Lieutenant-colonel Henry Redfern Fraser (1859-1924) :
Lawyer, Militiaman and Elected Official
Fraser Street in Sherbrooke was opened mostly probably in the early 1940s. The name recalls a wellknown Sherbrooke lawyer who also left his mark in the regional Militia and in the municipal arena.
Henry (Harry) Redfern Fraser was born in Sherbrooke, September 12, 1859. He was the son of Ellen Stott Redfern (1830-1910), likely of British stock, and of John Dupont Fraser (1827-1892), a Sherbrooke general merchant since at least 1851. The couple had been married in 1883 in the Methodist Church of Ireland, Megantic County. Henry studied at Bishop’s College in Lennoxville and was called to the Quebec Bar in 1883.
During his career as a lawyer, Henry Fraser joined different partners to form successivily the cabinest of Camirand, Hurd & Fraser in 1883; Hurd & Fraser about 1894; Hurd, Fraser, Mcdonald & Rugg about 1905; Fraser, Macdonald & Rugg about 1910; Fraser & Rugg about 1912 and finally Fraser, Rugg & Mignault about 1921. Attorney Fraser was treasurer and in 1914 Batonnier for the Quebec Bar. He was Sollicitor for many firms (Canadian Bank of Commerce, Quebec Central Railway, Grand Trunk Railway, Maine Central Railway, Sherbrooke Railway and Power Co.), Secretary and Sollicitor of the Hereford Railway and of the Chaleur Bay Mills, as well as Director and Sollicitor of the Dominion Lime Co. From 1914 to 1924, he was also a Director of the Sherbrooke Loan and Mortgage Co. (which would become the Sherbrooke Trust in 1926).
For 30 years, Fraser was enroled in the local Militia with the 53rd Sherbrooke Battalion of Infantry, which had been established in 1867. According to the Sherbrooke Directory of 1887-1888 and of 1888-1889, he was Captain of the 1st Company of the Regiment. He was promoted to Major in 1894 and was Commandant of the Regiment from 1900 to 1905 with the rank of Lieutenantcolonel. In 1896, with Lieutenantcolonel Edward Bruen Worthington, he went to Ottawa to request the building of an armory, one that would finally be built on Belvedere Street South between 1906 and 1908. This is now the Colonelgaétan-j.-côté Armory of The Sherbrooke Fusiliers.
In the municipal arena, Attorney Fraser was elected alderman for Sherbrooke North Ward from 1894 to 1897 and in 1898-1899. In 1897-1898, he had been elected as the 21st Mayor of Sherbrooke for a first mandate and for a second one in 1899-1900. It was under his leadership that, in 1898, Sherbrooke bought the Gas and Water Co.’s water network, following negotiations that had begun in 1897. In that same year, two streetcar lines were opened : one for the downtown area and one going to Lennoxville. In 1899, Attorney Fraser was the firs Sherbrooke mayor to be elected by popular vote : up to that time the Mayor was chosen by the elected aldermen. He was also the first Mayor to earn a salary, which did not exceed 500 $ a year.
Fraser married Harriet Helen M. Simpson (1874-1962) in Lennoxville, August 25, 1902. The couple had no children. Along with his work as a lawyer and his military duties, Fraser held many responsabilities in community organizations. He was Secretary and Manager of the Eastern Townships Agricultural Association (that held its activites on the present site of Park Sylvie-daigle), Director of Bishop’s College School, President in 1896 of the Macdonald-cartier Club for young Conservatives, and a delgate in 1908-1909 to the Quebec Diocesan Synod of the Anglican Church. He died in Sherbrooke, March 10, 1924, and is buried with his wife and his parents in Elmwood Cemetery.