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Today’s story will be a revision and expansion of a much earlier column on the Frazier family of Covington County, Ala. Available records suggest a John Frazier was the earliest member of Frazier lineage to settle in Covington County. He was born circa 1813 in South Carolina and was married to Elisabeth Gay who was born in 1820 in Georgia. John purchased two parcels of government land in 1854 in the Horn Hill community of Covington County: 39.98 acres and 40 acres. John died circa 1886, and Elisabeth, in 1901.

John and Elisabeth Frazier were the parents of the following children: Joseph L. “Joel,” b. 1838, d. 1913; Leaton Lindsey, b. 1840, d. 1922; Benjamin, b. 1843, d. 1864; James Thomas, b. 1847, d. 1938; Serena, b. 1846, d. 1916, m. ? Batson; Margarett Lucinda, b. 1853, d. 189, m. ? Johns; Mary, b. ca 1855; John D., b. 1858, d. 1933, m. (1) 1879 Francis Elizabeth Taylor (2) 1919 Clarine Owens; William M., b. 1860, d. 1946; and Berry, b. 1866, d. 1894.

This writer was unable to determine the relationship of the above John Frazier family to other Frazier descendants who came to Covington County a few years later. These other families appear to be the descendants of a William Frazier who was born in 1776 in Granville County, N.C., and Sarah Potter (1777-1829). However, this is not documented.  It is known that William Alfred Frazier who was born in 1810 in Georgia had settled in Pike County, Ala., before his death in 1846. He and his brother, Allen Frazier, migrated together to Pike County, Ala.  Allen later served as Sheriff of the County and was appointed executor of William Alfred’s estate at his death.

William Alfred Frazier was married in 1799 in Granville County, N.C., to Margaretta A. Hammonds (1812-1855), daughter of John and Mary Hammonds. William and Margaretta became the parents of the following children: James Madison, b. 1832, d. 1879, m. 1864 Mrs. Martha (Raborn) Weaver; Francis Marion b. 1839, d. 1920, m 1850 Celia Ann Elizabeth Chandler; Eliza Louisa J., b. 1840, m. Manley C. Cartledge; Martha Helen, b. 1842, d. 1849; Mary Ann, b. 1843; and William Henry, b. 1847, d. 1923, m. 1864 Mrs. Martha Ann (Stewart) Hill (1843-1916). 

All three sons rendered service in the Confederate Army: James Madison in Company I, 40th Alabama Infantry Regiment; Francis Marion and William Henry in Company B, 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

Following the death of William Alfred Frazier, his widow, Margaretta or Margaret, was married in 1950 to Thomas Roach Thomasson who had been tutoring her children and was about 12 years younger than she. Around 1956, the family moved to the Rose Hill community of Covington County where Roach had purchased four 40-acre tracts of land located off Possum Trot Road. He had become a stepfather to her Frazier children, and they had three children born to them: Sarah Elizabeth, b. 1851, m. William H. Padgett; Susan F., b. 1854; and Clapton R. b. 1859. Margaret would have been about 47 years old when Clapton was born and who later drowned in the Sepulga River. When this youngest child was about three years of age, Margaret lost her second husband. Thomas Roach Thomasson, who died during the War Between the States in 1862 in a Confederate hospital in Knoxville, Tenn. He buried there in the Bethel Cemetery where so many Confederate soldiers are buried. He had rendered service in the C.S.A. as a private in Company A, 25th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

William Alfred Frazier’s oldest son, James Madison Frazier, was born in 1832, most likely in Coweta County, Ga. He was still single when the family moved to the Rose Hill community of Covington County. He later met a widow, Martha (Raborn) Weaver, when she was visiting with her cousin, Jesse Veasey, in the Burnout community. Martha was the widow of William Weaver who was killed during the W.B.T.S., and the daughter of Richard Raborn and Patsy Skipper. 

James Madison and Martha were married in 1864 and became the parents of the following children: Mary Ann, b. 1864, d. 1951, m. Reubin Thomas Pope; James Richard “Jimmy,” b. 1866, d. 1952, m. (1) Arvey Sasser (2) Frederika “Freddie” Loretta (Thomasson) Alsobrooks; Arthur “Arter,” b. 1870; m. Annie Sasser; John, b. 1871, d. 1880; and Fannie Elizabeth, b. 1877, d. 1958, m. John Alsobrook.

