(fl. second half 19th century), pioneer. An item from the Winnipeg Free Press reprinted in the Glengarry News of 22 Aug. 1902 stated that he was held to be the original of John Alexander Fraser in Ralph Connor’s novel The Man from Glengarry. The precentor was opposed, the novel says, “to all innovations in connection with the Service of Praise. He was especially opposed to the introduction of those ‘new-fangled ranting’ tunes which were being taught the young people by John ‘Alec’ Fraser in the weekly singing-school in the Nineteenth, and which were sung at Mrs. Murray’s Sabbath evening Bible class in the Little Church.” For the precentor and John Alec, see the entry for Donald Alexander McRae. The “Nineteenth” was the 19th Concession of Indian Lands, GC, and the Little Church was the log church (still standing, a celebrated landmark) built by the congregation of the Rev. William McKillican. The fictional Mrs Murray was the minister’s wife, in real life Mrs Daniel Gordon; see the entry for Mrs Mary Gordon. Duncan McLaurin was a county judge from 1897 to 1902 in Hamlin County, South Dakota. He also served as treasurer of a school district in Hamlin County. In 1902, he was living at Hazel, in that county.

Hamlin County 1878-1979 (Hamlin Historical Committee, n.d. ) 16, 58 * cf. Maxville (1991) 645 * Ralph Connor [C.W. Gordon], The Man from Glengarry, chapter 9 (p. 71 in New Canadian Library edn.)