Frederick Follett was born in 1804 in Gorham, New York. In 1819 he began learning the printing trade in the office of his brother, Oran. When Oran moved to Buffalo, New York in 1825, Frederick took over the management of the newspaper. In 1826, when riots broke out in New York after the alleged murder of William Morgan by the Masons, Frederick took an active role in defending Masonry. In 1836, after meeting Stephen F. Austin and Dr. Branch T. Archer during a visit to the White House, Follett sold the paper and went to Texas to serve with the "army of liberation" in the struggle against Mexico. The major battles had already occurred when he arrived, but he remained in Texas for some time to see the country.
Other members of the family represented in the collection are Benjamin F. Follett, probably son of Frederick and brother of Frederick M., who in the 1880's lived in Kokomo, Colorado, and F.E. Follett (relationship unknown) who in 1909 lived in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
From the guide to the Frederick Follett and Family Papers AR 2002-150., 1841-1912, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)
