A New Look at THOMAS (aka GEORGE THOMAS) FRAZIER, the Quaker, Part One: JOHN FRAZIER Sr & MARY FALCONER of Carteret Co North Carolina

Portrait of William Penn

After many years of research, and DNA tests with all three companies,  I now have records & results which reinforce my theory that THOMAS (aka GEORGE THOMAS) FRAZIER was the son of JOHN FRAZIER Sr born about 1700 of Carteret Co North Carolina & his wife MARY FALCONER, and that, like his mother,  THOMAS was a Quaker.

First off, let me reiterate that THOMAS' name wasn't "GEORGE THOMAS".  This idea stemmed from a letter written in the early 1900s by a descendant, ANN MILLIS FRAZIER WAY, in which she indicated that her great grandfather's name was either "GEORGE" or "THOMAS" (she couldn't remember which). This was then probably written down as "GEORGE/THOMAS" which morphed over time in "GEORGE THOMAS".

In truth, later Quaker records from the Westfield Monthly Meeting in Hamilton Co Indiana shows that one of THOMAS (aka GEORGE THOMAS) FRAZIER's sons (my 4th great grandfather) ISAAC FRAZIER was the son of "THOMAS & MARY FRAZIER". So clearly his first name was THOMAS, not GEORGE.  And the only early colonial North Carolina records that I have found for any "GEORGE FRAZIER" are for THOMAS's son GEORGE who married JANE GRIMES.

One very, very important thing to remember in researching this Quaker FRAZIER family is that Scottish Quakers were exceedingly rare.

Let me say this again: SCOTTISH QUAKERS WERE EXCEEDINGLY RARE.

According to David Dobson in his book "Scottish Quakers and Early America 1650-1700", there were few Scottish Quakers, with meeting houses in only a very few locations in Scotland. They were severely persecuted by both the Presbyterians and the Episcopalians in the 1670s, and by 1682-1685 most had emigrated to either the Netherlands or America.

According to Dobson, there was a particularly large concentration of Quaker Scottish immigrants who settled in Perth Amboy, New Jersey in the 1680s.  MARY FALCONER's father, JOHN FALCONER, was possibly one of these emigrants, and later settled in Chowan County, North Carolina, where he died Aug 5, 1741, and left a will.  He may have been related to DAVID FALCONER, a well-known Scottish Quaker who purchased land in Perth Amboy, but never lived there.

JOHN FRAZIER,  husband of MARY FALCONER,  has even less of a clear link to the Quaker faith. In fact, there are records showing that  JOHN FRAZIER was listed in the vestry book of St John's Parish, Carteret Co North Carolina in 1742.  Several people mentioned in his 1743 will, shown below, make it clear this was indeed the same JOHN FRAZIER who married MARY FALCONER.


JOHN FRAZIER Sr was born about 1700 in Scotland or Pennsylvania, and died before June 1744 in Carteret County North Carolina. He wrote his will Feb 17, 1743.

Many online family trees show JOHN FRAZIER Sr & MARY FALCONER as being born about 1680, and their children all born around 1700, but I believe that is incorrect.  Here's why: The full text of JOHN FRAZIER's will, posted below, has definite indications that all his children were underage in 1743.  Thus they would have to had  been born 1722 or later. I have highlighted in red the portions which refer to his children as underage.

WILL OF JOHN FRAZIER written 1743, probated June 1744 Carteret Co North Carolina: 

