Anthony  A.  Fraker


              Anthony A. Fraker, of Brandywine Township, was born in the City of Wilmington, Delaware, February 3, 1834.  He was the second of six children, four sons and two daughters, born to  Anthony and  Hannah (Preston) Fraker, the former of whom was born in Oberhoff, Switzerland, November 27, 1799, and emigrated to America with his mother, in 1816.  After an eventful voyage of ninety days, they landed at New Castle, near Philadelphia, on New Year's Day, 1817.  He remained with the man who paid his passage seven years, after which he spent two years in Philadelphia.   He then spent one winter in New Orleans, after which he returned to Wilmington, Delaware, and there was married to  Hannah Preston.  She died twelve years later, leaving to his care four small children.  With these he emigrated to Indiana, and settled in Brown County.  He afterward moved to Johnson County, five miles north of Franklin, where he was married to  Sarah Anderson.  He moved to Shelby County in 1865, where he has ever since resided except three years during which he was a resident of Edin burg, where his second wife died.  He now makes his home with the subject of this sketch, and though in the eighty-eighth year of his age he is enjoying good health and still works at the trade of a carpet weaver, which has been the chief vocation of his life.  The paternal grandparents of our subject were:  Joseph and  Anna (Taylor) Fraker.  His maternal grandparents were,  Isaac and  Sarah (Cartwell) Preston,  the former a native of Ireland, and the latter a native of Delaware.  His three brothers were   Joseph,  Isaac  and  Daniel, the last two of whom are deceased.  His two sisters were  Sarah  and  Mary,  the former of whom is deceased.  His mother was born in Pennsy1vania.  He was about fifteen years old when his father came to this State and settled in Brown County.  About three years later they removed to Johnson County.  There our subject was married to  Melissa Bishop, October 6, 1859.  She was born in Brandywine Township, this county, June 5, 1839, the daughter of  Isaac and  Weighty (Tilson) Bishop, both natives of Virginia.  Her paternal grandparents were:  John B. and Rhoda Bishop.  Her maternal grandparents were  Thomas and Eunice Tilson.  She had six brothers and four sisters, as follows:  Ransom,  Mary A.,  Marcy,  Stephen,  Rhoda,  John B.,  Eunice E.,  David,  Wilham H.,  and  Lewis C., of whom  Ransom,  Mary A.,  Rhoda,  Eunice E., and  David, are deceased.  Immediately after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Fraker located in Brandywine Township, in which they have ever since resided.  Since his marriage, Mr. Fraker has given his entire attention to farming, in which pursuit he has had good success.  He and wife are the parents of five children:  Florence A., born January 6, 1861;  Lillie B., born April 6, 1863, died April 26, 1866;  Maggie M., born December 29, 1866, died December 18, 1870;  Minnie I., born February 19, 1874, and  Clarence T., born July 26, 1 877.  Mr. and Mrs. Fraker are members of the Baptist Church.  In politics the former is an ardent Republican. He owns a handsome little farm of fifty-one acres, nearly all of which is under cultivation.  He is an industrious farmer, and he and wife are among the worthy and esteemed citizens of the township.
History of Shelby County, Indiana, Chicago: Brant & Fuller, 1887, "Brandywine [Township] Sketches, pages 612-613.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

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