Introduction / Families / Hourston / David Hourston and Christian Drever / David Hourston and Janet Miller

Janet Hourston and James Fraser

Janet Hourston (b. 2nd August 1825) was the third of seven children of David Hourston and Janet Miller.

She married James Fraser (b. 29th January 1825) on 11th September 1845. James was the son of Charles Fraser and Ann Drever from Musgarth in Eday and they stayed there following their marriage.

In the 1851 census, James’s occupation is given as fisherman and in 1861 he is described as a farmer of 50 acres.

Janet and James had six children born in Eday:

• James Fraser, born 14th June 1846 who married Jane Shearer

• Janet Fraser, born 13th February 1848 who married David Drummond

• Jane Fraser, born 22nd August 1850

• Ann Fraser, born 20th March 1852 who married Adam Benston

• David Hourston Fraser, born 17th July 1857

• John Fraser, born 2nd October 1863

By 1871, they were at Skaill where James was still farming. This was close by Musgrath. The youngest sons were with their parents.

The moved to the Mainland of Orkney and were at Lower Berryhill, St Ola by 1881.

1881
Lower Berryhill, St Ola

	Relation	Status	Age	Occupation	Born
James Fraser	Head	Married	57 years	Farmer of 100 acres (50 arable)	Eday
Janet Fraser	Wife	Married	56 years		Eday
David Fraser	Son	Unmarried	23 years		Eday
John Fraser	Son	Unmarried	17 years		Eday
Christina Spence	Serv	Unmarried	20 years	General Domestic Servant	Eday

Following this they emigrated and were with their son, David Fraser, in Racine, Wisconsin in 1900.

Their daughter and son in law, Janet Fraser and David Drummond, were in Walworth Co, Wisconsin at this time.

James died in Honey Creek, Racine Co. in November 1900 and Jane died there on 23rd July 1912, aged eighty seven.