Bernard Emerson Frazier1

b. Jun 30, 1906, d. May 24, 1976
FatherClarence Levi Frazier1 b. 1874, d. 1950
MotherIsa Alma Lodeska Phetteplace1,2 b. Jul 17, 1876, d. Mar 4, 1939
     Bernard Emerson Frazier was born on Jun 30, 1906 in farm, Athol, Smith Co, KS.1,3,4,5
     Bernard Emerson Frazier was listed as a son in Clarence Levi Frazier's household on the 1910 Census in Athol, Smith Co, KS.1
     Bernard Emerson Frazier was listed as a son in Clarence Levi Frazier's household on the 1920 Census in Lane Township, Smith Co, KS.3
     Bernard Emerson Frazier attended University of Kansas from 1925 to 1929 in Lawrence, Douglas Co, KS.6,7
     As of circa 1927, Bernard Emerson Frazier was also known as Poco Frazier; he got this name while running on the cross country track team at KU.6
     Bernard Emerson Frazier was an apprentice in the studios of Loredo Taft and Fred Torrey from 1929 to 1935.6
     Bernard Emerson Frazier was a sculptor sponsored by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation as artist in residence from 1938 to 1940 in University of Kansas, Lawrence, Douglas Co, KS.8,6
     Bernard Emerson Frazier married Franczeska (?)9
     Bernard Emerson Frazier displayed his sculptures at the Nebraska Art Association on Mar 26, 1939 in Lincoln, Lancaster Co, NE.10
     Bernard Emerson Frazier was employed by University of Kansas as a professor from 1940 to 1944 in Lawrence, Douglas Co, KS, he taught the first regular sculpture class there.6
     Bernard Emerson Frazier and Franczeska (?) were divorced circa 1944.7
     Bernard Emerson Frazier married Beverly Glaze after 1944.11
     Bernard Emerson Frazier was employed by Philbrook Art Center as a director from 1944 to 1950 in Tulsa, OK.6
     In 1954, Poco Frazier was commisioned to create a sculpture for Reformation Lutheran Church, in Wichita, Kansas. The concrete sculpture, called "Hands of God and Man," was part of the original church building until 1994, when the church moved to a new location, where the sculpture was placed in a Meditation Garden designed especially for it.6
     Bernard Emerson Frazier was employed by University of Kansas as a artist in residence from 1956 to 1973 in Lawrence, Douglas Co, KS.6
     Bernard Emerson Frazier went to universities in India and Nepal as visiting professor in 1974.6
     Bernard Emerson Frazier died on May 24, 1976 at age 69. He died of a heart attack.4,7,5 He was buried circa May, 1976 at Athol Cemetery, in Athol, Smith Co, in KS.5
Bernard Emerson Frazier
Athol Cemetery, Athol, KS
Photo by Julia Langel, July 2011

Family 1

Beverly Glaze

Family 2

Franczeska (?)
Child

Citations

  1. [S602] 1910 U.S. Census, population schedule, Kansas, Smith County, Athol, ED 207, sheet 11A, line 26, dwelling 124, family 127, Kansas, Smith County.
  2. [S607] Alice Rae Hain, "Research Binder: Moore-Hamilton", Register Report.
  3. [S603] 1920 U.S. census, population schedule, Kansas, Smith County, Lane township, ED 219, sheet 3B, dwelling 63, family 63, Kansas, Smith County.
  4. [S856] Bernard Frazier, no. 445-26-3334, Social Security Death Index, RootsWeb.
  5. [S2035] Bernard Emerson Frazier Cemetery Marker, Athol Cemetery, Athol, Smith Co, KS.
  6. [S901] Reformation Lutheran Website, online http://www.reformation-lutheran.org/church/garden.html
  7. [S1749] Lawrence Journal-World, March 9, 1980, page 11B.
  8. [S612] Possibly Smith County Pioneer.
  9. [S1706] Michael Zentman, "Bernard Emerson Frazier," e-mail to Julia Langel, May 5, 2008, Bernard Emerson Frazier.
  10. [S1705] Nebraska State Journal, March 26, 1939, 1C and 2C.
  11. [S1733] Jennifer Somers, "Information on Bernard Poco Fraizer," e-mail to Julia Langel, June 15, 2009, Information on Bernard Poco Fraizer.
  12. [S1747] Roy King, "Poco Frazier," e-mail to Julia Langel, July 21, 2009, Poco Frazier.
Copyright 2017 Julia Langel. This is a work in progress, so please be patient with errors and omissions!