William Alfred’s second son, Francis Marion Frazier, was born in 1939 in Coweta County, Ga. He was married in 1850 after the family had moved to Covington County to Celia Ann Elizabeth Chandler (1838-1916), daughter of Jackson Chandler and Bethany Turberville. The couple made their home in the Valley Grove community, which is about eight miles north of Opp. They were the parents of the following 11 children: Bethany, b. 1859, m. ? Taylor; Betheron “Thaney” or “Chick,” b. 1860, m. Wes Taylor; William H., b. 1862, d. 1946, m. Mollie Alsobrook; Mary “Min,” b. 1865, m. Dan Scofield; Jackson R. “Tennie,” b. 1856, m. ? Taylor; Ira Malielia “Arrie,” b. 1869, d. 1934, m. Canty Bryan; Addison, b. 1875, d. 1953, m. 1894 Barshaby “Boshie” Maloy; Eltrin “Ella,” b. 1876, m. ? Mitchell; Nancy Anna, b. 1877, d. 1956, m. 1907 Cornelius Thomas Thomasson; Lanice, b. 1880, m. Jim Alsobrook; and Wiley Wade, b. 1882, m. (1) ? Owens (2) ? Olmstead.

William Alfred’s youngest son, William Henry Frazier, was born in 1847 in Pike County, Ala. Like his older brother, he married a widow from the W.B.T.S, Mrs. Mary Ann (Stewart) Raborn, widow of Alfred Hill who was killed during the war. She was the daughter of Richard Raborn and Patsy Skipper and was born in 1843. She died in 1916 in DeFuniak Springs, Fla. where William Henry also died in 1923. They were the parents of the following three children: William Alfred, m. ? Bell; Richard Augustus, m. Sarah Davis; and Mary Ellafair “Ella,” m. Bill McCullough.

In the next generation, James Madison Frazier’s son, James Richard Frazier, was born in 1866. He was first married to Arvey Sasser (1875-1908) who died at 32 years of age. At his death in 1952, he was buried beside her in the Veasey Chapel Cemetery located on Hickory Nut Ridge in the Burnout community. James and Arvey were the parent of six children: Jasper, Preston, Elton, Patie, Velma and Ester. The oldest daughter, Patie at age 14, assumed the role of homemaker for the family after her mother’s death. 

Following Arvey’s death, James Richard Frazier was married to Fredricka “Freddie” Loretta Thomasson (1883-1973), daughter of Jefferson Sylvanus Thomasson (1844-1939) and Rebecah “Becky” Butler (1845-1915) of Covington and Crenshaw Counties. Freddie had been married previously to William Edgar Alsabrooks (1880-1905). They were the parents of two daughters: Mertie Loretta, b.&d. 1904; and Mira Albrena, b. 1905, m. Manuel Jefferson Bowers. So, the couple began their marriage with seven children and would then have 12 born to them; what a family!

James Richard and Freddie Frazier were the parents of the following 12 children: Freddie Oleta, b. 1910, m. Albert Leo Williams; Ola Armetia, b. 1977, m. 1931 Marvin Clarence Hudson; Annie Lois, b. 1913, d. 2009, m. (1) 1940 Harvie Edward Nowling (2) 1958 Ang Marion Briggs; Christopher Braston, b. 1914, m. 1938 Lissie Olmstead; Wilford Jefferson, b. 1916, d. 1972, m. 1940 Trudie Bell Hemby; Girtha Gertrude “Trudie,” b. 1917, d. 1923; Laura Alice, b. 1918, d. 1964, m. (1) 1939 William Doss Hudson (2) 1950 Jim C. Olmstead; Agnes Othelia, b. 1919, m. 1951 Jefferson Jerome Guy; Elgin Junior, b. 1922, d. 1945, single; Winfred Dempsey, b. 1923, d. 1981, m. Dollie Maria McKay; Nobie Earnestine, b. 1926, d. 2013, m. 1947 Henry Douglas Ellenburg; and Carmon Gurvis, b. 1927, m. 1955 Gladys Olmstead.

There are many Frazier family descendants who currently reside in Covington and surrounding counties.  

The sources for today’s writing were Ancestry.com, local histories and Thomasson Traces–Lineages, Vol. I and Thomasson Traces—Narrative, Vol. II.

Anyone who finds an error in the above or who has additional Frazier genealogy is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-804-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.