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John Fraser Jr Berry[?]

John Fraser Jr Berry[?]
Page 33, Photograph 59 (CDV)
(Some of the writing is hard to decipher).
[3]?
Mr C.L/
Chateau Beaufort
St [?] Mardi Gras
29 Fevrier 1876

Comments
 Deborah Lundbech
Deborah Lundbech club
From notes very kindly sent to me by Ghislaine Roleau:
[T]his is a great shot done at the photographic studio of Jules-Ernest Livernois (1851-1933). The Livernois', were 4 generations of photographers and very prolific in the Province of Quebec. All together, I'd say their work spanned probably over a period of 80 years. If you type in the search engine 'Google' Jules-Ernest Livernois (1851-1933), you will have a good idea of these photographers,
www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/deberry.htm

John Fraser de Berry (1816-1876) spent a lifetime inventing and reinventing his ancestry and genealogy, as evidenced by the following examples, firstly, from published sources in Quebec, and secondly, from The Scot in British North America, by W.J. Rattray [Toronto, Maclear and Company, 1880].

John Fraser was acting as tutor to the sons of his deceased uncle Alexander Fraser by Pauline Michaud, namely, William (1830-1908) and Edouard Fraser (c1832-1874) of Rivière-du-Loup. He was represented by Alexis Morin, then married to Pauline Michaud. As usual, John seized the opportunity to display all his titles, in 25 lines, extracted from the notary document:
After discovering that John was the "patron" of St-Jean-de-Fraser, Quebec researcher Paul Lessard observed that he had never heard of this parish and wonders if it was ever officially accepted as such. However, he speculates that it could be the parish of St-Jean-l’Évangéliste de Thurso, which was named after John Brady, priest and missionary between 1842 and 1855, according to Dictionnaire Historique et Géographique des Paroisses, Missions et Municipalités de la Province de Québec (1925) par Hormisdas Magnan:

Saint-Jean-l’Évangéliste. (B. de P. "Thurso.") Comté de Papineau. Diocèse d’Ottawa. Desservi par voie de mission de 1842 à 1864, date de la nomination du premier curé en titre et de l’ouverture des registres de la paroisse. Erection canonique: 4 octobre 1887.

Erection civile: 9 décembre 1887. Le territoire de cette paroisse comprend une partie du canton de Lochaber… Le nom du saint patron de la paroisse rappelle la mémoire du premier missionaire, M. l’abbé John Brady, 1842-1855. Le nom du bureau de poste et du village a été donné parce que plusieurs des premiers colons venaient de Thurso, petite ville située au nord de l’Ecosse.

20 Nov 1876 - Quebec Morning Chronicle

The Hon. John Fraser de Berry, Legislative Councillor for the division of Rougement expired at his residence, St Marc de Cournoyer, on Wednesday evening. Mr. Fraser had been in ill-health for some time, but he insisted upon proceeding to Quebec to be present at the opening of the session. He was seized with an alarming attack upon the floor of the House, and had to be removed to his hotel, and subsequently home. His decease has not been wholly unexpected therefore, and very general regret will be felt at the loss of a man who has been before the public for many years. He will be especially missed from the Legislative Council, where, despite many eccentricities of manner and style, he imparted to the deliberations most of their life.

Mr. Frazer claimed descent of such antiquity as makes the genealogy of the Plantagets appear as but of yesterday. "Julius de Berry," says the Parliamentary Companion, whose descendants became seigneurs of Troile, in Brittany, came from Germany to France A.D. 250; members of the family removed to Scotland and the Isle of Man, as ambassadors to Charlemagne, A.D. 784." The deceased Councillor was son of Dr. Simon Fraser, a lieutenant in the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment, the famous "Black Watch," an officer who took part in all the engagements in which that corps was engaged from 1795 to 1803; and one of the descendants of that Lord Lovat, who fought at the capture of Quebec and the battle of St. Foy in 1760. [Ed: He was not descended from Lt.Colonel Simon Fraser of Lovat (1726-82) who raised the Fraser’s Highlanders for service during the Seven Years War in Canada; nor did Lt.Colonel (later Lt.General) Simon Fraser ever succeed his own father, 11th Lord Lovat (c1668-1747), as Lord Lovat.]

He was born in St. Martin, P.Q., in 1816, educated in Terrebonne and Montreal, and embraced the notarial profession. He was, by inheritance, Seigneur of Cournoyer and Contrecœur, and duing his career he filled several civil and municipal positions. He was President of the St. Jean Baptiste Society. One of the efforts of his life was to organize the "Clan Fraser," by gathering all the descendants of "Fraser’s Highlanders" scattered around the country into one association. He was as much a French-Canadian as a Fraser; all his feelings and sympathies were French, though he commanded both languages, and spoke with equal ease in French and English. He was devoted to antiquarian research, and has written a good deal of curious matter at various times. The Fraserian Almanac was one of his productions. Under the elective system he was a candidate for Montarville in the Leglislative Council in 1858, but was defeated. In 1867 he was nominated by the Crown, and, on taking his seat, assumed the ancient French name of his family, de Berry.

Mr. Fraser was a man of the most profound courtesy in his manner, a veritable specimen of the courtly school. He was under the medium height; his head was uncommonly large, and as he was robust, he appeared to be shorter than he really was. He was a Conservative of the independent order - so much so, that he constituted himself the leader of the Opposition in the Upper House. Originally a Protestant, he embraced the Roman Catholic religion many years ago, and died in that communion. - Montreal Star.

The Scot in British North America

by W.J. Rattray, B.A., Toronto, Maclear and Company, 1880

In a previous chapter, the Frasers of Quebec were mentioned in connection with the conquest of the Province. The Hon. John Fraser de Berry, who sat in the Legislative Council until 1877, or thereabouts, was the Lord of the clan Fraser, and took the name of De Berry from the seigniory he had acquired. He was descended from Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat, a Jacobite in the rebellion of 1745. A son of the same name fought under Wolfe, and was wounded severely at the taking of Quebec. He remained in the Province after the capitulation, and received the seigniory of Montmorency with other property. At the time of the American invasion he distinguished himself as captain of the 84th or Royal Highland Emigrant Regiment. He was also a Judge in the Province. The Hon. Mr. Fraser’s father, Dr. Simon Fraser, was an officer in the 42nd or Black Watch and saw active service from 1795 to 1803, having been present when Sir Ralph Abercrombie was slain at Alexandria in 1801. During that memorable action about three-fourths of this gallant Highland Regiment were either killed or wounded. The son was born at St. Martin’s, Quebec, in November, 1816, and married, in 1842, his cousin, Elizabeth Fraser de Berry, and added the name of the seigniory to his own. Being the lineal descendant of the head of the family, he became chief of the clan Fraser, and aided by his pen and influence in its formal organization. From his French connections, Mr. Fraser was made President of the
9 years ago. Edited 9 years ago.

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