Series I: Correspondence, 1793-1917, undated

Letters concern land purchase, property.

Letters concern family news, deaths, and history.

Letters to Samuel Ludlow Frey regarding family history and genealogy.

Letters concerning family matters.

Letters regarding family matters, health, current events.

Letters to Samuel Ludlow Frey regarding pottery, china, stoneware.

Letters concerning financial matters, family (esp. the deaths of Philip Frey and Elizabeth Frey Beardslee), family strife.

Letters regarding family, local news, deaths of friend, brother, and child, medical and health matters, child rearing and weaning.

Letters concern family news, books read, travels.

Letters regarding finances, wool.

Letters concern family matters, especially condolence letters for the deaths of Henry Van Schaack Frey, Henry I. Frey, Elizabeth Frey Beardslee, and Phebe Ludlow.

Letters regarding property, finances, family deaths.

Letters Johnny Frey and Samuel Ludlow Frey concerning school, penmanship, holidays, alcohol, farm life, weather, and politics.

Travel letters from Italy, Scotland.

Letters to Henry A. Frey regarding gold mining ventures in the Carolinas, especially at King's Mountain, N.C.

Letters to Caroline Ludlow Frey regarding courtship, friendship, local gossip, religion, social news, local and family deaths.

Letters from Conkling family members regarding family matters, politics. Includes:

Alfred (1813, 1826, 1848, 1849), Alfred R. (1912), Aurelian (1845-1861), Harriette (1861-1881), Roscoe (1854, 1864).

Includes letters from Henry F. Cox, including two lengthy letters from abroad (Syria and Egypt, 1856, 1857) that describe his travels throughout the Mid East and down the Nile River. There are also letters from Margaret and Seraphine Cox.

Letters, mostly to John Frey, concerning the Davies family, romantic advice, religion, Frey's financial matters, the Civil War.

Letters to Samuel Ludlow Frey regarding Herkimer, Dygert and Deuel family genealogies, New York State history.

Letters concerning the family farm, weather, family news, health.

Letters to various family members dealing with family news, his work in the insurance industry, politics (particularly the election of 1860 and his enthusiasm over Lincoln), New York State excursions, the Civil War (Frey joined a Zouaves regiment, the 110th NYSV, in the Union Army summer of 1862), job prospects after the war, weather.

Letters to her various family members, children and husband concerning family matters, deaths, religion, health and ailments, advice to children, sewing.

Mostly childhood letters to her grandfather concerning activities on the farm. Also letters from Wells College, Aurora, NY, describing her studies there.

Letters (most to her son John) offering advice, and detailing family news, her religious convictions, local gossip, and the deaths of three of her children.

Letters (most from Springfield, OH) regarding family news and deaths (particularly his father, wife, and children), family history, politics (esp. the 1876 election and Conkling), Custer, and other contemporary events.

Childhood letters about the farm, family.

Letters concerning family news, her children's activities.

Letters from Darien, WI, promoting Wisconsin and detailing local life, particularly farming, the railroad. Also discusses the family, health, weather, disease and death, finances, religion, politics (particularly the Republican Party and Roscoe Conkling), the impending secession, and the Civil War.

Letters to family members (most from Cleveland, Chicago, and Indiana) regarding family matters, his involvement in coal dealing, various entrepreneurial schemes, continual financial troubles, his attempts to enlist in the Union army, involvement in the Civil War, and in a gold mining venture at King's Mountain, NC. Frey also discusses familial discord, his debts to family members, accusations of impropriety, the dissolution of his marriage, and his emotional troubles. There is a gap in the letters from 1864 to 1866.

One letter about the birth of his son.

Letters (most to son John) regarding family and farm news, health, land sales, local news.

Letters describing his school and fellow students, travels in New York State, future plans.

Letters about family history, the death of his son.

Early letters detail his schooling, legal studies, his religious conversion at the age of twenty, and his 1828 marriage to Caroline Ludlow. In late1829, Frey accompanied his brother Henry to St. Augustine, FL, where the latter hoped to find respite from his lung ailment. Letters from Florida describe local population, food, Henry's health and subsequent death in early 1830. Frey's letters from 1830 to 1865 concern his finances, family, legal matters, property and land sales, the farm and planting, limestone and willow trees, family strife with the Beardslees, and the Civil War. There is a gap in the letters from 1845 to 1850, and from 1865 to 1872. After 1872, and a move to Hoboken, N.J., the letters concern the death of his wife (1873), his job at the Custom House, New York City, grandchildren, family news and health. There is also a gap from 1874 to 1877.

