John Nathaniel "Nat" Freeland (1861-1937)

FREELAND, KIRBY, PEACOCK, FLETCHER, DOUGLASS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 4/25/2022 at 22:06:03

From Nevada Evening Journal January 7, 1937 (page 3)

Final Rites Held Wednesday for J. N. Freeland

Final rites for the late J. N. Freeland, 75, who died here Monday morning after an illness of several weeks, were held Wednesday afternoon at the Bishop Funeral home, after which the body was laid to rest in the Nevada cemetery.

The spacious rooms of the funeral home were well filled for the service which was in charge of the pastor Dr. C. D. Loose of the Methodist Episcopal church, assist by Rev. Georg Hall of Madrid. Two numbers were sung by Harold G. Kruwell.

The floral offerings were many and very beautiful and the service was an impressive one throughout, giving ample testimony to the high position that the deceased had gained in the community during his fifteen years residence here.

J. N. Freeland, one of ten children born to F. A. Freelnd, and Louisa Kirby Freeland, was born near Paris, Edgar county, Illinois on June 6, 1861, and came as a boy with his father's family to a farm near Corydon, Wayne county, Iowa.

He attended the country school in Iowa and Missouri, then spent several years as a dry goods clerk in Allerton, Fort Dodge and Mt. Ayr.

He was united in marriage on Feb. 11, 1886, to Ella M. Peacock at Augusta, Ill. To them was born Feb. 11, 1887, one child, a son Ansel V. Freeland who precede him in death on June 24, 1926. He joined the Methodist Episcopal church during a revival meeting the fall of 1886 and remained a member of this church until the time of his death. He took part in the activities of the church, served as superintendent of the Sunday school, was for two years superintendent of the Taylor County Sabbath School association and has served in other capacities.

He spent about 35 years in the dry goods and clothing business and came to Nevada in the fall of 1921 that he might be near his son and family.

His father and mother and three sisters have passed on.

He leaves his wife; daughter, Beaulah Freeland; two grandsons, John N. and wife Patricia, and Garrett L. Freeland; also three brothers and two sisters, Mrs. Bell Fletcher and Anna Douglass of Imperial, Neb., B. E. Freeland, of Des Moines, J. E. Freeland of Loveland, Colorado, and F. A. Freeland of Athlestan, Mo.

A twin brothers died at Mt. Ayr about a year ago. He also leaves in the home the aged mother of Mrs. Freeland, who has reached the advanced age of ninety-five years.

Mr. Freeland leaves many friends in Nevada where he came in 1921, after retiring from business in Mt. Ayr. A short time later, upon the death of the son, the father took charge of the grocery business that the son had established, and maintained its place in the business circles of Nevada until the grandson, John Freeland Jr. had reached the age to assume the responsibilities of carrying on the business.

Relatives and friends who were from a distance to attend the funeral rites were Mrs. M. E. Freeland, widow of the deceased twin brother, with her son John E. Freeland of Mt. Ayr; Mrs. Tom Ford of Blockton, Iowa, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Douglass of Winterset, Walter L. Peacock, son and two daughters of Norwalk, and Rev. and Mrs. George Hall of Madrid.