Archive Record

Metadata

Title

Frelinghuysen Family Papers

Scope & Content

The Frelinghuysen Family Papers are a collection of personal papers and ephemera created or collected by George G. and Sara Linen Frelinghuysen; their daughter Matilda E. Frelinghuysen or are materials related to their properties, including Whippany Farms or the opera singer Emma Eames. The primary subjects found within the collection are correspondence regarding family matters and Whippany Farms as well as opera and arts appreciation. The Frelinghuysen Family Papers are primarily constituted by letters, publications such as booklets and magazines, and scrapbooks.

The majority of the materials within this collection were either found in the Collection by staff members or donated by family descendants.

Object Name

Fonds

Catalog Number

FA2013.003

Collection

Frelinghuysen Collection

Physical characteristics

Frelinghuysen Family papers are contained in 6 boxes and approximately 4 linear feet of materials in a wide variety of formats, both paper and audio.

Creator

Frelinghuysen Family Members

Other Creators

Eames, Emma
Various others

Biographical History

George Griswold Frelinghuysen (May 9, 1851 - April 21, 1936), son of former Secretary of State Fredrick T. Frelinghuysen, was a prominent and influential member of society in Morris County in the late 1800 and early 1900s. He was a patent lawyer, and held positions as the president of the Howard Savings Institute in Newark, and was also a member of the Mutual Life Insurance Company's board of directors. He later inherited and became President of P. Ballantine and Company Brewers.

On April 26, 1881 George married Sara Linen Ballantine (March 5, 1858 - October 17, 1940), the daughter of Peter H. Ballantine, who owned P. Ballantine and Company Brewers, and granddaughter to artist George Linen. Sara had a hand in the development of the Morris County Golf Club which gained immediate success. George and Sara had two children: Peter Frelinghuysen (September 15, 1882 - March 9, 1959), and Matilda Elizabeth Frelinghuysen (1887 - April 8, 1969).

In 1890, George bought 71 acres of land in Morris Township from Sarah M. Hayden and her husband Hiram. He continued to expand upon this property until 1910 when his estate, named Whippany Farms, totaled 127 acres. The land stretched from the Whippany River on the west side of the property to Whippany road on the east side. The family used the estate as a retreat from their New York City home; however, once its ownership had passed hands to their daughter, Matilda, it was inhabited full-time.

In 1891 George commissioned an architectural firm, the Boston Firm of Rotch and Tilden, to design the house. The mansion, completed a year later in 1892, is a three story, eighteen room example of Colonial Revival design and quickly became known for its style. George also commissioned a renowned horticulturist from Trenton, James MacPherson (1843 - 1922), to develop a design for the land surrounding the house.

Upon the death of her parents, Matilda E. Frelinghuysen inherited Whippany Farms, where she resided until her death in 1969. She is best known in Morris County for her philanthropic nature and generosity with her positions and wealth. Her love of music led her to support the Masterwork Music and Art foundation, the New England Conservatory of Music, and the Metropolitan Opera. She was interested in horsemanship and horticulture, and was a member of the Garden Club of New Jersey. This pastime allowed her to keep up with the landscape of the original design of the estate, and in 1964 she began plans to preserve her estate as a public arboretum upon her death. In May of 1971 the Morris County Park Commission dedicated the arboretum in memory of Matilda's parents, officially renaming it the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.

Emma Eames (August 13, 1865 - June 13, 1952) was a soprano opera singer during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Her first big break came in 1889, when she scored the role of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet in the Palais Garnier, Paris France. Her opera career continued until 1911-1912 when she sang her farewell performances with the Boston Opera company. Matilda Frelinghuysen and Emma Eames were good friends and neighbors for some time in New York City. Emma Eames had a home at 30 Sutton Place and Matilda Frelinghuysen had a home at 1 Sutton Place. Eames was married twice and both ended in divorce. Her first husband was American artist Julian Russell Story. They divorced in 1907. She remarried in 1911 to concert baritone Emilio de Gogorza. They were divorced in 1936 and de Gogorza passed away in 1949. She did not have any children from either marriage. Emma Eames died in 1952 in her Sutton Place home in Manhattan, aged 85 years old.

Year Range from

1891

Year Range to

1992

System of arrangement

The Frelinghuysen Family Papers are organized into four series relating to various aspects of the lives of George, Sara, and Matilda Frelinghuysen, as well as information pertaining to their estate Whippany Farms and Matilda's friendship with Emma Eames. These documents are an admirable source of information for researchers interested in the Frelinghuysen Family or the Whippany Farms house and grounds.

Series 1: George G. and Sara L. Frelinghuysen
Series 2: Matilda E. Frelinghuysen
Series 3: Whippany Farms
Series 4: Emma Eames

Copyrights

Records may be copied for use in individual scholarly or personal research; however, as with all materials in the Morris County Park Commission, researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to use material from the collection.

Level of description