My theory in progress is that I think my 2nd great grandmother Alexena Frazier’s parents are Hugh Fraser and Elizabeth McBean. I do not have paper proof that I would like to prove my theory. Maybe if I was able to travel to Ontario, Canada and search some archives, I might find a record of her parents and perhaps her birth. All I have been able to do is search online and where she lived in the United States. Here is what I have found to date.
According to her death certificate and her obituary she was born in 1847 to a David Frazier and Catherine McBean in Nassagaweya, Halton, Ontario, Canada.[1] I have been unable to find a Catherine McBean and David Frazier married to each other and old enough to be her parents in Canada.
I found a David Frazier born in 1832 [2] that would make him 15 when she was born. He is most likely not old enough to be her father but maybe a brother? According to his marriage certificate, he married a woman named Mary Robertson in 1860, and he lists his father as Hugh Fraser and mother as Elizabeth McBean.[3] McBean was the last name listed on Alexena’s death certificate, but the first name was Catherine. Knowing that the information on death certificates can be wrong, I thought this was a good possibility that Hugh and Elizabeth might be her parents. Another clue is that Alexena named her one daughter, Elizabeth. On David Fraser’s death certificate in 1914, his father is listed as David Fraser and mother as Elizabeth McBean.[4] Now the father’s name is David not Hugh. Are David and Hugh the same person? Maybe he was David Hugh Fraser or Hugh David Fraser. This is where my search for David Fraser born 1832 stopped.
In searching for Alexena, I found her in the 1861 Canadian Census living with Isabella Thomas nee Davidson and Edward Thomas.[5] Edward Thomas is the brother of George McK Thomas who is married to Isabella nee Fraser.[6] Isabella Fraser’s parents are Hugh Fraser and Elizabeth McBean.[7] Could Isabella nee Fraser be Alexena’s sister?
Recently, I found a family tree online at Ancestry.com that has a Catherine Frazer born in 1837 and her parents are listed as Hugh Fraser and Elizabeth McBain. Catherine was born in Ontario, Canada in 1837[8] and married William Sexton in 1862.[9] Catherine died in 1922 in Michigan.[10] I found this tree by looking at my DNA matches. The woman who posted the tree is my 4th to 6th cousin. This is more proof that I am somehow related to Hugh Frazer and Elizabeth McBean.
In continuing to search for Catherine, I found her on the 1880 United States Federal Census and she had a son, James born in Illinois.[11] Next, I searched James Sexton and found that he was born in Ottawa, LaSalle, Illinois in 1866.[12] This places Catherine Fraser Sexton in Ottawa, LaSalle, Illinois in 1866 around the same time that Alexena came to Ottawa, Illinois. I did a search on the surname Sexton in Ottawa, Illinois between 1850 – 1870 and found a Mary A. Sexton age 18 on the 1860 Census keeping house for an Octavius Hanbury age 35 living in Ottawa, LaSalle, Illinois.[13] Next, I found a William Sexton (possibly Catherine’s husband) listed on the 1865 Illinois State Census in Ottawa, LaSalle, Illinois.[14] Unfortunately the 1865 Illinois State Census does not list every name, just head of household. Right above William Sexton’s name on the 1865 Census was Octavius Hanbury.[15] This sent me on a search for Octavius Hanbury and found a Civil War Draft Registration Record for Octavius for the city of Ottawa, Illinois recorded 27 July 1863, and a few names above Octavius’ was a William Frazer born in Scotland age 22.[16] Could this be a relative of Alexena’s? I ran into a dead end and did not find any more information on William Frazer.
It looks like Alexena and Catherine are connected and were in Ottawa at the same time 1865 – 1866. I am guessing Catherine is Alexena’s sister.
In 1922 Catherine dies in Michigan and there is no mention of a sister Alexena in her obituary.[17] In 1924 Alexena dies in Ottawa, Illinois and there is no mention of a sister Catherine in her obituary.[18]
I am 95 % sure that Hugh/David Fraser and Elizabeth McBean are Alexena’s parents. Perhaps, the informant on the Alexena’s death certificate mixed up her brother and sister with her parents, however I still want paper proof that Hugh and Elizabeth are Alexena’s parents.
If my theory turns out to be true, I am wondering if there was some kind of feud between Alexena and the rest of her family. I am thinking this because her daughter was the informant on the death certificate and didn’t get the names of her parents right. If they were close, the daughter would know that Catherine and David were her brother and sister.
I will continue to search for the documents to prove my theory.
Note: Fraser was spelled several ways in my research Fraser, Frazer, Frazier and McBean is sometimes spelled McBain.
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 4 challenge “Theory in progress”
Copyright© Gail Grunst 2026
[1] State of Illinois, Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Springfield, Illinois, Certificate of Death, Registration no. 37.
[2] Ancestry.com. Ontario, Canada, Deaths and Deaths Overseas, 1869-1952 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data: Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Deaths, 1869-1942 (MS 935, reels 1-694), Archives of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Death record for David Fraser 1914.
[3] Ontario, Canada, County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869 [database on-line] Nassagaweya, Halton, Ontario. Marriage Record of David Fraser and Mary Robinson 21 March 1860.
[4] Ancestry.com. Ontario, Canada, Deaths and Deaths Overseas, 1869-1952 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data: Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Deaths, 1869-1942 (MS 935, reels 1-694), Archives of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Death record for David Fraser 1914.
[5] Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Census Returns For 1861; Roll: C-1031. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1861 Census of Canada [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009.
[6] “Ontario, County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869,” database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS7D-BSCW-9?cc=2568642&wc=Q866-ZZM%3A1589652495%2C1589662401 : 31 March 2017), Halton > 1858-1872, vol 17 > image 18 of 142; citing The Archives of Ontario, Toronto.
[7] Ibid
[8] Ontario, County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869,” database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2CB-WYPH : (31 March 2017), Wm Sexton and Catharine Fraser, 06 Jan 1862; citing Elgin, Rideau Lakes, Leeds and Grenville, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,030,055.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ancestry.com. Michigan, Death records, 1867 – 1950 [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Death Records, Michigan Department of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing, Michigan.
[11] Year: 1880; Census Place: Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan; Roll: 599; Family History Film: 1254599; Page: 320D; Enumeration District: 266. Source Information: Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census[database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. 1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. All use is subject to the limited use license and other terms and conditions applicable to this site. Original data: Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
[12] Ancestry.com. Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1952 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867–1952. Michigan Department of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics.
[13] Year: 1860; Census Place: Ottawa, LaSalle, Illinois; Roll: M653_196; Page: 509; Family History Library Film: 803196.Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
[14] Illinois State Archives; Springfield, Illinois; Illinois State Census, 1865; Archive Collection Number: 103.010; Roll Number: 2179; Line: 24. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Illinois, State Census Collection, 1825-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
[15] Ibid
[16] National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General’s Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865); Record Group: 110, Records of the Provost Marshal General’s Bureau (Civil War); Collection Name: Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); NAI: 4213514; Archive Volume Number: 1 of 5. Source Information: Ancestry.com. U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
[17] Flint, Michigan, Flint Journal, 1922- 09 -05, page 8. Genealogy Bank.
[18] Ottawa, LaSalle, Illinois, Daily Republican Times, Monday Evening, March 8, 1926 Vol XLIX no. 208, Page 1, Front Page