Frazee Relationship and Genealogy to Clan Fraser in Scotland

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Nobility

All members of a Clan were noblemen/noblewoman. Highland Clans and Lowland Clans lived a little differently, in that Lowland Clans sometimes had houses and servants, whereas Highland Clans all lived as one big family.

Either way, all the Clan members were noble. It wasn't at all like nobility in Britian, as is depicted on television. Instead, castles were fortresses, and, particularly in the case of the Highland Clans, the whole clan often resided at the castle, or at least spent time there. It wasn't just the "King and Queen", or in the case of Scotland, the "Laird". Instead, different members of the Clan had different roles, but they were still all equally noble. Someone could be a cook for the castle, and still be a noblewoman, just as much as the Laird, himself.

Clans considered all of their members to be a big family. ("Clan" actually means "Children".) Therefore, although some had better jobs than others they were all equal, and they were extremely protective of all members of their Clan. After God, family was everything to them.

Therefore, although the Laird ruled over the Clan, instead of his focus being upon being served, his focus was upon protecting his Clan. This is important when comparing our understanding of royality from hearing stories of British rulers throughout our childhoods here in America. Whereas Brittish rulers considered people in their kingdom to be subjects, Scottish Lairds considered people in their Clan to be family. Therefore, instead of the everyday members being "pawns", they too were considered royality. It was a completely different mindset.

That mindset also extended to the Lowland Clans, as well. Even though many of them lived in homes similar to the British, they still considered all Clan members equally royal. Therefore, their servants weren't other Clans members. Other Clans members living in the home would simply be "family".

Today, Clan Fraser has a Chief, 21st Lady Saltoun, Flora Fraser, therefore Clan Fraser is still noble after these many centuries, and it still has a voice in parlament in Scotland. Clan Fraser Lovet is run by Simon Fraser, 18th Lord Lovet.

All descendants of Clan Fraser and Clan Fraser Lovet are still considered noble by birth. Additionally, if you are a descendant of Clan Fraser or Clan Fraser Lovet, you can legally wear the Clan crest.

Are You Related to the Frazees In this Area?

If you are related to James Frazee (1867-1956) and Elsey Frazee (1868-1923) or James Frazee and Bessie Detrick (1896-1986), on the Frazee side, you are a descendant of Clan Fraser. Gene and Booboo Frazee, who owned Interstate Lumber and Interstate Hardwoods, would also be relatives.

Additionally, if you are related to any of the following: Albert K. Frazee (1862-1942), Roswell Jefferson Frazee (184-1920), Powell Frazee (dates unknown), Elizabeth J. Frazee (1870-1952), Noah Frazee (1872-1950), Amanda Frazee (1874-1949), George Floyd Frazee (1877-1940), Annie C. Frazee (dates unknown), Hannah Catherine Frazee (1880-1962), or Alexander Frazee (1883-1972), you are also descendants of Clan Fraser.

Your ancestor, Samuel Maxwell Frazee, whose name was Samuel Fraser when he lived in Scotland, was a member of Clan Fraser. He was born in 1610 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland at the Dunnator Castle. He married Rebecca Jacobs, and they had a son, Joseph Ephraim Frazee before leaving Scotland. In 1635/1636, the family traveled from Aberdeenshire to New Jersey on the British ship, "Caledonia".

At that time in Scotland, few individuals, unless they were clergy, could write. Therefore, most of the people could not spell their own names. When they left Scotland and arrived in America, other people, such as officials helping them enter the country, wrote their names down based upon the sound of the name. Samuel spoke Gaelic, and although it is likely he also spoke English, it would have been with a strong accent, so rather than Fraser, they wrote down Frazee.

Although there are some family stories that he was a lowland clan member, it is also possible he was in highland, Clan Fraser Lovet because physical records back as far as 1610 in Scotland are difficult to find. The members of Clan Fraser and Clan Fraser Lovet were relatives, so there was a great deal of interaction and intermarrying between them, therefore, he would have been related to members of both clans, making you a descendant of both. It is very likely that Samuel's mother was a member of Clan Maxwell because it was typical for families to give their children the middle name of the mother's Clan.

Clan Fraser was involved with the building of Fraser Castle during Samuel's time in Scotland, and it is almost certain that Samuel had ties to Fraser Castle. Fraserburg, in Scotland was also founded by Clan Fraser. Fraser Castle is owned by the country of Scotland now, and it is open for touring.

