My Genealogy Hound

Benjamin S. Fraker was born in Knox County, Tenn., May 14, 1818. His paternal grandparents, Michael Fraker, and wife, came to this country from Germany in 1700, first settling in Virginia and then in Tennessee, where they died in 1700. They reared a large family of children, who became successful farmers. One of the sons, Michael Fraker, Jr., moved to Kentucky in an early day, and was instrumental in the building of a town called Frakertown. The maternal grandparents of Benjamin, Christian Sandes and wife, Mary, also settled in Tennessee in 1700. The former was a blacksmith by trade, a calling in which he made a good living. Christian Fraker, father of the subject of this sketch, was born August 19, 1782, and died in 1828, in full fellowship with the Methodist Church, of which he had lived a devoted member. He was a successful farmer, and accumulated considerable property. His wife, Mary Sandes, daughter of Benjamin Sandes, was born November 29, 1785, and died in 1854. After her husband’s death she came with five children to Missouri, in the fall of 1842. The following constituted the family: Margaret, born September 20, 1804, died in 1833; Michael, born March 22, 1806 (also deceased); George W., born December 9, 1807, died in 1886; Mary, born February 23, 1810, died in 1829; Robert, born January 7, 1812, died in 1832; Sarah, born March 23, 1814, died in 1880; Elizabeth, born May, 8, 1816; Benjamin S., our subject; Catherine, born April 17, 1820, died the same year; Susan, born April 22, 1822, died in 1849; Martha J., born February 4, 1824, died in 1843; and Nancy E., born February 24, 1826. Benjamin and Nancy are the only ones now living, the latter keeping house for her brother. She has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, for many years. Benjamin S. Fraker was the youngest son, and with his sister Nancy resided with and cared for his mother until her death. In 1842 he came to Missouri, to him a land unattractive by reason of the presence of a multitude of snakes and wild animals, though good hunting (of which he was fond) abounded. In 1843 he took up his abode in Dallas County, which has since been his home. During the war he lost heavily, but has since managed to retrieve his fallen fortunes, and is now in good circumstances, and is considered one of the enterprising and prosperous citizens of the county. His farm consists of 240 acres of excellent land, and is well adapted to stock-raising, an enterprise in which Mr. Fraker has taken considerable interest. He has always been a stanch Democrat, and for the past thirty years has been a steward in the Methodist Episcopal Church.