This collection (73 items) is made up of correspondence (66 items) and documents (7 items) related to the McFarlan and Folts families of upstate New York. Materials pertain to the legal affairs of Scottish immigrant Thomas McFarlan and to the Folts family's business interests. The 6 items concerning Thomas McFarlan include letters about family members in Scotland and documents about McFarlan's legal affairs. The remaining materials largely consist of incoming letters to Jacob J. Folts of Albany, New York, often regarding business affairs and finances. His brother George sometimes mentioned political issues, and his brother Daniel discussed his education, medical advice, and family news. Additional correspondence includes letters between other members of the Folts and McFarlan families, and bills of sale, receipts, and other financial records related to Jacob C. and Warner Folts.
Thomas McFarlan, a native of Gartmore, Scotland, immigrated to the United States in the early 19th century. He had at least three brothers: Parlan, John, and Alexander. Parlan and Alexander McFarlan also lived in the United States.
Jacob J. Folts was a merchant in Albany, New York, throughout the mid-1800s. His brothers included George, who lived in Washington, D.C., in the 1860s; Daniel, who was a physician in Boston; and James, who lived in Frankfort, New York.