What we know is that Samuel was born in Donnator Castle, which is on the east coast of Scotland, in close proximity to Fraser Castle, which was in its early construction, and Frasersburg. It so happens that although Donnator Castle sits in the lowlands, there is a path between the highlands and the castle that would put members of Clan Fraser Lovet there at a very short distance, therefore members of Clan Fraser Lovet traveled to Donnator via that path. It is believed that because Samuel was born at Donnator, his family likely had strong ties to both Clan Fraser and Clan Fraser Lovet.

At the time, Scotland was ruled by Clans. The entire country was broken up into territories, each of which was owned by a Clan. Clans violently defended their territory. Clan Fraser and Clan Fraser Lovet were two of the most powerful clans in Scotland, and were very well known for their "fighting prowess".

It has long been rumored that Samuel was a son of Simon, 6th Lord Lovet, although at this time, there are no physical records to prove this to be true. In the 1920's a professor of a major university spent his life tracing the genealogy of the Frazees, compiling extensive amounts of information. He attempted to either prove, or disprove, a link between Samuel and Simon then, but was unable to find anything conclusive. Simon Fraser, 6th Lord Lovet built Fraser Castle.

Samuel came ahead of the mass deportations from Scotland to the Americas, and he was involved in the establishment of the Scottish side of the colony in New Jersey. His son, Joseph, who is also your relative, founded Elizabethtown, NJ, which was then all Scottish.

Samuel and his family helped to build First Presbyterian Church in Elizabethtown, which, interestingly enough, is still standing, though it was rebuilt after being burned by the British, and has been rennovated many times. It is clear from many historical records that Samuel was Presbyterian, which is significant, because the British, which had colonized Scotland, were Catholic. The Presbyterians, called Covenanters, were trying to regain control of Scotland for the Scottish people because many people in Scotland had converted to Protestantism and they wanted to be free to worship according to their own beliefs. However, the British throne was insistant that the whole of Scotland had to be Catholic. The Covenanters won a significant war against the British immediately prior to Samuel's voyage to America. Several years later, the British defeated the Scottish Covenanters, and deported thousands of them to New Jersey to the colany that Samuel had helped to establish.

Samuel and many of his descendants, which are also your relatives, are buried in the cemetary at First Presbyterian Church in Elizabethtown, NJ. Samuel's grave can no longer be found because it was not marked well, but you can find Joseph's grave.

Your direct lineage to Clan Fraser means that you are still a member of Clan Fraser/Clan Fraser Lovet. Therefore, you can join the Clan Fraser Society. They are actively involved in the Highland Games in addition to other activities. For more information go to https://cfsna.com, the Clan Fraser Society of North America. There is also a Clan Fraser Society of Scotland and the UK. You can reach them at: http://fraserclan.net. Although most Americans join the Clan Fraser Society of North America, it is acceptable to join both.

These two Clan Societies work directly with Lady Saltoun and Simon Lord Lovet, so membership in one of these two Clan Societies means that you are recognized as an official member of Clan Fraser/Clan Fraser Lovet. Today, they combine the two clans together because individuals were descendants of both, since they were all related.

Both societies are attempting to keep genealogical records of their members so that they can track descendants of Clan Fraser and Clan Fraser Lovet. Therefore, the more descendants that join, the better the records.

Joining a Clan Society is a great way to learn about, and respect, your family heritage. You will find both Clan Societies above to be extremely welcoming. And, isn't it interesting to know that everyone in them is your relative in some capacity or another? Plus, there is a lot of information about Scotland and Clan Fraser that you likely won't find elsewhere.

Knight Fraser

The first Fraser in Scotland was Knight Simon Fraser. He started Clan Fraser.

Simon was originally from the French kingdom of Frizelier of Anjou. Frizelier means "strawberry", so basically it was the Strawberry Kingdom. There are old tales about how he became a Knight because he presented the king with a plate of strawberries, but it is unknown if these stories are true.

If you are related to Samuel, as outlined in the main story, you could be related to Simon as well, but it is unknown. You see, anyone in a Clan generally took on the Clan's last name, therefore, if someone was living in the Clan's territory and the Clan accepted them as a member, they also became a Fraser. For that reason, we have no way to know if the Frazee family lineage through Samuel was descended from Knight Simon.

Donnottar Castle. Click to see an enlargement.