Letters about farm activities, weather.

Letters concern the dissolution of her marriage to Henry A. Frey, and finances.

One letter to his mother concerning the family.

One letter to his son about family matters.

Most letters are written from Decatur, AL, and detail family matters and history; opinions on the Civil War, Southern and national politics; local customs, gardening, weather, farming, keeping chickens, and cotton.

Early letters written from school in Poughkeepsie detail his studies, local events, family news (esp. Ludlow family), weddings and social events, dental procedures, and weather. Later letters from Palatine Bridge discuss the family's financial troubles, deaths, land sales, the Civil War, farming and winemaking, and health. There is a gap in the letters from 1865 to 1872. After 1872, his letters continue to describe finances and debt, farming, health, and local news. Also under discussion are his mother's death in 1873, other deaths, politics, the railroad, Henry A. Frey's continual financial troubles, digging for Indian relics, articles written and submitted for publication, and family news. There is another gap in the letters from 1883 to 1895. Later letters concern family and local history, and a dispute with the New York Central & Hudson River Co. over a fence and drainage on Frey property.

Letters from Racine, WI, regarding family news and history, health, deaths, women's rights.

Letters concerning New York State history.

Letters about Seattle, social events, travel plans.

Letters to Samuel Ludlow Frey requesting that he speak before the Montgomery County Historical Society on Sir William Johnson.

Letters to Samuel Ludlow Frey regarding New York State history, and Frey's writings including "The Story of Our River" and "The Mohawks."

Letters to Samuel Ludlow Frey from Leavenworth, KS about family history and news, travels.

Letters, presumably to John Frey, containing family and local news, deaths, politics, health, financial matters, the death of Hees' wife, and Frey's legal troubles with George A. Johnson.

Letters from Racine, WI concerning family health, news, deaths.

Letters to John Frey regarding local news, finances, property sales, limestone, farming, politics, and the impending Civil War. Johnson also discusses his son Alonzo's financial dealings with Frey and his whereabouts in California.

Letters to Samuel Ludlow Frey of holiday greetings, family news, school and college, and travels. Includes:

Barbara (1911-1912), Helen [probably Helen Jones Jr.] (1899, 1910), Helen [probably Helen Jones Sr.] (1910-1911),Wallace (1899, 1910-1913, undated).

Letters to Henry I. Frey regarding finances, land sales.

Letters discussing local news, deaths (particularly of Caroline Ludlow Frey), health and illness.

Letters concerning family news, illnesses, and deaths (especially the death of her mother Phebe Ludlow); also her husband Rev. L.E. Lathrop's leaving his ministerial post.

Includes: Henry (1841), J.M. (1875), Leonard (1832); 1 item each.

Letters regarding family news, finances, health and illnesses, the death of her mother (1877), and the family vault. Some letters (1873-1875) are written from Savannah and Charlestown, detailing her work as a teacher of African-American children.

Letters written from Oswego, NY, most to John Frey, concerning the family, health, her father, Samuel Baldwin Ludlow, his illness and death (1882); religion and the local church, women and religion, the Beecher scandal; Oswego news, deaths, politics, weather.

Letters, most to Samuel Ludlow Frey, detailing family news, school life, opinions on religion, his religious conversion, lecturing stints.

Letters about family news, reflections on her father, Rev. Henry Gilbert Ludlow; some items written from the Hampton Institute, Va., but do not go into great detail about school life; others written from St. Augustine, FL.

Letters concerning the state of religion in New York City, New Haven, Poughkeepsie, religious instruction, Catholicism, cholera (1832), John Frey's financial troubles, illness and family deaths, death of his mother, Phebe Ludlow (1840), births, his children, love letters to his second wife Maria Tappen (1851).

Love letters to Rev. Henry Gilbert Ludlow, also discussing family and New York City news, FitzHugh Ludlow's future, and wedding plans.

Letters, most written from Philadelphia, concerning family and local news, religious revivals.

Early letters (through 1831) are written from Philadelphia; from 1836 on, written from Oswego, NY. They discuss family news and troubles, health problems (particularly his eyes), local politics, businesses, including insurance, gas and railroad, politics, Ulysses S. Grant, Roscoe Conkling, racial issues (c1875), the Beecher scandal, his daughter Ellen, the last illness and death of his wife, Nancy Douglas Ludlow (1877), physical ailments.

