i. GEORGE W.³ FRAZIER, b. 01 Oct 1843, Hardin, TN; d. 1843, Hardin, TN.

ii. HENRY LAFAYETTE FRAZIER, b. 20 Mar 1846, Hardin County, TN; d. 20 Apr 1932, Milton, Umatilla, OR; m. LUCY FRANCES MOSS, 12 Apr 1874, Milton, Umatilla, OR; b. 08 Jun 1858, Knoxville, Ray, MO; d. 30 Jan 1955, Milton, Umatilla, OR.

iii. MARTHA LOUISIANA FRAZIER, b. 11 Aug 1848, Hardin County, TN; d. 27 Jul 1928, Walla Walla, Walla Walla, WA; m. ANDREW MARTIN ELAM, 08 Nov 1865, Granbury, TX; b. 04 Jun 1840, McNary, TN; d. 25 Dec 1926, Milton, Umatilla, OR.

iv. ROBERT RIGHT FRAZIER, b. 26 Sep 1851, TN; d. 28 Apr 1879, OR; m. ELLA W. HUBBELL; b. Feb 1850, MO; d. 29 Jul 1919, Portland, Multnomah, OR.

v. JOHN BEVERLY FRAZIER, b. 07 May 1854, Hardin County, TN; d. 05 May 1922, Umatilla County, OR; m. LAURA EUGENIA CORNELIUS, 17 Nov 1881, Walla

vi. SUSANNAH HENRIETTA FRAZIER, b. 20 Apr 1857, Hood, TX; d. 30 Dec 1946, Milton, Umatilla, OR; m. SAMUEL KIESTER COE, 15 Jul 1873, Milton, Umatilla, OR; b. 25 Sep 1842, Wayne, OH; d. 20 Apr 1918, Milton, Umatilla, OR.

vii. JAMES LATNEY FRAZIER, b. 08 Jul 1860, Johnson City, Hood, TX; d. 27 Jun 1938; m. (1) HELEN NORA WHITE, 1880; b. Jun 1865, Willamette Valley, OR; d. 13 May 1888, Milton, Umatilla, OR; m. (2) MARTHA JANE SAMUEL, 31 Mar 1889, Milton, Umatilla, OR; b. 06 Mar 1860, Harrisonville, MO; d. 10 Aug 1932, Milton, Umatilla, OR.

viii. WILLIAM HARDEE FRAZIER, b. 29 Dec 1862, Johnson, TX; d. 08 Jan 1954, Walla Walla, Walla Walla, WA; m. FRANCES SUSAN BEARDSLEY, 24 Sep 1884, Walla Walla, Walla Walla, WA; b. 28 Aug 1867, Undilla, Otsego, NY; d. 06 Aug 1953, Walla Walla, Walla Walla, WA.

ix. THOMAS ALEXANDER FRAZIER, b. 24 Jul 1867, Platte River, NE, Oregon Trail; d. Bef. 1880, Per 1880 census.