Ross Frazier, Farmer and Businessman

According to K.P. Williamson, “Ross Frazier was a schrewed and brilliant businessman, who knew how to make money.” Mr. Frazier, founder of Frazier Estates in 1958, was a farmer, who on his Plain City land raised black angus cattle, turkeys, chicken, eggs, rabbits and sold them at two markets in Columbus. In addition, he built single family homes on Columbus’ Eastside, off of Taylor and Emerald Avenues, near Pilgrim Elementary School.

Mr. Williamson’s father, A.D. Williamson, was a skilled carpenter and close friend with Mr. Frazier when Frazier decided that he would liquidate his farmland for housing to Black families who couldn’t purchase land in Central Ohio for home building. Frazier sold the first eight lots on the front of his property for $800.00. With A.D. Williamson’s help, he had a road engineered and sold the other thirteen lots for $1000.00 to $1500.00.

K.P. said that Mr. Frazier had entered and won prizes with this black angus cattle during the Ohio State Fairs during the 1940s. He sold his produce and livestock at the Central Market in Downtown Columbus and the East Market on Mt. Vernon Avenue, next to Carl Brown’s IGA Grocery.

When the Williamson’s moved into the Frazier’s farmhouse they bought it for $8000.00. The water was pumped in from a well and there was a potbellied stove, along with a fireplace to warm the house. K.P. said he then installed a furnace in the upstairs.

The Fraziers, Ross and his wife Mamie, moved to Columbus and lived on Douglas Street, just east of Douglas School. Mrs. Frazier died about 1961 or ’62 and the last place that K.P. Williamson saw Mr. Frazier was at the single family homes that he built on Taylor Ave. The date of his death is still to be determined.