William Beverly Frazer was born on September 7, 1824 in Stokes, North Carolina. His wife, Delilah Cook Frazer was born on April 1, 1832 in Tennessee.
William and Delilah were pacific coast pioneers. According to the Oregon Secretary of State Archives, Delilah and her family came by ox train to Marion County, Oregon in 1845. William came to Marion County, Oregon followed by his family in 1850.
They were married on September 20, 1847. At that time, William was a farmer and had received a land claim in Oregon. They had their first child, George M., in 1848, followed by Jennie (1951) William A. (1854), Ellen (1856), and Sarah (1859).
In 1859, the Frazer family moves to Martinez, CA, starts a farm, and raises stock in Franklin Canyon, where they have Frank (1861), Thomas (1863), Isaac (1866) and Louise (1868). William passes on September 9, 1868 from small pox, two days after his 44th birthday. He leaves a ranch of over 700 acres to his wife and 9 children.
The eldest son, George took charge and became very successful raising Durham cattle and hogs on the 700-acre Glen Frazer ranch. George’s success kept the ranch in the family for several more generations. In 2020 there still were two parcels of the original ranch owned by family members.
George was one of the prime movers in bringing the Santa Fe railroad through the county in the late 1890’s and donated 12 acres for a station site.
William and Delilah’s son, William bought land in the Vine Hill area and was quite successful raising almonds and pears. He served on the Vine Hill School Board for many years.
William and Delilah’s daughter, Jennie, married Joseph P. Jones, a lawyer. Jones came to the area in 1868 and was appointed Deputy District Attorney in 1869. He was elected District Attorney in 1875. In 1880, he was elected to the State Assembly and later went on to be a Superior Court Judge.
William and Delilah’s daughter, Louise married H.M. Bush, grandson of Henry and Abigail Bush who settled above Brown Street in 1853. It was Henry and Abigail who planted vineyards that became the beginnings of the Christian Brothers Winery – a part of the De La Salle Institute that stood on the top of the hill from 1881 – 1932. The Christian Brothers later moved their establishment to the Napa Valley.
Around 1896, Delilah moves to San Jose. She passes in the same city on April 24, 1916 and is reunited with her husband in the Alhambra Cemetery family plot. Many of the Frazer children are buried as well in the Alhambra Cemetery.
The original content of this post was taken from the previous website and updated for republishing in 2021.