1879.] "^ [Frazer. 



Obituary Notice of Robert Frazer. By Persifor Frazer, Jr. 



(Bead before the American Philosophical Society, February 7, 1879.) 



Robert Frazer was born December 29, 1818, at, his father's house in 

 Newtown Township, Delaware County. His father, Robert Frazer, was 

 a lawyer of excellent standing and distinguished for his knowledge of land 

 law, who had served several times as a member of the House of Repre- 

 sentatives of this State. 



The elder Robert, son of General Persifor* and Mary Worrall Frazer, 

 was three times married, as follows : 



On May 3, 179S, he married Sarah Ball, who died without issue, June 

 21, 1800. 



On October 15, 1803, he married Elizabeth Fries, daughter of John and 

 Anne Fries, by whom he had six children, three of whom died under the 

 age of one year, and the others were, Anne Fries, Persifor, and John 

 Fries, of whom only the second survives. 



On February 11, 1818, he married Alice, widow of Eli Yarnall and 

 daughter of Joseph and Sarah Pennell, by whom he had but one child, the 

 subject of this brief notice. 



The boy was named originally Joseph Pennell, but on the death of his 

 father, January 20, 1821, his name was changed to Robert. 



From that date he continued to live on his mother's farm, near West 

 Chester, till her death in 1825 or 1826, when he spent some time in Phila- 

 delphia and attended Dr. S. Crawford's school. 



In 1834-38 he went to school in Pittsfield, Mass., and finally completed 

 his education at Norwich University, a military academy in Vermont, 

 under the direction of Capt. Partridge. 



He graduated after having completed courses in Civil Engineering and 

 in the Arts and Sciences. 



In 1838 he joined the corps of Engineers which was then engaged in 

 laying out the Reading Railroad, and was in charge of the second division 

 above Reading, remaining there until the completion of the road. 



In the autumn of 1846 he went to Europe and remained about a year, 

 and upon his return commenced the study of law in Reading, in the office 

 of Judge Jones. 



On being admitted to the bar, he removed to Philadelphia to practice, 

 and not long after this held the office of Prosecuting Attorney for Delaware 

 County for some time. 



In 1846 he was married to Miss Jane Riddle Wood (daughter of Samuel 

 and Fanny Collins Wood, and grandniece of Marks John Biddlej who was 

 born February 14, 1820. The marriage was celebrated by the Rev. Ed- 

 mund Leaf, Rector of Christ's Church, in Pottstown, Montgomery County. 



On July 22, 1849, Robert Frazer was born as the first issue of this mar- 

 riage. 



* General of State Militia after the Revolution. Lt.-Col. in the American 

 army during the Revolution. 



PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XVIII. 103. 2d. PRINTED JUNE 3, 1879. 