In the name of God Amen. I, JOHN FRAZIER of Carteret County in the Province of North Carolina, planter, being sick and weak in body but of sound mind and memory, thanks to God for the same , do make my last will and testament in manner and form following (viz.) 
--Imprimis. I will and desire that my beloved wife MARY shall have the use of my plantation during her natural life except she should mary  and then in such case only the use of the third part thereof.
--I give unto my son JOHN and to his heirs and assignes forever, my plantation and land whereon I now dwell after the decease of his mother as aforesaid, I also give to my said son JOHN his heirs and assignes one Negro girl named SARAH.
--I give and bequeath unto my son JAMES his heirs etc. one Negro boy called TOMBY.
--I give and bequeath unto my son THOMAS his heirs etc. one Negro girl called JUDY.
--I give and bequeath unto my son DANIEL to him his heirs etc. one Negro boy called COLE.
--I give and bequeath unto my daughter MARY and her heirs etc. one Negro girl called ROSE.
--My desire is that my wife shall have the labour of my three Negroes (Viz.) CATO, PHILLIS and old ROSE during her natural life and after her decease to be equally divided between all my children, and if the Negro woman ROSE should be safely delivered of the child she now goes with, I give that child unto my daughter MARY, her heirs, etc.
--I give and bequeath unto each of my sons one young horse and to my daughter MARY one young mair to be marked or branded in their own mark as soon as can be after my decease.
--I give unto my wife one third part of my other stock; and the old horses and mairs for the use of the plantation, and the remaining two thirds to be equally divided between all my children and to be marked in their own marks.
--My will and desire is that all my household goods be kept together for the use and support of my wife and children during my said wives natural life excepting she should marry and then to be equally divided among all which aforesaid legacys mentioned for the use of my wife to be in lieu of her dower, and if any of my children should die before they are of age, his or her part (so dying) of the personal estate to be equally divided among the survivours of them.
--I will and desire that the sum of one thousand pounds which is in the hands of CARY GODBE be applyed for the schooling of my children.
--My will is that my trustees hereafter named may kill so much out of the male kind of cattle belonging unto my children as may be thought necessary for said children's provisions.
--I do hereby appoint my beloved wife MARY executrix and my trusty friends ___ THOMAS LOVICK, Mr. DAVID SHEPARD and GEORGE READ trustees of this my last will and testament, making null and void all other will and wills heretofore made by me. In witness wh ereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seal this 17th day of February 1743.
--Signed, sealed and delivered JOHN FRAZIER (mark) in presence of Sarah Johnson (mark) William W. Dennis (mark) Thomas Mann
--Carteret County North Carolina June Court 1744 These are to certifie that William Dennis one of the subscribing evidences made oath that he saw JOHN FRAZIER the testator of the within will sign and seal the same and that he also saw Thomas Mann and S arah Johnson the other evidences, evidence the same, and by that court admitted to be recorded Test. Geo. Read, (title, perhaps County Clerk?)}

(NOTE: the three men listed in the will as JOHN FRAZIER's friends, THOMAS LOVICK, DAVID SHEPARD & GEORGE READ, were all named in the same list with JOHN FRAZIER in the vestry book of St John's Parish)


Later records in Carteret County in 1757 show that JAMES FRAZIER, son of JOHN FRAZIER Sr, sold the land his father had purchased in 1723 from THOMAS MERREDAY, on the south side of the Newport river.

JAMES FRAZIER then moved to Craven (which part became Onslow) Co County North Carolina. THOMAS FRAZIER & his brother DANIEL FRAZIER Sr were very much alive at that time and living in Craven Co North Carolina and Perquimans Co North Carolina, respectively.

I have not found records showing that JAMES FRAZIER, son of JOHN FRAZIER & MARY FALCONER of Carteret County was a Quaker.  But two other sons, DANIEL FRAZIER born about 1722 and THOMAS FRAZIER born about 1725, did become Quakers. For more on THOMAS' life story, and why I believe he is the same person as "GEORGE THOMAS FRAZIER", see my next blog post.


SOURCES:

-- "Abstracts of Carteret County North Carolina Deeds books A-F 1713-1759" by John A Brayton, pp 12, 61

--"Scottish Quakers in Early America 1650-1700" by David Dobson; p 7

--"Chowan Precinct North Carolina Abstracts of Deed Books 1696-1723" by Margaret M Hofmann; pp 41-42, 107-109

--"Craven County North Carolina Deeds, Wills & Inventories Volume I 1737-1777"  by Dr Stephen A Bradley; pp (too many to list)

--Craven County North Carolina Deeds, Wills & Inventories Volume II 1742-1801"by Dr Stephen A Bradley; pp 169, 333

--"A Story of North Carolina's Historic Beaufort" by Mamre Marsh Wilson, p 17


Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2015