Ellen Fraser I

Ellen MacKenzie Fraser was the wife of Brian Fraser and mother to William, Jenny, Jamie and Robert Fraser.
== Personal History ==
Born the eldest child of Jacob and Anne MacKenzie, Ellen grew up in the Scottish Highlands at Castle Leoch. She was close with Colum, her brother who, as the eldest son of Jacob MacKenzie, would one day lead the clan. Colum was a sickly child, and Ellen spent a lot of time nursing him and telling him stories. Even after Colum had married, he and Ellen – and sometimes their brother, Dougal – would discuss clan matters and plan for the future.
Ellen's father, Jacob, doted on her, and wouldn't force her into an arranged marriage, even though such unions were common among the leading clan families in order to forge and maintain alliances. She remained unmarried upon her father's death, and her brothers Colum and Dougal began to arrange their sister's marriage to Malcolm Grant in order to ease relations with the Grants. Ellen defied them rather dramatically by saying something to Malcolm Grant that so offended him, he left the 1716 Gathering at Leoch without a word to his hosts, and Ellen ran away and eloped with Brian Fraser.
In order to secure their union, the couple stayed hidden until Ellen was visibly pregnant with Brian's child, and they married in the dooryard of their new home at Lallybroch a week before their first son, William, was born.
After leaving Leoch to marry Brian, Ellen never spoke to Colum again.
== Personality ==
Those that remember Ellen usually remark on her sharp tongue and cleverness, which contrasted (or perhaps complemented) her abiding sweetness.
== Appearance ==
Those that knew her describe Ellen as tall and red-haired, like her son Jamie, and very fair-skinned. Her eyes were gray, like her brother Colum's, and fringed with black lashes. Her self-portrait bears a strong resemblance to her granddaughter, Brianna, though differences show in Ellen's high, narrow forehead and round chin.
== Name ==
== Trivia ==
Category:Characters
Category:18th century characters
Category:Deceased characters
Category:Fraser Clan
Category:MacKenzie Clan
Category:Scottish characters
Category:Catholic characters