Benjamin DeWolf Eraser, M. D., F. R. C. S., was the son of the Hon. James Fraser, a Cadet of the family of Fraser, of Lovet, Farraline, Inverness-shire, Scotland, and who came to Nova Scotia in 1780, and for many years was a prominent business man in Halifax and one of the most distinguished members of the North-British Society of that city. Fie was a member of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia — the old Council of Twelve — under Lord Dalhousie.
Doctor Fraser was born in Halifax, March 4, 1812, and was educated at the Collegiate School and King’s College, Windsor, and the first nonconformist admitted without subscribing to the 39 articles. He afterwards studied medicine with Dr. William Almon, of Halifax. Subsequently he took a full medical course in the University of Edinburgh and secured his degree in 1833. From Edinburgh, Dr. Fraser went to Heidelberg, where he studied medicine and surgery for six months. Returning to Nova Scotia in 1834 he settled in Windsor and practised medicine there until his death. Dr. Fraser was married three times. First to Harriet Fraser, daughter of Dr. Alexander Fraser, of London, G. B., who died at Windsor without issue. Second to Elizabeth Coster, daughter of R. I. Coster, Esq., M. D.. Devonshire, G. B., who died in Windsor without issue. Third to Elizabeth, daughter of Hon. Joseph Allison, of Halifax, N. S., and Ann. his wife. Issue, seven sons and seven daughters.
Born in 1812, Dr. Benjamin DeWolfe Fraser of Windsor was in many respects one of the most notable of his day. Before setting up his own practice, he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, where he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. He had the distinction of being the first student admitted to Kings College without signing the “thirty-nine articles,” a document that oath allegiance to the Anglican Church. Aside from his own medicinal practice, which he operated for more than 40 years, Benjamin was among the first group to incorporate the Windsor Fire Insurance Company in 1873, the capital involved being $400,000, with 20,000 shares at $20 each to be sold. He was also one of the founding members of the Windsor Gas Company in 1874.
A year after his wife of one year, Elizabeth Coster, died in 1842, Benjamin married Elizabeth Allison, daughter of the Honorable Joseph Allison and Ann E. Prescott of Halifax. They settled down in a stately home at the top of Grey Street known as Gerrish Hall, the scene of many a brilliant function; it is said that hospitality and kindness of heart were characteristic of this old time gentleman. The couple started a large family, but most of the 14 unfortunately died of tuberculosis at a young age, with seven noted on this obelisk headstone.
One of the only children to reach adulthood was Sir Charles Frederick Fraser; born in 1850, he lost the sight of one eye in childhood, with vision in the other eye deteriorating shortly after. He was sent to Boston for six years to the Perkins School for the Blind, where he became a bright scholar and an accomplished musician. In 1873 he became the first superintendent of Halifax School for the Blind, which was renamed as the Sir Frederick Fraser School in 1983. In 1884 he established the Halifax newspaper, “The Critic” which for more than six years was published by his brother, another of the surviving Fraser children, Alexander Milne. In recognition of his invaluable services to the blind, he was knighted in 1915, 10 years before his death on July 5th, 1925.
In 1888, Dr. Benjamin Fraser died suddenly and tragically at the age of 76 when he was struck by a train at one of Windsor’s level crossings.
Dr. Fraser was the first captain of the Windsor Rifles; was afterwards the first captain of the company and surgeon in the Seventyeighth Battalion. Dr. Fraser was a warm supporter of Freemasonry. When a young man and while pursuing his medical studies at Edinburgh, he was initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry in Cannongate Kilwinning Lodge, No. 2, St. John’s Chapel. He was also a Royal Arch Mason and a Knight Templar and a member of Welsford Lodge, Windsor.