Washington County New York Biographies - Surnames F

Transcribed by Lynn Tooley

Washington County New York Biographies - Surnames F, extracted from the Washington county, New York; its history to the close of the nineteenth century by Stone, William Leete, 1835-1908.

FAIRCHILD, Hon. Marinus Biography

Hon. Marinus Fairchild was born at Sackett's Harbor, N. Y., November 21, 181 1. He was educated at Watervliet, N. Y., studied law in the City of Albany and in the office of his uncle, Hon. John Crary, at Salem, N. Y., and was admitted to the bar in 1833. From that date until 1846 he was actively engaged in the practice of his profession at Salem, N. Y., when he removed to Albany, where he remained about five years, returning to Salem upon the death of Mr. Crary, and remaining there during the remainder of his own life. He was for several years a partner with Mr. Crary.

Mr. Fairchild was not only a prominent lawyer but also held the office of Surrogate of Washington County from January 1, 1856, to December 31, 1859, and was District Attorney from 1877 to 1881. In politics he was a Democrat, but was highly regarded by large numbers of his political opponents. He was a man of superior talents, yet very unassuming and when he died on January 20, 1887, the bar of the county met in the Court House at Sandy Hill, on the 25th of that month, and passed a set of resolutions which show the high esteem in which he was held. He married Harriet Campbell in 1836. His parents were Lewis and Laodicea (Crary) Fairchild.

FRASER, Hon. Lonson Biography

Hon. Lonson Fraser was born in Hebron, Washington County, N. Y. , January 12, 1822, and is the son of Isaac M. and Mary (Munson) Eraser. His family is of Highland Scotch origin and his ancestors were not only among the earliest settlers in Washington County, but also figured conspicuously in the Revolutionary War as sterling upholders of American liberty.

Mr. Fraser's father was a farmer, and after leaving school he assisted his father in the duties of farming until the year of his majority, at which time he took up the study of medicine. The law, however, had always strongly attracted him and after continuing his medical studies for one year he abandoned that study and devoted himself henceforth to the study of the profession which for more than fifty years he has successfully practiced. He was admitted to the bar at the General Term of the Supreme Court, at Ballston, N. Y., in the winter of 1848, and at once began practising at West Hebron where from the first his services were widely sought. In 1854 he removed from West Hebron to Salem where he has since resided. His extreme care in gatherino- all the facts of a case; his ability in foreseeing distant contingencies and his clear, forceful language before a jury, have won him wide success and brought his name to a position of high honor in the ranks of the veteran lawyers of Washington County.

He served two terms as Surrogate, which office he held continuously from January 1, 1872, to December 31, 1883. In 1884 he resumed his practice of the law at Salem where he has since remained.

Judge Fraser has been a Republican since 1855. In 1856 he took the stump for Fremont and has since been active in the important political campaigns.

In July, 1848, Judge Fraser married Elizabeth M., daughter of James Steele of West Hebron, and has one son, Hon. Frederick Fraser.

Frederick Fraser was educated at the Washington Academy, Cambridge, N. Y., and studied law in the office of his father and was admitted to the bar in 1887. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace for one term, has been Supervisor of the town of Salem for three terms, and in 1894 was elected a member of the New York State Constitutional Convention. He is now successfully practicing law with his father at Salem, and is regarded as one of the ablest lawyers of the county.

[ Surnames G ]