The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-06-26
0LD-TIME "REMINISCENCES.
Interesting Letter from Old Resident Of
the Mohawk Valley.
IRON the Albany Journal, June 24.J

From the Albany Journal June "a.
We are permitted to publish the following letter
from A. c. Frey to Mr.. Weed. 1t will be interesting
to every one but particularly 70 those who have still
lively recollections OF the men and events Of the
early part of the present century.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio May go 1870.
Dear Sr-l took up the GALAXY for May, and read
in 1t an extract from your autobiography, and was
SO delighted, as It brought up "reminiscences OF q
bygone age that ] was familiar with, that ] de-
termined to thank you for the pleasure 1t Afforded
me. have been all over the ground OF the stage
ride you describe between Rochester and Albany
and was acquainted with tho men you speak OF, at
least most q them. lived in Manas from 1SAs to
18l9 and lived at Sallna from 1919 to 1891. In 1920
visited Rochester. on my way home from
Niagara, when many stulnps were to be
of low. Nv visit TO Rochester was soon after the
Carthage bridge fell and when there was consider
able uttering and Jokes IN Rochester e about the
the anti-Masonic times, where Perley Keys lived.
He was one OF the wre-workers or the Old Bucktall
party, and formidable worker he was, too; bus he
could get to Congress, though he could get Others
there, such as Sias Wright, Rudolph Bonner and
others Keys wife was warm anlMason and he
q Mason. or course they did not harmonze. Keys
built new house for himself in 1925 and left the old
house to his wife. Being defeated for Congress in
1928, aud shabby trick played on him by DR.. Sher
wood, hls old confidential friend, he after died
Well remember Azariah Smith and the PhIllipses,
Of Manlius, and Judge TOwsey, and Nicholas p Ran
dali and Samuel l.. Edwards and oil the prominent
men OF Oneida county. not forgetting Thaddeus nj.
sa GH Mr.. MicSles owned the furnaces u az
On0ndaga, and one Of his sons was lawyer.
was ut Syracuse IN August, 1912, when De Witt
Clinton and Chief Engineer Wright came through
with the first boat that traversed the Erie canal
from Frankfort to syracuse, and II was great day
| and proud day for Mr.. Clinton. They had small
cannon on the bridge at Syracuse, and as soon as
the boat approached the nrst lock the began
to roar and continued TO roar until the boat came
up and the Governor aud Lieutenant were escorted
| by Judge Forman 10 Casset's tavern, where the
Governor being elevated on plank, was introduced
TOOK place Butt an now many VINO thar DAY ssoos
| hands with Governor Clinton are now livingS ]
| don't believe there are I'VE. How well remember
John Meeker and his father, who lived near Johns
! town, near the Pine Plains. was also well &C
quanted in Catskill, and knew Mckay Croswell an
his son Ned VINO went rom 1a the Ca aus ssoSe
Johnstown when the great libel suit was tried be.
| tween solomon southwick and Archibald Mcintyre.
Aaron Burr was one OF the counsel In that suit and
many people went TO JohnstowD TO see Burr.
! Iwel remember Daniel Cady, the father OF Eliza
beth Cady stanton. He was brother inlaw Of Peter
Smith, OF Peterb0ro the father OF Gerrit Smith and
| Peter Sken Smith and Mrs. Waiter Cochran. ! re.
member, In 1910, seeing two horse wagon on
turnpike, three times Week, labelled utica Nail,
| with q wooden rack behind on which trunks we're
lashed Sometimes there would be as many as FOUL
| passengers and sometimes none. Oh, what
change our country has gone through since tina,
| primitive lmel How poor we were In the war 81
| the far West. What q miserable ume we had Ia
| getting military stores TO Sacket's Harbor, and no
| miserably that war was generally conducted. But
| 10 had one good effect, and am inclined to shinH
that that good effect was compensation cornmen
surate with the expenses OF the war, TO wit: q
| forced Us 10 become manufacturing people. In
| that way Il hurt John Bull more than our bullets
DID. When say to you that belong to an old
Mohawk river family, the first Of whom settled about
| three-quarters OF mile above Palatine Bridge, III
1853, when there were few white inhabitants in thai
section you may judge what an interest take in al
histories OF New York. MY ancestor who settled
there. was from Zurich, In Switzerland He landed
IN New York In 1858, the year that the Prince o
orange came to the throne OF England after chasing
| OF Jimmy H. his father.in-law. Colonel DongaI
l was then Governor Of New York. MY grandfather
Ia your time Of travelling by stage along the Mohawk
nved III Stone house about mile from Canajoharl
village bis mousse was at the foot OF the hill, anC
conspicuous rom the turnpike for some distance
was born at St townsville, In 1899. 20
How much should enjoy your society in TALKING
over New York history; but must have your book
II can get 1t. know 1t will interest me vastly
| Judge Alfred Conkng's wife was cousin OF nine
Her mother was sister Of my father Not long ags
! had letter from his son Roscoe, OF the United
States Senate, informing me that his father was still
| living and in good health. The Conkling family
| were settled In Hampstead, l.. L., about the time
| or soon alter, the English took New York from iii,
| Dutch.
Comfort Tyler's wife was sister OF Judge John
HerKimer, and also sister OF Mrs. BradsreeJ or On
| 0ndaga. NY grandma was their aunt; NJ