Alexander Fraser

Alexander Fraser (1860–1936) was a historian, public lecturer, journalist and secretary to the lieutenant-governor of Ontario from 1914 to 1933. He was also the first archivist of Ontario, from 1903 to 1935.

Fraser emigrated to Canada in 1886, where he found work as a journalist at the Toronto Mail, later the Toronto Mail and Empire.

Career and public life Fraser served as honorary aide-de-camp during the administrations of Sir John Hendrie, Lionel Herbert Clarke, Henry Cockshutt and W. D. Ross.

Fraser was appointed the first Provincial Archivist of Ontario in June 1903. In this role he prepared the First Report of the Bureau of Archives for the Province of Ontario in 1904 which set out his vision for the archives and included the first inventory of documents held by various governmental departments.

Fraser helped form the 48th Highlanders of Canada of Toronto in 1891. In addition to providing advice on writing the history of Ontario's townships, he was also a strong advocate for the creation of public memorials to key historical figures, including the Samuel de Champlain statue in Orillia. and the Jesuit's Shrine at Midland.

Selected publications

Fraser, Alexander. Records of the early courts of justice of Upper Canada. Toronto : A. T. Wilgress, 1918. Friseal, Alasdair. Gearr-sgeoil air Sir Seoras Uilleam Ros agus air mar a thuinich na gaidheil ann an Canada uachdarch. Toronto, 1915. Fraser, Alexander. The Ontario Archives: scope of its operations : paper read at the twenty-seventh annual meeting of the American Historical Association, held at Buffalo, N.Y., December 27–30, 1911. Washington, DC: 1913. Brock Centenary, 1812–1912: Account of the Celebration at Queenston Heights, Ontario, on the 12th October, 1912. ed. Alexander Fraser. Toronto: William Briggs, 1912. Fraser, Alexander. A history of Ontario: its resources and development. Toronto: Ontario History Company, 1907. Fraser, Alexander. First Report of the Bureau of Archives for the Province of Ontario. Toronto: L.K. Cameron, 1904. Fraser, Alexander. The Gaelic folk songs of Canada. Ottawa: J. Hope, 1903. Friseal, Alasdair. Canain agus Cliu ar Sinnsearean. Toronto: 1901. Fraser, Alexander. The 48th Highlanders of Toronto, Canadian Militia : the origin and history of this regiment, and a short account of the Highland regiments from time to time stationed in Canada. Toronto : E.L. Ruddy, 1900. Fraser, Alexander. Toronto, historical, descriptive and pictorial. Toronto : R.G. McLean, 1899. Fraser, Alexander. The last laird of MacNab; an episode in the settlement of MacNab; an episode in the settlement of MacNab township, Upper Canada, Toronto: Printed by Imrie, Graham & Co. 31 Church Street, 1899. Friseal, Alasdair. Leabhar nan sonn : gearr-aithris air curaidhean na craoibhe ruaidhe is air diulanaich iomraiteach la an diugh

Awards and honours

1911: made Edinburgh Society of Antiquaries Fellow

Personal life Fraser married Christina Elizabeth Frances Ramsay (1867–1941) on 7 March 1889 in Toronto. They had ten children together. The family lived at 67 Woodlawn Avenue.