California Biographies
Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
 
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 

Source:
History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
With Biographical Sketches
History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry
Illustrated, Complete In One Volume
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914


LYON FRASER.� The sheriff of Lake county, a son of Capt. J. K. 
Eraser, a pioneer of the county, was born at Lakeport, August 1, 1875. and 
in 1883 removed with his parents to the Floyd ranch, thence at the age of 
sixteen to the Holmes ranch, and when only seventeen became a member 
of the firm of Stone & Eraser, butchers, at Kelseyville. his partner being Sol 
Stone. After seven months he entered the employ of the Bartlett Springs 
Company and acted as engineer on the old City of Lakeport, of which steamer 
in a short time he was made captain. From Lake county he went to Alameda 
county and worked in the Tesla coal mines near Livermore, being engaged 
in the loading of the very first carload of coal shipped out of the mines. On 
his return to Lake county he was employed with threshing-machines and 
hay-balers, but went back to the Tesla coal mines in 1899, and from there 
in the spring of 1900 went to Alaska in the employ of E. M. Smith, popularly 
known as "Borax King" Smith. The summer was spent in working for 
Mr. Smith at Nome, and in the fall he returned to the States, where for two 
years he worked in the gold mines of Trinity county. During 1904 he worked 
on the lake floating wood to Sulphur Banks. Other lines of work engaged 
his attention afterward, and in February, 1908, having returned to Lakeport 
the previous year, he entered the employ of Collier Bros., building boats on 
Clear lake. 

When Sheriff' George W. Kemp was murdered, May 5. 1910, Mr. Fraser, 
who had been serving as under sheriff since February, 1909, was appointed 
sheriff by the board of supervisors in session May 7, and in the fall of 1910 
he was duly elected on the Republican ticket, since which time he has devoted 
himself to official duties. Fraternally he belongs to Lakeport Lodge of 
Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Eastern Star, Native 
Sons of the Golden West and the Woodmen. At Portland, Ore., in Septem- 
ber, 1905, he married Miss Ida L. Mills, and they are the parents of four 
children: Donald Mills, Clara Lyon, Harriet Virginia and Robert Erskine.