The Fraziers are from one of the earliest pioneer families in Randolph County, Indiana. James Frazier and his wife, Susanna (Stanley), moved to the neighborhood just east of Lynn in 1817. They came from Clinton County, Ohio, together with seven of their ten children. Francis Frazier, Sr., (their fifth child) was apparently one of the Committee appointed by the New Garden Meeting in 1818 to visit the first Jericho meetings, held in the homes, and make a report on the request for permission to hold meetings. This despite the fact that he would have been only sixteen years old at the time. Francis Frazier, Sr., married Letitia Clearwater about 1823. They had eleven children. At least seven of these were in the Jericho neighborhood at one time or another. In addition, it is possible that there was a cousin or two. Of the family of Francis Frazier, Sr., the following are buried at Jericho: Francis, Sr., and Letitia his wife; Francis, Jr., and Sarah and Jane, his wives; Samuel Frazier and Jane his wife; Lucinda (Frazier) Lasher; James Frazier and many others of their descendants.
The Fraziers did not take up residence at Jericho until comparatively late in the period under discussion. Samuel Frazier was the first to come, July 13, 1850, from the Cherry Grove MM. Elijah, His brother and family came in 1856. Francis, Sr., and Letitia with granddaughters came in July 1862; Cyrus and family came in October, 1862, and Francis, Jr., was received in August, 1863, from Dover Monthly Meeting. Of these folks most of the descendants have now disappeared from the neighborhood except those of Francis, Jr. The Fraziers were blacksmiths. James and Francis, Sr., were also noted bell makers. They had more work than they could handle in supplying bells for the necks of stock which were turned loose in the woods of those early days. Francis, Sr., leaves the statement that he spent so much time hunting, when a young man, that the Friends appointed a committee to remonstrate with him in the matter. He states that they were kindly and that he did desist for a time but was soon lured back to the chase. Francis, Jr., operated a black smith shop for many years at his home one mile east and one mile north of the present Jericho Meetinghouse. The writer has often taken horses there to be shod.
Jericho Friends Meeting And Its Community, 1864, page 10.
Submitted by Lora Addison Radiches
James A. Frazier, township trustee and businessman at Union City, is descended from the son of one of the very earliest settlers of Randolph County. His grandparents, Francis and Leutricia (Clearwater) Frazier, were North Carolina Quakers. They left North Carolina, where they had lived in Guilford County, and went to Clinton County, Ohio, in 1811 and from they're in 1817 moved to Randolph County, Indiana, acquiring land and developing a farm from the wilderness. The father of James A. Frazier was Francis Frazier, who was born in Randolph County, March 7, 1842. Like his father before him he was a blacksmith and expert worker in metals, and besides black smithing and repair work he manufactured bells used for livestock and also made knives and razors. He lived to a good old age, passing away November 9, 1925. Francis Frazier married Jane Shockney, who was born June 18, 1846, in Wayne Township, Randolph County, being a daughter of John and Jerusha Shockney and a granddaughter of Patrick Shockney, a soldier of the American Revolution. Mrs. Jane Frazier died April 20, 1914. Of her nine children seven are living, James A. being the youngest. He was born in Wayne Township, Randolph County, April 17, 1886. Mr. Frazier acquired a liberal education, in the public schools, in the Muncie Normal, and took a commercial course in Valparaiso University. During his early manhood he taught school in Wayne Township for nine years. He was engaged in farming for five years, served one year as deputy assessor and since 1915 has conducted a tire and automobile accessory business at Union City, specializing in the Fisk tires. Mr. Frazier has been township trustee since 1922. He moved his home to Union City in December, 1924. He is a Democrat in politics and is a member of the Jerico Friends Church, while his wife is a Methodist. He married, March 15, 1915, Miss Lura Thompson, who was born at Battle Ground, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, daughter of Miles K. and Adeline M. (Anderson) Thompson. She was educated in grade and high schools and in Earlham College at Richmond and taught in the public schools of Wayne Township for four years. They have one son, James Robert, born May 13, 1917.
Unidentified book.
Typed by Lora Radiches