Digital Collections
Solomon Frazier Letters

MS 483  Solomon Frazier Letters, 1860-1865

This collection is composed principally of correspondence between Solomon Frazier, a Quaker prisoner of conscience during the Civil War confined in Salisbury Confederate Prison, Salisbury, North Carolina, and his family in Bloomington, North Carolina (now part of High Point). Other letters are between Confederate soldiers and their families and between two young women and their sisters.

Solomon Frazier's letters describe conditions in prison and the torture and deprivation he endured there. He also gives instructions for caring for the crops and animals at home. His family's letters tell of clothing, bedding and provisions they are sending to him as well as reporting on how they are managing at home.

The soldiers' letters describe battles, field movements, the execution of deserters and the discomforts of camp life.

The letters with envelopes were assembled and mounted in an album with annotations by A. Earl Weatherly of Greensboro whose primary interest was in the stamps and postmarks. Portions of the album were published by Weatherly in the book, The First Hundred Years of Historic Guilford, 1771-1871.

The letters were purchased at auction in Ocober 1986. There are many gaps in the numbered leaves indicating that portions of the collection were removed prior to its acquisition by the auction house.

Photocopies and transcripts are included.

Solomon Frazier, born 10-24-1816, was married to Hannah Blair. Their children were Anna Corina, born 9-6-1844, Mary Lundy, born 9-8-1849, and Mariam, born 9-25-1855. His brothers were Harrison, born 6-15-1818, Jesse, born 11-9-1855, John Tully, born 8-9-1823, Edward Winston, born 3-18-1828, Isaac, born 2-13-1830, and Franklin Gurney, born 1-28-1838. (From Descendants of David Coltrane and James Frazier of North Carolina, compiled by Robert H. Frazier, pg. 29).

Letter writers in addition to Solomon Frazier include the following:

Joseph Lane, to his mother Andrew Sechrist, to his wife, Mary (Polly); Malinda Lee, to her husband, Henry E. W. Richardson, Kinston, NC to Henry Lewallen, Ashboro, NC Alford Smith, to his mother DanieL Allen, to his brother, John Samuel Walker, Wilmington, NC to Joseph Newlin, Newmarket, NC S.G.B. Bingam, to W.A. Prevo Edward Winston Frazier, to his brother Solomon (2) Hannah Frazier, to her husband, Solomon.

Jesse Frazier, to his brother Solomon; Catharine Gill, to her sister; Isham Cox, to Solomon Frazier (2) Harrison Frazier, to his brother Solomon; Isaac F. Lane, to his mother; Allen Holloway, to William F. Holloway, Hillsborough, NC; Allen Holloway, to his sister, E. F. Holloway, and his mother Bettie , to sister Ann Eliza.

The Solomon Frazier Letters are not fully digitized at this time. The letters may be consulted in person at the Friends Historical Collection at Guilford College. Contact the Friends Historical Collection for additional information and updated information concerning future online availability.