Col. William Frazer
Col. William Frazer, who at the time of his death was the oldest male resident of Ravenna, was born in Lansingburg, N. Y., in 1794. His father served seven years in the Revolution, and lost his life in the war of 1812. Our subject was a soldier in the war of 1812, in which he served with distinction. He came from Geneva, N. Y., to Ravenna in 1814, and there carried on a jewelry establishment, and a saddlery, in turn. In 1819 he married Miss Annie A. Campbell, daughter of Gen. John and Sarah Campbell. Of their ten children the following are now living: Homer C, in Ravenna, Ohio; Mrs. Catherine M. Preston, in Cleveland, Ohio; Mrs. Martha E. Dodge, in Ravenna, Ohio; Mrs. Eliza Barnes, in Grinnell, Iowa, and William A., in San Francisco, Cal. Mrs. Harriet M. Taylor, wife of Hon. Ezra B. Taylor, died in Warren, Ohio; Mrs. Amoretta R. Campbell died in Chicago, Ill.; Mrs. Sarah Norton died at White Water, Wis.; and two others died in infancy. Col. Frazer served for several years as Deputy Sheriff of this county, and also as United States Marshal of this district. In 1842 he was elected Sheriff of this county, serving with satisfaction to the people and credit to himself. For many years, commencing in 1852, he was one of the Directors of the Portage County branch of the State Bank of Ohio. Mrs. Frazer died in March, 1875. The Colonel followed her in April of the same year. They were honored and esteemed as upright pioneers. Our subject was one of the original Republicans of the county. He took the first newspapers published in the county from their commencement, and kept a complete file, which his son still continues. This is the only unbroken file of these papers in existence.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885