James settled in Roxbury Mass. (Woodstock) in 1652
Lot 35. Family tradition is that James arrived in New
England with the Political Prisoners who had engaged in
the disastrous battles against Cromwell forces and was
one of the clan Fraser prominent as adherents of Charles
11. It is believed he was taken prisoner with his brother
William and may have been one of the prisoners sent to
Barbados and then came to New England. After the battle
of Worcester many Frasers were sold as slaves by their
captors and were sent there for a period of time. It
apparently seemed prudent to change their name to Frizzell
(an ancient form of the name Fraser and a sept of the Clan
Fraser,in order to protect their families left in Britain.
James Frizzell had ten children, among whom was Captain
James - he was sent on expedition to Canada in 1696. In
1705 he petitioned the council to return with his family
to Roxbury to take care of his parents. Petition was
granted. He bought Lot 14 Woodstock Conn. Among his
children was son Isaac. Isaac Frizzell was admitted to
full communion in First Church. He bought property for
130 pounds from Daniel Bacon in Woodstock (78 acres).
Isaac had four children - the oldest being Elisha who
married Eizabeth French. They had ten children - the
third being Elisha Torry born in Montague Mass. November
8, 1775. (From the vital records of Montague Mass.
Birth and History of Sunderland Vol 1.) Elisha Torry
married Clarissa Welch and had thirteen children.
It has been family tradition that Frasers of our line were
U.E. Loyalists. However they did not come directly to
Canada after the American Revolution. It is thought that
because they were Loyalists they may have been persecuted
after the war for their loyalty to the British and because
of this harassment may have been forced to give up their
land and settle in Canada. Hence they reverted to the
original name. (Incidentally at the same time Hepziba
changed her name to Elizabeth about 1779). This is pure
speculation.
It appears that Elisha Torry Fraser came to Canada about
1808 and settled on 60 acres Lot 7 Con. 4 East Whitby near
Brooklyn Ontario. From here they moved to Haldimand Tp.
East of Baltimore, Elisha Torry and his wife are buried in
Academy Hill Cemetery, Massie Family Cemetery - north of
Grafton Ontario. Their fifth child Isaac married Janet
Muirhead in 1830. She was born 1807 Vermont, came to
Lower Canada at age 2, moved to Upper Canada with family
and settled in Haldimand Tp. About 1820. Both Isaac and
Janet are buried in the Academy Hill Cemetery. Their
daughter Esther married Solon Massie.
Descendants
