Description Land of Nancy Fraser at Toney River 1880

The 1879 Meacham Atlas must actullay have been published and printed in either December 1880 or in early 1881. The reason is the identification of an important parcel of land is shown to belong to "Widow Fraser." This would be Nancy Ann (McRae) Fraser, whose husband James Fraser died on November 3, 1880. Therefore, Nancy Fraser did not become "Widow Fraser" before that date. 

Nancy Fraser is the eldest daughter of Alexander McRae, a miller who came to Toney River circa 1855 and built the gristmill and sawmill. Alexander McRae died at his home at Toney River on February 1, 1876. It is belived that his eldest child and daughter Nancy inherited the land on which stood the important grist mill and saw mill from her father. The adjoining and nearby property belonging to her two brothers, John and Roderick, are also shown on the map. In addition, Nancy's sister Catherine (McRae) McQuarrie,  was married to Allan McQuarrie, whose farm and land borders the "widow Fraser" land to the east along the Toney River. Part of Allan McQuarrie's land between the Toney Mill Road and the river was donated and is the location of Riverbank Cemetery today. Nancy's youngest sister, Christine (McRae) MacMillian was married to William MacMillian. Their farm can be seen in the lower left corner of this map from the cropped image of Section 3 of the Atlas. William died in 1915 and Christina relocated to Manitoba. She died there in 1944 at the age of 102. 

Donald MacKenzie's farm and land and Jessie Bell Henderson's land can be seen in the lower right corner of the map. Nancy (McRae) Fraser's son Simon married Donald and Christena MacKenzie's daughter, Jessie Ann MacKenzie. Their son, Daniel W. MacKenzie, married Jessie Bell Henderson. Daniel and Jessie are buried at Riverbank Cemetery. Their son, Daniel Chester MacKenzie, took over the family farm and built a large barn circa 1930 that still stands today (2020) and can be seen from Poplar Road. Daniel Chester's son Ian then took over the farm. Ian's son Robert "Bob" MacKenzie and his wife Elizabeth "Liz" (Clark) MacKenzie currently own the MacKenzie farm and reside there today (2020). 

See "Deed - Heirs of Nancy Fraser..." for the description of this parcel of land owned by "Widow Fraser" as shown on this map. This land was deeded to her daughter Isabella Fraser after Nancy Fraser's death in February 1893. Isabella returned to Toney River from Providence, RI after she acquired the land from her siblings. Isabella then died at the age of 47 in 1899 and is buried at Riverbank Cemetery. It should be noted that the deed describes a boundary of the land with James D. McKay. James D. McKay was married to Catherine MacKenzie (the daughter of Donald and Christena MacKenzie). Catherine was the sister-in-law of Simon Fraser (Simon married Jessie Ann MacKenzie). James and Catherine MacKenzie were wed at Boston on July 30, 1881 but returned to Toney River by November 1881 when James took over the operation of the gristmill from John McRae and purchased his land and dwelling house. "Jim McKay" is mentioned in John McRae's famous goodbye song, "Adieu, The Winding Toney," sung of the eve of his departure for Missouri in November 1881. Hence, the boundary of Nancy Fraser's land on this map with her brother John is the same boundary of the parcel of land described in the deed to Isabella. 


Know something about this image?