The Freeman Who Isn't A Mystery

Edward Freeman and Cornelia Jane (Fuller) Freeman

In my last post about my 3 g grandfather, Henry Freeman, I shared that he is pretty much a mystery as I am unable to find anything about him after the birth of his youngest son.

Henry's younger brother, Edward, is most certainly not a mystery. While there are aspects that I still am not able to answer,for the most part his life is known.

He was born on 11 May 1837 in Barrows, Rutland, England.  He is listed as a lad of four years of age in the English 1841 Census. He can be found again ten years later as a teenager in the English 1851 Census.  According to the 1910 Census of of Iowa (Clay County) he immigrated to the United States at the age of 20 in 1857.  I have not found his point of entry as of this writing, nor have I been able to locate him in the US 1860 Census.

On 28 February 1862 he is married to Cornelia Jane Fuller, daughter of Abial J. Fuller and Cordelia Jane (Pettit) Fuller in Spring Green, Sauk Co., Wisconsin.  Cordelia's younger sister, Elizabeth (my 2nd g grandmother) would marry Edward's nephew, William M. Freeman (my 2nd g grandfather) 15 years later.

Edward also completed a Civil War Draft Registration on 1 July 1863 in Spring Green, Sauk Co., Wisconsin as did his older brother, Henry.  There is a notation in Edward's registration that "he claims to have never declared his intentions."  There is no such notation in Henry's.  Neither brother would go on to fight.

Their first child, a son, William Jesse Freeman, is born in 1863 followed by the birth of their first daughter, Elizabeth Cordelia in 1864.  Their second daughter, Mary Jane, nicknamed Jennie is born in 1867.  Their third daughter, Hattie is born in February of 1870.  All the above mentioned children are born in Wisconsin, probably Spring Green, Sauk Co. as they are all listed with their parents in the 1870 US Census in that county.

Sometime in the next decade, they would join the Fuller/Freeman migration to Chickasaw County, Iowa.  Cornelia's parents would move there (only two of Cornelia's brothers stayed in Wisconsin) as would Henry's widow and sons, William, James, Edward, and Joseph as all are listed in the 1880 US Census of Chickasaw County, Iowa.

Edward and Cornelia would add another daughter to their family, Anna, born in March, 1875 in Fredericksburg, Chickasaw Co., Iowa.  Five years later they would have a final child, Eddie, who died in infancy.

Again the Freeman and Fuller families would make another move sometime before 1885 to Buena Vista County, Iowa. Between 1885 and 1910,  Edward and Cornelia would live in Sioux Rapids, Buena Vista Co., Iowa and Spencer, Clay Co., Iowa.

Their daughters married and moved to South Dakota.  In their later years, Edward and Cornelia can be found living with their children.  Edward would die in Frederick, Brown Co., South Dakota on 27 February 1915 at the age of 77.

On 29 March 1915, Cornelia bought several grave plots in Riverside Cemetery, Spencer, Clay Co., Iowa. Cornelia would continue to live with her daughter until her death in 1928.  Both she and Edward would be laid to rest in Spencer.

The Freeman family Bible and many, many pictures are in the possession of one of their descendants, as yet unknown to me.  The only reason I know this, is in doing research I came across a query by a researcher who had these items in his possession but had given them to this descendant many years previously.  This researcher was able to provide me with digital scans of a few of the pictures, which I treasure.

Edward's obituary from the Spencer Times, March 2, 1915:

Henry and Edward, separated only five years by birth.  The older brother lives only a short while but leaves a legacy in those who live on.  The younger brother leaves both a personal legacy and a legacy in his descendants.  How I wish I could have known both men.

The Mystery of Henry Freeman

The only memory my father, John Cross, has of his great grandfather, William M. Freeman, is that he used to carry wintergreens in his pocket and would hand them out to his grandchildren.

