Our purpose and our family
Preserving Our Shared Family History
The HFFA was formed to foster and perpetuate research into the genealogy of Heinrich Frey, his wife Anna Catherine Levering, and their descendants. Heinrich was born in Altenheim, Baden, Germany. He emigrated and arrived in Germantown, Colony of Pennsylvania in October 1685.
A message from our president
President of the HFFA
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the newly elected president of the Heinrich Frey Family Association (HFFA). I was elected to serve at our bi-annual reunion held in June of 2026 in Winchester, VA. Every 2 years we meet as a group of cousins who may gather as strangers but leave as renewed family.
The branch of the Fry/Frey/Frye family that I belong to came to Northwest Ohio (the old great black swamp) when Mordecai Bean Fry left Virginia. He bought 300 acres of Sandusky County Ohio farmland from the General Land office on Oct 8, 1834. Considering this year is the 250th anniversary of the USA, the land office certificate plainly states that 1834 was the “59th year of independence of the United States”. Mordecai comes from the line of Heinrich, Benjamin, Joseph, Jacob.
It was very interesting to me that I was able to see the grave markers of Mordecai’s parents and his Bean family grandparents when, during our reunion, we stopped at the Lutheran Church for a history lesson and a carryout lunch during the Winchester reunion bus trip.
Winchester was the 3rd reunion I attended, so I have a pretty good idea of what our upcoming reunion in 2028 in Peoria, IL should look like “from the outside.”
I am excited to be in leadership of the HFFA and look forward to the continued sharing of our family history and also to help celebrate as our family continues to grow.
If you believe that you descend from Heinrich and Anna Frey, we welcome your membership which entitles you to many benefits. Membership is only $25 per year. If you are having trouble in proving that you descend from Heinrich and Anna, you can become an associate member and be entitled to many of our full membership benefits.
Bret Fry HFFA-pres@att.net
Member benefits
HFFA Membership Entitles You To
- Free subscription to the HFFA Journal, published once a year.
- Free subscription to the HFFA Newsletter, issued four times a year.
- Free query service through the Newsletter and Journal.
- Current membership directory so you can exchange information with members in your line.
- Invitation to bi-annual national Frey family reunions.
- Ability to purchase back issues of the Journal and the Links Book.
Joining the association
Membership Types
Descendant Member
Any person who has proven a direct descendant of Heinrich Frey. Only descendant members may vote and hold elected office in the association.
Associate Member
Any person who is a spouse or surviving spouse of a direct descendant of Heinrich Frey. Any person who is interested in Frey Family genealogical research, but who has not proven direct descent from Heinrich Frey.