Includes: Ambrose (1828, 1841; 2 items), [Elizabeth (prob., b.1830)] (1855-1856, undated; 5 items), Harry (1899; 1 item), Phebe (undated; 1 item), Rosalie (1860; 1 item), Samuel Baldwin, Jr. ["Baldwin"] (1856-1857; 4 items).

Letters to John Frey, most written from California, regarding the prospects for California, Frey's financial and legal dispute with Alonzo Johnson and the latter's whereabouts, local news.

Letters discussing family news, deaths of various family members.

Letters about the Frey family farm, cows, planting, and finances.

Letters about family news and deaths.

Letters, most to John Frey, concerning land sales, financial matters with Frey, family news and deaths.

Letters about family news and deaths, visits, and Henry Van Schaack Frey's grave in St. Augustine.

Letters regarding land, finances, family news, and the death of Henry Van Schaack Frey.

Letters concerning land, his father's health, family news and health.

Letters regarding family news, finances, the deaths of his mother, wife, and Caroline Ludlow Frey, romantic advice to John Frey.

Includes: Anna (1877; 2 items), Asa (1848; 1 item), Catherine (1877; 2 items), Christina (1 item), David (1900; 2 items), Dorcas (undated; 1 item), John Jay [probably son of David] (1863-1877; 4 items), Peter [son of Henry C.] (1868, 1899; 5 items).

Letters to John Frey regarding Frey's finances, national politics, land sales, the Wagner family, the Civil War, Frey's legal matters, foreclosure.

On microfilm: Dec. 1874-May 1880, Misc. Reel #61. July 1883-July 1887, Misc. Reel #19.

Letters written from Nebraska (1874-1878) were published in Nebraska History, Spring 1981, pp. 1-46.

Caroline E. Frey married Col. Grotius R. Giddings in 1862; he died in 1867. She married army surgeon Dr. Charles K. Winne in 1874.

Chronology of postings:

1861-1865Fort Trumbull, CT; New Orleans, LA; Oswego, NY; Palatine Bridge, NY1874 Dec.-1877 Nov.Sidney Barracks, NE1877 Nov.-1878 Jan.Fort McPherson, NE1879 May-1880 MayFort Washakie, WY1880 Aug.Fort Brady, MI1880 Oct.-1883 Mar.Fort Schuyler, NY1883 July-1883 Nov.Fort Winfield Scott, CA1883 Dec.-1884 Sept.Angel Island, CA1884 Oct.-1885 JulyBenicia Barracks, CA1885 July-1887 JulyU.S. Arsenal, Benicia, CA1887 Sept.-1890 MayFort Wadsworth, Staten Island, NY1891 Nov.Fort Snelling, MN1899 JuneFort Crook, NE

Early letters detail family news and her first husband's illnesses, and her mother's death (1873). Letters from Nebraska (12/1874-1/1878), describe local Native Americans, a meeting with Sitting Bull (2/13/1875), her husband's family troubles, her pregnancy and difficult childbirth (1875), violent incidents in the frontier town, health and small pox, complaints about army life and servants, the death of Crazy Horse (letter 9/9/1877), the birth of Charles K. Winne Jr. (9/30/1877), her husband's position in the army and his opportunities for reappointment. Letters from 1878 through mid-1883 discuss the baby, the journey to Wyoming, and her health; and contain descriptions of Wyoming, including a Shoshone Sundance (5/25/1879). An eighteen-page letter of 6/17/1883 and postcards detail her transcontinental railroad journey to California. Letters from California contain family news; reports of her son's education; reactions to the deaths of Henry A. Frey and her father, John Frey; descriptions of the weather, local life, numerous post transfers; opinions on the Chinese and Chinese servants (see especially letters of 1/3/1886, 4/19/[1887], 10/9/1887).

Note: a number of Caroline Frey Winne's undated letters have been tentatively dated, in pencil and in brackets, by a previous processor. The accuracy of these dates has not been verified, and these letters have been moved into the undated folders at the end of the subseries.

Most letters concern Caroline Frey Winne's pregnancy in 1875 and her poor condition following childbirth (baby was stillborn or died soon after). Later letters discuss the birth of Charles K. Winne, Jr. and family matters.

Mostly childhood letters about pets, excursions, family, botany. Later letters discuss family visits.

Letters concern John Frey's finances, family matters (both Frey and Wynkoop), mortgages, fishing, and the varnish business.

Alienated and blank envelopes; loose stamps.