Wilmonte Doniphan Frazee 1

It feels so great to find this obituary after many hours of trying and finding that many others have tried and failed. This was made arbitrarily important because he was the eldest child of the eldest ancestor I am trying to follow. Having all three names being unacceptable to some people, made the search all the harder; i.e. he was known by William, Humbug Bill, and W. D. The D was for Don or Donald, never Doniphan. Frazee has been Frazzee, Frazel, Frazer, and Frazie. His death certificate was for "Willmannette D. Frezee." He died of Bright's disease.

I regularly gave up and tried to locate his living descendants instead hoping that they would know his date of death.  Learning more about them and him, I have become very impressed about how enthusiastically and adventurously they have lived their lives and I take from those stories, that a lot of my family's traits can be traced back to the Frazees and the Doniphans. 

Willmonte Doniphan Frazee, born December 26, 1855 in Indianapolis, Indiana died January 15, 1907 in Phoenix, Arizona. Father of Wilmonte D. Jr., Louise P., Helen I. and Mary C. Frazee. Grandfather to Wilmonte D. III, and Titus A. Frazee, and Richard H. and Arthur S. Collins. Great, grandfather to Rebekah, Kathleen F., Merrijean E., and Melinda M. Frazee, and (I will edit this when I find out if there were any Collins descendants. They seemed to spend a lot of their lives traveling internationally).

The Arizona Republican, Wednesday Morning January 16, 1906 – printer’s mistake should say 1907.

WILL FRAZZEE DEAD – A PHOENIX PIONEER

He Was a Man Concerning Whom Nothing But Good Can be Recalled By Old-time Residents.

Wilmonte D. Frazee died yesterday morning at his home on East Van Buren street, after an illness of three or four years. His funeral under the auspices of the Eagles will take place at 2 o’clock this afternoon from the undertaking rooms of Easterling and Whitney.

Will Frazee was born in Indiana fifty-one years ago. He came to Phoenix twenty-five years ago. He was a printer by trade and became foreman of the Gazette, a position he held for several years.  After that he entered the service of the Arizona Canal company and remained in it for fifteen years, leaving it at last only when his health failed.  He was stationed for the greater part of the time at the Arizona head.

He was known well throughout the valley and those who knew him the longest loved him the most. They say of him that a more honorable and upright man never lived. He was never known to do an unjust thing and he had the absolute confidence of every man with whom he had ever done business. He was always helpful as many an old printer knows. He leaves beside his wife, a son and three daughters. All of the children but one daughter have reached manhood or womanhood.