Maj. John Freeman

Maj. John Freeman

• Birth: 1622 Pulborough Horsham District West Sussex, England
• Baptism: Jan 28,1626/7. The baptism took place at St Mary the Virgin Parish Church in Billinghurst.
• Death: Oct. 28, 1719 Eastham Barnstable County Massachusetts
• Parents: Edmund Freeman & Bennett Hodsoll.
• Wife: Mercy Prence (daughter Thomas Prence & Patience Brewster) of on Feb 13,1649/50 in Eastham,MA.
• Children: John Freeman, John Freeman Jr, Thomas Freeman, Patience Freeman Paine, Edmond Freeman, Mercy Freeman Knowles, William Freeman(first husband of Lydia Sparrow Freeman Higgins), Hannah Freeman Mayo, Prince Freeman, Nathaniel Freeman, and Bennett Freeman Paine.

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Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Freeman-80

Major John Freeman, Sr was baptized January 28, 1626, the son of Edmund Freeman and Bennett Hodsoll in Billinghurst, Sussex, England[1] [2] [3]

In 1635, he emigrated to Plymouth Colony aboard the Abigail with his family, and settled at Lynn, and then Sandwich[1] [2] [3]

On February 13, 1649, he married Mercy Prence, the daughter of Patience Brewster and Governor Thomas Prence[4] [1] [2] [3] [5]

John and Mercy (Prence) Freeman settled in Eastham, where he rose through the ranks of the militia from ensign, to captain, lieutenant and major[2]. He also served as a Deputy, a selectman, assistant to the Government, and a justice of the court of common pleas[3]

Their children included:

1. John, born February 2, 1650, who died in infancy[4] [2] [3]
2. John, born December 1651[4], who married Sarah Merrick and then married Sarah, widow of Elkanah Watson[2] [3] [6]
3. Thomas, born September 1655[4], who married Rebecca Sparrow[2], and predeceased his father[6]
4. Patience, who married Samuel Paine[2] [3] [6]
5. Edmond, born June 1657[4], who married Ruth Merrick and then married Sarah Mayo[3], and who died December 10, 1718[2] [6]
6. Mercy, born July 1659[4], who married Samuel Knowles[2] [3] [6]
7. William born 1663, who married Lydia Sparrow[2] [3]
8. Hannah, who married John Mayo[2] [3] [6]
9. Prince, born Feb 3, 1665, who died young[2] [3]
10. Nathaniel, born March 20, 1669, who married Mary (Howland)[2] [3] [6]
11. Bennett, born March 7, 1670, who married John Paine[2][3]

Major John Freeman died October 28, 1719 at Eastham[2][3]. His will was dated June 1, 1716[6], and names those children who were living at that time, and family members of those who were deceased. His estate was administered 27 January 1719/20[7]

He was buried in the Cove Burying Ground, Eastham, and his gravestone reads: "Here lyes the body of Major John Freeman Decd October Ye 28 1719 in ye 98th year of his age"[8]

References

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Freeman-80
• Great Migration 1634-1635, C-F. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume II, C-F, by Robert Charles Anderson, George F. Sanborn, Jr., and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001. See page 580 for John, son of Edmund and Bennett, baptized January 28, 1626 in Billinghurst
• Prince Freeman of East Hampton Connecticut by Homer Worthington Brainard, published in Volume 17 (1940) page 81 of The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .) Edmund and Bennett's relocation from Pullborough to Billingshurst about 2 years after their marriage is noted on page 89. John's baptism is provided on page 92
• Freeman, Frederick. Freeman Genealogy in Three Parts (Franklin Press, Rand, Avery, and Co., Boston, 1875), see person #5 on pages 23 and 27
• From http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7301580 Based on his stone, he was likely born about 1622.
• The Mayflower Descendant, Pilgrim Genealogy, History and Biography, Volume VIII, The Mayflower Society [5]
• Bowman, George Ernest. "John Freeman of Eastham and Harwich His Wives, His Children, His Will and His Widow's Estate." The Mayflower Descendant 33 (1935): 100-05. Accessed May 8, 2016. https://books.google.com/books?id=sJpLe16SzSYC.
• Findagrave, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=51252114
• Source: #S667 Page: pg. 260 - Freeman pg. 260 - Freeman
• Entered by Tom Bredehoft, 5/3/2013
• (Published by the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, Boston, 1906, page 34): http://books.google.com/ebooks/reader?id=uYhHAAAAYAAJ&printsec=fron...
  • General Society of Mayflower Descendants Membership Applications, 1620-1920. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2020). < AmericanAncestors > Name Winifred HOLMAN Record 7/25/1924 Location Massachusetts, United States Original Text Application for William Brewster Gen Member Number 07723-00 Note page 1 of 4 Generation 0 State Member Number 2626 Supplement Number 0 Source 105046741-00164 Volume Name Brewster, William Page 1821:1
• Source: S-6 Vol. XII
• “Barnstable, MA: Probate Records, 1685–1789.” Records of Barnstable, Massachusetts. CD-ROM. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) p. 387.
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=freeman&GSfn=... Find A Grave Maj. John Freeman
• http://minerdescent.com/2010/05/17/maj-john-freeman/
• Title: "Records from Old North Cemetery, Truro".
• [7] The Descendants of William Brewster
• [8] Genealogical Notes on Barnstable Families, Volume One, by Amos Otis, page 386:
• [9] The Mayflower Descendant, Pilgrim Genealogy, History and Biography, Volume VIII,
• [10] Find-a-grave:
• [11] Title: U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
• 12] Title: Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s
• [13] Source S17 Title: Ancestry Family Trees (Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network.Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.;) Repository: #R2 Repository R2 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com
• Mayflower desc. v.34 p.70; 110. Foster gen. p.561. Brewster, Mass., v.r. p.70,4, 16 Spouse Mary (Polly) Foster. General Society of Mayflower Descendants Membership Applications, 1620-1920. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2020). https://www.americanancestors.org/DB2731/i/60044/3876-co1/1430521462