Hide Article Text (OCR)
[SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 21, 1930.(By Archer Fullmsini)Proof that Scotchmen enjoy Scotch joke.1; better than ■ nnvono else ilt;4 John Fraser himself, 'you tell one and he'H tell a better one. You might keep it up for 13 or 30 minutes but he could keep it .up for airfhour . . . except- that it wouldn’t seem like an hour. Mrs. Fruser says its usually a wise mnn that capitalizes upon a race which arouses n smile: that it's so much better lo admit that one was born in Arknn-f\\% Kansas. Oklahoma, than to deny it. H, B, Lovett is of the name opinion. Said he the other day, ‘'never ask a. man where he was born; if he was born in Texas he will tell you; if he- wasn’t, then why embarrass the poor man hy asking?'* .To this Mr. Fraser retorted. “a mint cannot help facing born in. a given place, but he ran help it if he’s not living inToxasr Mr. Fraser has not been here as long as Jess Wynne, Mr. Lovett, Mrs. 'Walxtad, but he hns heen living in Gray county 40 years, and that’s a good long timo to live in any place.\ Bom in Scot!amiLike many another old-timer of the pampas. Mr. Fraser was not horn in the United Stales, In the ’70sy ’80s and ’90s, the adventure-some and brave flecked to the Pan-handle from all parts of the world. For instance, Dr. V. K. von Brunov/ came from' Germany, the late Henry Thnt and Alex Schneider and Perry LeFors from Switzerland, Mrs. Marian Walstad from Norway. Mrs. J, S. Wynne from Wales, Mr, Fraser was burn in Aberdeen, Scot-laud, nr id came to the United States at the age of 20 with an uncle, William Stroup who now lives at Tucumcari, N. M,. He landed in New York and came direct to Marlin in Falls county, Texas. On Jan, 4, 1891 .he filed on a section ill the south part of Gray county, three miles '.vest or theCarson county line and on theDonley county linn. There he established liis residence and there he has lived ever since. Of . the nine children bom to Mr. and Mrs. Fraser in Gray county, seven are living. They are Mrs. Willis Emery and Mi?. M. N, Parker of Boyd-ston, John Fraser, Jt., of Groom; ;Mrs, J. T, Slay of Wellington; W. TV “Bill” Fraser of Pampa. Two children, Walter K. Fraser and MissWinnie Fraser live at home. Mr. Fraser was born July •]. 1864. He i its ymi that everybody celebrates m birthday, including himself.He TmicTml CattleFor a short i’\nv{ of ter Mr. Fraser eft Marlin, he lived at Waco. Like most aihef the old-timers of this territory. Mr. Fraser punched cattle for n time after he came to \he Panhandle. He helped build one of the first fences in the Panhandle. This was for 'Colonel Goodnight, who had most of this immediate vicinity leased in the early'90s, including the land on whichPampa is now located. When Mr, Fvasov fu-st saw what is now Pampa oil that was visible was a few cow trails that intersected each other. Colonpl Goudnight'j cattle grazed placidly over the present city limits. He knew the colonel well and was cm? of his intimate associates.Mr. Fraser is .the oldest postmaster of Gray county, and perhaps in the Panhandle, m point of service. He established a postoffice at Boydslon when the stages were bringing the? mail. He still operates the postoffice, and the government- for sentimental reasons Vv’cn’t abandon it. although the mail bags arc rather slight and inconsn-qticntal. The post'd ficc at Boyd-ston is one of the oldest in the* Panhandle.Mr. Fraser’s Interests arc extensive. He still takes an active interest in farming, and in addition operates two elevators at Boydslon and one at Groom., Hi? property is flung over a wide slice of the Panhandle. lie has always taken an active inlcu'st iti affairs of the county. For years, he \vt\\ been the acknowledged loader of citizens living in the soul Invest section ul the county. He has never held a public office in the county, but when he speaks it is the voice of his community,Philosophy of ThriftYesterday while attending the 1 lea ring on the road bond issue. Mr. Fraser expressed some ideas a bent the current depression. Said he, “They toll you to spend more. How* can n man spend when his salary has been cut and he has been hiid off. I know men cn charity now who used, to make from ten to fifteen dollars per day. What a wrong V Why, when the man was making good money, he .should have saved some of it for a rainy day. America v/ill always have business depressions and panics as long as the people spend everything they make. Yon can’t cure a depression but von can prevent one,, and the only way to eliminate hard times is to save when there ore good times. YouCmark my word: our citizens have got to learn to save part of what they make—they are learning that lesson now. Jt is good for them. This propaganda that, one should spend everything he makes is vicious and destructive. As long as most Americans do npond all of their wages, there will be hard times every so often.“J know that rounds like a Scotchman, but ask the boys in the soup line if 1 have not hit the nail on tho head.”Mr. Fraser still retains his Scotch accent, and Ms walrus mustache, Ifo is 66 years old but you never would think it.
Newspaper Details
Pampa News Post
Pampa, Texas, US
Sun, Dec 21, 1930
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
TX, USA 27 Oct 2021
Other Publications Near Pampa, Texas
Pampa Morning Post
Pampa News Post
Pampa Daily News
Pampa News
