Little is known of the early life of Abraham Meyer Frechie. He was born in Amsterdam in 1831 and seems to have worked as a cigar maker from an early age. He arrived in the United States in 1857. His training enabled him to set up as a cigar manufacturer in Philadelphia and he eventually joined the firm Emilio Nunez & Company, importing tobacco from Cuba.

The year of his arrival, he married Judith Laure Rodrigues Pereyra, sister of Jacob Rodrigues Pereyra, in Philadelphia. Abraham served on the boards of several charities, including the Hebrew Relief Society and the Association of Jewish Immigrants. He also served as treasurer of the Philadelphia Branch of the Alliance Israelite Universelle. Frechie served as parnas of Mikveh Israel three times, 1883-1888, 1891-1892, and 1899-1900. The Frechies had no children, and upon his death Abraham left significant sums to several charities, including $5,000 to the Jewish Hospital Association of Philadelphia.