It Takes a Village to Record History
In my journey as a historian and author, I have a recurring appreciation: it’s truly taken a village to bring this vision to life. Decades ago, I embarked on a monumental task—chronicling the lives of my parents, Albert and Alma Fraser, and their ancestors from Scotland and England to Quebec in the early 1800s. Since both my parents died before I was 19, I relied on my memories and that of neighbours, friends and relatives for stories and leaned on my siblings, Barry, Jessie, Janice and Hugh for edits.
It was a labour of love that required curiosity and determination to find primary sources, often unfolding in farmhouse kitchen interviews, “Huntingdon Gleaner” and “Fort Covington Sun” newspaper clippings, and retrievals from musty closets. Interview after interview, I delved into family lore and neighbours’ recollections, unearthing precious gems like shoeboxes of photos, dusty old albums and photos from relatives and friends.
Weaving in a narrative
But it wasn't just about gathering materials; it was about developing a book outline and chronology of events, weaving them into a narrative honouring our Fraser lineage. As I typed the manuscript from scads of notes, it grew to well over 2,000 pages, with facts about Dundee, Huntingdon County, First Nations, New York State and Montreal region.
After significant iterations and book splits over the decades, I whittled the behemoth down into two refined Fraser family volumes and split the balance into 10 soon to be published books – Dundee neighbours and its community, First Nation neighbours, Huntingdon County and a history of southwest Quebec and past wars. These books are enriched with a multitude of photos and Dundee neighbour family tree diagrams and stand as a testament to the power of collaboration and community.
Tapestry of history
In the intricate tapestry of history, every thread—from closet treasures to stories from siblings, relatives and neighbours, supplemented by newspaper, book and journal articles—is essential. And it's through the collective effort of the village, that the Frasers of Hillcrest Farm story was a catalyst to weave the fabric that holds it all together.
