Donald [Ranald] Fraser (Eigg Mountain Settlement History)  (Map Location)

Figure 1 – Church Map (1879) indicating D. Fraser.

A “D. Fraser” is indicated on the Church map south of the Eigg Mountain Main Road to the west of the peak of Eigg Mountain.  The Teasdales had no knowledge of a “D. Fraser” anywhere near here.  They suspected that Church may have been in error.  The D. Fraser site is close to one they remember as a Mooney property.  They place a Dan Fraser some distance to the east.

I now believe that this lot was occupied by Donald [Ranald] Fraser (b.1812— d.1899), son of old Ranald Fraser the pioneer. It is clearly described in a deed of sale by "Donald Fraser and his wife Mary Frazer to their son Angus Fraser" dated 1877. The Frasers farmed it from at least 1871 to 1901. The relationship with the Mooneys is still unclear, but by 1877 they were no longer here nor on the lot to the south.

Donald [Ranald] Fraser married Mary MacDonell (b.1819-d. 1906). In 1901 she was living with her son Angus Donald [Ranald] Fraser at this same location. She had become blind by that time. The Donald [Ranald] Fraser household is mentioned in the following censuses:

1871 Census Arisaig District Division 2 #69

1881 Census Arisaig District # 33

1891 Census Arisaig District # 37

1901 Census Arisaig District # 45

Donald and Mary had 9 children:

-Angus Donald [Ranald] Fraser (b.1844-d. November, 1905) probate file A-1275 page 414/1153 Antigonish Estate File 1905-1907 married Flora MacDonald (b.1859-d. 1933) died at New Glasgow Obit

-Alexander [Donald Ranald] Fraser (b. 1845)

-Margaret [Donald Ranald] Fraser (b. June 1, 1846-d. June 8, 1871) born and died at Eigg Mountain NSVS

-Archibald [Donald Ranald] Fraser (b. November 1, 1848) US shoemaker

-Catherine [Donald Ranald] Fraser (b. 1851) married Charles MacGillivray “poet” November 18, 1875

-Isabella [Donald Ranald] Fraser (b. 1853) married MacDonald and a widow by 1881 with a son Rory born 1880 - living with her brother Angus in 1901

-Margaret Isabella [Donald Ranald] Fraser (b. June 1, 1857) married Donald MacIsaac, Maple Ridge

-Flora Isabella [Donald Ranald] Fraser (b. November 26, 1859)

-John Isabella [Donald Ranald] Fraser (born and died September 1861) SMAR