Elizabeth M. (Fuller) Freeman and William M. Freeman

Grandpa Freeman was born in New York in 1853 and died at the home of his daughter, Alida Cordelia (Freeman) Cross in 1935 in Marathon, Iowa.  My father was 5 years old when he died.  But the mystery is William's father, my 3 g grandfather, Henry Freeman.

Henry Freeman was born in 1832 in Barrow, Rutlandshire (now simply Rutland), England.  In the 1841 English Census he is listed as the son of William and Elizabeth Freeman living in the Parish of Barrow, Cottesmore, Barrow, Rutlandshire.  He has an older brother John, older sister Elizabeth, younger sister Jane, and younger brother Edward.

In the 1851 English Census he is no longer living at home.  His older siblings, Arnold and Mary and younger siblings, Jane, Edward, and Elizabeth are still living at home.  There is a Henry Freeman, same age as our Henry, same birthplace, listed as a servant at the Cottesmore, Parish Church of Oakham, which is 5 miles from Rutland. He is 19 years old.

Just two years later, at the age of 21, in 1853, he is in New York, as that is where his first child, William M. (my 2nd g grandfather) is born.  I have not been able to find his point of entry into the US, nor do I know who is wife was or when he was married.

Two years later, in 1855, he is in Lindon, Iowa Co., Wisconsin, as that is where his next child, James H Freeman is born.

Sometime between the birth of James and Christmas Eve, 1859, his wife dies.  He is a widowed farmer with two young sons. On December 24, 1859 in Dane County, Wisconsin, he marries Clara Ballard.

The next mention of this family is in the 1860 Census in Sauk County, Wisconsin:

The Civil War is raging and on 4 April 1862 his son Edward is born in Sauk County, Wisconsin.  Is it because he has a young family that he is not fighting?

On 1 July, 1863 he completes a Civil War Draft Registration in Spring Green, Sauk County, Wisconsin.  To date, no further documentation of service in the Civil War has been found.

His last child, Joseph H. Freeman is born 24 June 1864 in Lone Rock, Richmond County, Wisconsin.  Was he there for the birth?  Was he even alive?

No probate records have been found.  No death or burial information has been found.  Did Henry fight and die in the Civil War?  No record can be found of Clara petitioning for a Civil War pension.

the trail simply ends...

Tombstone Tuesday - Abial J. Fuller

Abial J. Fuller

Born:  13 February 1816 in Bradford, Pennsylvania

Died:  17 August 1886 in Poland Township, Buena Vista, Iowa

Buried:  Poland Township Cemetery, Marathon, Iowa

Abial J. Fuller is my 3rd great grandfather. I believe his parents to be William and Lucy (Campbell) Fuller, but I have no definitive proof of this fact yet, but the search continues. He married Cordelia Jane Pettit on 1 January 1839.  To this union were born the following children:

Eunice Sophia, Cornelia Jane, Jesse James, William Holbster, Lewis M., Elizabeth M. (my 2nd great grandmother), Albert D, and Harriet Amelia, known as Hattie.

When I first started researching my family tree, I was amazed to find that his grave was only eight miles from where I grew up.  I remember the awe I felt standing in front of his grave stone, even though I knew he wasn't there, feeling connected just because I had found his body's final resting place.  This picture was taken just last week when I was home visiting my parents.  Thirty years ago, it was much easier to read.  Above his name it says, "Sweet Hour of Prayer."  On the back, which in now illegible but was not thirty years ago, it reads:  "Farewell my wife and children From you a father Christ doth call."

In this cemetery, two of his daughters are buried, Eunice Sophia Reyman and my 2nd great grandmother, Elizabeth M. Freeman.  Cordelia would live until 1903, taking turns living with her daughters. In the 1900 Census she is living with her daughter and son-in-law, my 2nd great grandparents, William and Elizabeth Freeman. At the time of her death she was living with Hattie and her husband, Albert Brower and is buried somewhere in Murray County, Minnesota.