Edmund Freeman

 

SOURCE: "History of Champaign County, Illinois," by J. O. Cunningham, 1905

SURNAMES: BARROW, DOWNING, DUCK, FREEMAN, MAPES, OGDEN, PARIS, RUSH, SHOPTAUGH

EDMUND FREEMAN, retired farmer, Champaign County, Ill., was born in Belmont County, Ohio, May 3, 1828, the son of James and Rebecca (OGDEN) FREEMAN, who came from the Buckeye State to Ogden, Ill., in 1830. James Freeman, the father, was born January 24, 1801, and died November 4, 1867, while his wife (Rebecca Ogden) was born February 14, 1804, and died October 5, 1854. The paternal grandparents of Edmund Freeman were Thomas and Lydia FREEMAN, the former born June 7, 1768, died September 13, 1839; the latter born February 2, 1779, died December 3, 1827. They were the parents of eleven children: Martha, James, Thomas, Mary Ann, Eleazer, Sarah, Elizabeth, Stephen, Ichabod and Samuel.

Edmund Freeman, the immediate subject of this sketch, was married in 1853 to Miss Jemima RUSH, also a native of Ohio, born April 20, 1834. Of eleven children born of this marriage, seven grew to maturity, and four sons and one daughter are now living. Their children were: Elizabeth, born July 30, 1854, became the wife of Jackson J. MAPES and died November 29, 1891; Thomas M., born December 23, 1855; Elias, born June 22, 1857; Reuben, born February 16, 1859, died August 11, 1904; Levi, born September 27, 1860; Nancy (date not given); Ellen, born July 5, 1862, died July 12, 1863; Jessie, born October 7, 1866, died June 19, 1873; John Milton, born October 12, 1868; died April 1, 1869; George W., born July 4, 1875, and died next day, and Cora M., born July 31, 1879, and now the wife of William DOWNING of Ogden. Mr. Freeman's first wife died on January 31, 1866, and on January 8, 1888, he was married to Sarah A. PARIS, who died February 27, 1904. His third marriage occurred November 27, 1904, when he was united to Mrs. Louisa SHOPTAUGH, daughter of James and Susannah (BARROW) DUCK, and a native of Edgar County.

In his political views, Mr. Freeman is a Republican, and in his religious associations a member of the Church of Christ.