(1847-13 March 1924), farmer, manufacturer. Born in GC. Fraser became a farmer at Mount Forest, Ont. In 1897 he bought the Whitby foundry, at Whitby, Ont. from the Mowat Manufacturing Company. The Whitby Chronicle 26 March 1897, reporting the sale, noted that Fraser was a retired farmer and perhaps spotted a reason for his purchase of the foundry in the fact that he had “two sons who are mechanics.” An announcement in the Whitby Chronicle of 28 May 1897 stated, “The undersigned begs to announce to the farmers of the surrounding country that he has purchased Whitby foundry and machine shop, recently operated by the Mowat Mfg. Co., and is prepared to supply a full line of agricultural implements, such as binders, mowers, rakes, horse-powers, cutting-boxes, grinders, plows and cornshellers. Castings of all kinds made to order. A full stock of repairs kept on hand for all implements ever manufactured in the shop. W.A. Fraser.” Fraser did not maintain his foundry for long. The foundry was sold in 1903, but Fraser remained in Whitby till he moved to Ottawa in 1921. He died at his son’s home in Ottawa. Presbyterian. William A. Fraser was married to Miss Mary Slack, of Niagara, Ont. Their children included Miss A. Fraser of the editorial staff of the Ottawa Citizen and Dr J. W. Fraser of Kitchener.
Ottawa Evening Citizen 13 March 1924, Cornwall Standard 20 March 1924, Gazette and Chronicle (Whitby) 20 March 1924 * information kindly supplied by Brian Winter, Whitby Archives * Whitby Chronicle as cited and 16 April 1897, 4 June 1897 (editorial support for Fraser’s business) * obituary of his wife, Gazette and Chronicle (Whitby) 31 Oct. 1929