Morgan County AlArchives Biographies.....Frey, Andrew Calhoun 1832 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 7, 2012, 1:50 pm

Source: See below
Author: Smith & De Land, publishers

  ANDREW CALHOUN FREY was born in Brockville, Canada, September 20, 1832, and
was a son of Samuel C. Frey. When six years of age, our subject was brought by
his parents to Canton, Ohio, where he received his education. In 1850, he became
a telegrapher in Sandusky, Ohio, and afterward train dispatcher of the
Cincinnati & Sandusky Railway, in which position he remained until 1869, when he
came South. In 1870, he became train dispatcher of the L. & N. Railroad at
Decatur, Ala., and remained with that company until February, 1887, when he
retired. Some time before this, he and his father had purchased forty-four acres
of land in what is now the city of Decatur, and, during the year 1887, he sold
eighteen acres of it to the Decatur Land Company, and retained the balance for
his own use. This fortunate investment resulted so favorably that he thought it
unnecessary to continue longer in the service of the railroad company. He is now
a stock-holder in the First National Hank, the Decatur Land, Improvement &
Furnace Company, and other enterprises.

  Heinrich (or Henry) Frey was a native of the City of Zurich, Switzerland,
which place he left in 1688, and accompanied by his wife, sailed for America.
The Burgomaster of Zurich gave him then an open letter addressed to "Whom it may
concern." recommending the bearer as a worthy and honest man. [This letter is
still in the possession of the family.] He traveled down the Rhine to Amsterdam,
where he took passage for New York. His vessel was stranded on the shore of the
Isle of Wight, and he was transferred to an English ship. The Goveruor of the
Island gave him a letter of introduction to the Governor of New York. He landed
in that city in 1689, and the Governor of New York gave him a free grant of a
hundred acres of land, near that city. But he subsequently abandoned this, and
located near Palatine Bridge, in the Mohawk Valley, where he purchased a large
tract of land, which is known to this day as Frey's Bush. He was accidentally
drowned; left one son, Henry Frey, who married a Miss Keyser. They had three
sons and three daughters. Of these, Henry Frey (the third), being the eldest
son, by English law of primogeniture became sole heir of the entire estate, but
subsequently gave three hundred acres of land to each of his brothers, and one
hundred acres to each of his sisters. He married Miss Elizabeth Herkimer. He
received his education at Cherry Valley School, and became a profound scholar,
and a surveyor. His wife was a daughter of John J. Herkimer, the first settler
in Herkimer County, N. Y. J. J. Herkimer and wife came from the Palatinate of
the Rhine, and brought with them their first born, a boy, who subsequently
became a brigadier-general in the Revolutionary War.

  Henry Frey (the third) had one son and one daughter. The son, Philip Rokel
Frey, was a surveyor and an attorney of great reputation in his day. He enjoyed
the confidence of the chiefs of the Six Nations of Indians who occupied the
territory of New York (as he did of the white settlers generally) to such an
extent that he was very often called upon to settle their disputes about land
claims. He also surveyed the township of land which the Continental Congress
awarded to Baron Steuben as a reward for his services in the Revolutionary War.
Eliza (Frey) Conkling, mother of Roscoe Conkling, of New York, was the daughter
of the above-mentioned Henry Frey (the third), and sister of Philip P. Frey.
Philip was first married to Marie Louise St. Martin, to whom one son and three
daughters were born, namely: Henry, Elizabeth, Mary Ann and Catherine. The
second wife of Philip R. Frey was Elizabeth Tyrrell, to whom two sons and six
daughters were born. The sons were: Samuel Chollet Frey (the father of our
subject) and John W. Frey.

  Samuel C. Frey was born in St. Johnsville, Montgomery County, N. Y., February
7, 1799. In his early life he thoroughly learned the business of watch and
clock-maker and goldsmith, which he followed for many years. He resided in
Brockville, Canada, from 1831 until l837, and prosecuted his business with
marked success until the breaking out of the Patriot War. In this he sympathized
entirely with the patriot side, and enjoyed the confidence and friendship of the
most prominent men in that country, including the present chief-justice of the
Dominion. He was a remarkable scholar, possessed of extraordinary intelligence;
was very familiar with Latin and Greek, and could speak French and German with
fluency. He was a man full of patriotic impulses, but, being without personal
ambition, was content with the private walks of life. In 1838 he removed to
Canton, Ohio, and afterward to Springfield, in that State. After this, becoming
desirous of a warmer and more equable climate, he located in Decatur (in 1869),
where he took great pleasure in establishing and beautifying his home. He was
married to Miss Susan C., daughter of Andrew Calhoun, of Boston, Mass. She died
March 10, 1883, at the age of eighty-three.

  Samuel C. Frey died at Decatur. Ala., February 24, 1877. He was aged
seventy-eight. His wife had seven brothers and one sister, and some of the
former were among the most distinguished men of Massachusetts. William B. was a
member of Congress from Springfield four terms, served in the Massachusetts
legislature ten years, was speaker of the house four years, and president of the
senate for some time. Charles, the second son, was clerk of the senate of
Massachusetts for many years. Andrew, the third son, remained in New York,
published a paper in Owego, and filled many offices of public trust. Henry was a
merchant in New York City. He was a Whig, and was appointed deputy collector for
the Port of New York by President Fillmore. He died since the war. Howard, the
sixth child, was educated at Williams College, served as a tutor for a few
years, and spent forty years as missionary in Palestine, where he was held in
such veneration by the natives and Arabs that they called him "Saint." During
the bloody wars between the Druses and Maronites. both parties had such
confidence in him that they brought him valuable presents and sought protection
under his roof. He was a man of great personal magnetism. John C. Calhoun (of
Massachusetts), the seventh child of this family, was formerly Surveyor-General
of Kansas and Nebraska, and president of the Lecompton Convention in Kansas.
Martha Calhoun, the youngest of the family, died recently at Chelmsford, Mass.
The Calhouns came from County Donegal, Ireland, their parents having gone there
from Ayrshire, Scotland, to enjoy in peace the blessings of religions liberty.

  Samuel C. Frey and Susan (Calhoun) Frey, had three children, viz.: George H.,
Mary A. and Andrew C. the subject of this sketch. Mr. Frey is now president of
the Decatur & South Mountain Improvement and Railroad Company.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

Northern Alabama: Historical and Biographical
Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land
1888

PART IV.
MONOGRAPHS OF THE PRINCIPAL CITIES AND TOWNS IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA,
TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF MANY OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVE PEOPLE.


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