Freeman, Wilbert S.

FREEMAN, STEVENS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Plym. CC (email)
Date: 2/21/2005 at 17:32:44

Wilbert S. Freeman

Wilbert S. Freeman, an honored veteran of the Civil War, former recorder of Plymouth county, former postmaster of Le Mars and a well-to-do citizen of this county, now living retired at his comfortable home in Le Mars, is a native of the old Green Mountain state, but has been a resident of Plymouth county since 1869. He has thus been a witness to and a participant in the development of this county since pioneer days, few men here-about having a wider or more accurate fund of information regarding the early days of this section of Iowa than he. Mr. Freeman was born at Essex, Chittenden county, Vermont, June 6, 1847, son of Samuel A. and Almira A. (Stevens) Freeman, the later of whom was born in that same place. Samuel A. Freeman was born on February 20, 1820, and died in 1884. His wife had long preceded him to the grave, her death having occurred in 1862. Mr. Freeman's paternal grandparents were residents of Massachusetts and his maternal grandparents, of Connecticut, representatives of old colonial families, and ancestors on both sides of the family fought as soldiers in the patriot army during the Revolutionary War.

Mr. Freeman moved from Vermont to Illinois with his parents in 1855, he then being but eight years of age, and he was living in that state when the Civil War broke out. Though but a boy at the time, he enlisted for service and served as a musician in Company B, Eighth Illinois Cavalry. Upon the completion of his military service, he returned to Illinois and remained there until in March, 1869, when he came to Iowa and settled in Plymouth county, where he has resided ever since. Mr. Freeman is a Republican and served as recorder of Plymouth county during the years 1884-85-86-87, and as postmaster at Le Mars from January 29, 1906, to May 1, 1915. As noted above, there are few, if any, persons in Plymouth county who have a wider acquaintance with people and events in this part of the state his service as editor of the historical volume of this work has been highly appreciated by all connected with the compilation thereof, rendering at the same time an invaluable service to the community at large. Mr. Freeman is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic and he and his wife are members of the Congregational church. Mrs. Freeman, whose maiden name was Mary Adams, was born in Canada. The Freemans have a very pleasant home at No. 1100 Madison street, Le Mars, and have ever taken a proper part in the general social and cultural activities of their home town. Mr. Freeman is the owner of two hundred acres of land in Clay county, South Dakota, and is regarded as one of this county's substantial and influential citizens, his influence ever having been exerted in behalf of the promotion of all movements having to do with the advancement of the common welfare hereabout.

BOOK SOURCE:
History of Plymouth County, Iowa
Indianapolis, Ind.: B. F. Bowen, 1917