FRAYSER ROOTS
Philemon C. Frayser, youngest son of Thomas and Elvira (Clayton) Frayser, was born 1 October 1803 in New Kent Co., Virginia. In the early 1820's, Philemon married Hepsebah
Stearns Welborn, a daughter of Chapley Ross and Nancy Catharine
[Cleveland] Welborn of Georgia. Hepsebah was born in Georgia 10 June 1807. It is unclear where in Georgia they were married. Their oldest child, Napoleon Alexander, was born in Georgia in 1826. On his death certificate, his birthplace was given as
Mason [Macon], Georgia. The family was residing in Jones Co., Georgia when Hepsebah's father died. Jones Co.
and Macon, located in Bibb Co., were thoroughly searched, but few records of the family were found.
Philemon and Hepsebah remained in Georgia until 1826 when they moved to Cadiz, Trigg Co., Kentucky. Philemon was admitted to the bar in 1828,
and served as magistrate in Trigg Co. At the October term 1831, he was appointed commissioner to help plan for the building of a new brick building to serve as a courthouse for Trigg. Co.
About 1842, Philemon moved his family to Crittenden Co., Kentucky near Ford's Ferry. On March 13, 1844, he entered into an agreement with Richard Miles, Executor of the estate of William M. Ford to lease Ford's Ferry. This lease was renewed each year until around 1850. In 1852, the family moved across the Ohio River, and settled just upriver from the cave in an area known as Cedar Point.
After settling in Hardin Co., he devoted several years to preaching the doctrines of the Christian Church. His family were all leading members of the Cave-in-Rock Christian Church. It was through his leadership that the first church was built where it stands today. The lumber used to build the church was grown on land at Cedar Point. The logs were rolled off the bluff into the Ohio River and brought down to a sawmill near where the ferry landing is today. Two of his sons, Napoleon Alexander "Alex" and Philemon T. did most of the carpentry work on the church.
Philemon and Hepsebah raised a family of eleven children: (1) Napoleon Alexander "Alex" (1826-1887) was the only child born in Georgia. He married Nancy Jane Campbell; (2) Catharine A. "Kate" (1827-1921) was born in Trigg Co., Kentucky, and married Moses Lafayette Shelby; (3) Philemon T. (1829-1874) was born in Trigg Co., Kentucky, and married Lucy A. Hawley; (4) Elvira Rebeccah (1831-1907) was born in Trigg Co., and married Richard Smith Shelby; (5) Hepsebah Elizabeth (1833-1851 was born in Trigg Co., and died at Ford's Ferry, Crittenden Co., Kentucky; (6) Richard Charles (1835-1896) was born in Trigg Co, and married Mrs. Mary Ann (Dossett) Kesterson; (7) David F. (b 1838-) was born in Trigg Co. He married his brothers widow, Lucy A. (Hawley) Frayser; (8) Henry Clay (1840-1923) was born in Trigg Co. He married Nancy Clementine Thomas and Mrs. Rosie D. Wilson; (9) Horace B. (1844-) was born in Crittenden Co., Kentucky; (10) Virginius
Ross (1847-1926) was born in Crittenden Co. He married Ellen Duane Mitchell and Nancy Cronkrite; (11) Mary V. (1849-1908) was born in Crittenden Co., and married James M. Carr. Philemon died 13 December 1862, and Hepsebah S. died 18 April 186? in Hardin Co. It is thought that they are buried in the Frayser Family Cemetery on the home place at Cedar Point, but no monuments mark their graves.
~Heraldry~
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