TWELFTH GENERATION

2510. Major John FREEMAN ⁽²²⁹⁾ was born in 1622 in Billingshurst, West Sussex, ENGLAND. 1626/1627 according to MA Custom House Rolls He was baptised on 28 Jan 1626/27. He immigrated in 1635 to Massachusetts. came with his father. Listed as eight years old on the Custom House Rolls. He died on 9 Oct 1719 in Eastham, Barnstable, MA. He was buried in Eastham, Barnstable, MA - Cove Burial Ground. buried with Mercy, his wife alt. date
b. 1627
m. poss. 1650


http://www.pir8.net/levonda/freeman2.htm
Major John Freeman SR.



JOHN FREEMAN Sr., son of Edmund Freeman and Bennett Hodsoll was baptized
January 28, 1626/7, at Billinghurst, County Sussex, England; died October 28, 1719
[his gravestone says in his 98th year, but it was really his 93rd year], at Eastham,
Massachusetts, and married, at Eastham, on February 13, 1649 to MERCY
PRENCE, daughter of Governor Thomas and Patience (Brewster) Prence and
granddaughter of Elder William Brewster (1566-1643), a spiritual leader of the
Puritans and Mary Wentworth (1568-1626).

He came to New England with his father in 1635, being then listed as eight years old
on the Custom House rolls. His home during his youth was with his father at Lynn and
at Sandwich; he left the latter place for Eastham probably by or before 1649, the date
of his marriage, and certainly before June, 1651, when he served on the grand jury
from there. His name was propounded for freemanship in June, 1651, and he was
admitted as such in June, 1652. His life was filled with official duties, even more than
his father's had been; he served as a grand juror on various occasions, as surveyor of
highways at Eastham in 1653, as a selectman there from 1663 for ten years, as a
Deputy from that town from 1654 to 1666 inclusive and as an Assistant to the
Governor from 1666 to 1686 and from 1689 to 1691, all inclusive. The break in his
term of service from 1686 to 1689 was caused by the usurpation of Gov. Andros and
the cessation of all colonial offices for that period. His duties in the latter capacity
were quite incessant and much more varied than those of a Judge of our present-day
courts. He was appointed as late as 1692 to the bench of the first Court of Common
Pleas which was established after the Union of the Colonies, and his military service
was a helpful as his civic activities.

In August, 1643, he was a member of the military company of Sandwich; on March 6,
1654/5, he was made ensign bearer of the Eastham Company, and in October, 1658,
as such he became, by order of the Council of War, a member of the Council or Staff
of Maj. Josias Winslow. Having apparently become a lieutenant before October 6,
1659, he was then made an officer of that grade in the cavalry. In April, 1667, as a
result of a menace to the colonies by the French and the "Duch," there was appointed
a council in each town to assist the regular officers and Lt. John was so named for
Eastham. On September 15, 1673, the Court, with him present as an Assistant,
"haueg considered the information giuen concerning the Duchtheire actings att New
York and places adjacent" ordered that the "troopof horse allowed by the Court
shalbe sixty, whoe shall haaue horse pistolls, and each of them a carbine, with other
cculterments fitt for service;" that volunteers should be encouraged to bring the
membership to that number and that in case of attack at any given town, the portion of
the personnel of this troop which was resident in a near-by town might, by direction
of their local council, hasten to their relief and might even "presse horses for their
better expedition if they shall see cause."

At a meeting of the Council of War held at Plymouth, July 8, 1671, relative to the
menace to the colony of King Philip and his followers, it was decided to impress a
body of one hundred men and "forty of our trustiest Indians" for a campaign against
them during the following month and Lt. John was to be second in command under
Maj. Josias Winslow. This action was followed on August 23rd by a decision to send
letters to the neighboring colonies asking their advice and cooperation and the letter
to Massachusetts Bay was sent by the hand of Lt. John. Before October 4, 1675, he
had been made a Captain, for as such, on that date, he was one of a committee to
take an account of the charges "arising by this spent war" meaning King Philip's War.
He also served actively in that campaign and as a result his estate received a grant of
land in Narragansett Township No. 7, at what is now Gorham, Maine. This section
was not assigned to the heirs of the participants until 1733, or fifty eight years after
the battle occurred, but it finally assured lot No. 34 to the estate of John. It
developed that in June, 1678, Taunton still owed the colony certain sums "for
billetting Captaine Freeman and his men and theire horses""in the late warr with the
Indians," "likewise to pay for beef which was disposed off when Capt. Freeman was
att youer towne, either by Capt. Freeman or any of youer celect men for the releiffe
of some of youer poor, whoe were in extreamyty. On June 2, 1685, the military
companies of Barnstable, Sandwich, Yarmouth and Eastham were made the 3rd
Regiment and John Freeman was commissioned Major Commandant thereof, with
other companies added later. John was called upon to assist in auditing the books of
the Treasurer of the Colony in 1662, 1664, 1673 and 1674. In 1663 he and two other
were appointed for a year to hold certain wampum belonging to the colony and to pay
from it fifteen shillings bounty to each Indian who would bring in a wolf's head. Of
nine Indians who had stolen a cask of liquor in 1667, three were sentenced to be
whipped and the other six were ordered to pay £10 to John as agent for the colony, in
"Indian corne, or porke, or feathers." In June, 1670, he and Jonathan Sparrow were a
Committee for Eastham to "looke after the Minnesters Rate." By or before that year
the Court had ordered that no tar which was made within the colony should be sold
outside of it, and that its price for a two-year term should be eight shillings in money
for a small barrel containing not less than sixteen gallons, beer measure, or twelve
shillings for a "great barrell" and that John should handle all that was made in
Eastham. John was appointed to the bench of the Court of Common Pleas on Dec. 7,
1692. For many years, John was a Deacon of the Eastham Church.

"There were few men in the colony in his day who bore a better reputation than Major
John Freeman. He was upright and impartial in all his acts while a public servant and
correct in his religious walk." The gravestones of John and Mercy may be seen in a
small burial place called "Cove Burying Ground", on the east side of the road leading
north from Orleans to the present Eastham, which is but a portion of the ancient town.
They are of slate and very small. The inscription on Mercy's stone is surrounded by a
line forming a heart. Mercy Prence Freeman died on Sept. 28, 1711 and John died on
Oct. 28, 1719; in the Mass. Bay Colony.

They had eleven children together and they are listed as follows:



John Freeman- b. 02-Feb-1650. d. 1650 (as an infant)

John Freeman JR.- b. Dec. 1651 in Eastham, MA. d. 27-Jul-1721 in
Harwich, MA. m. Sarah Merrick on 18-Dec-1672. m. Mercy Hedge Watson in 1701.
(My next descendant)

Deacon Thomas Freeman- b. Sept. 1653 in Eastham, MA. d.
09-Feb-1715/16 in North Harwich, MA. m. Rebecca Sparrow on 31-Dec-1673 in
Eastham, MA.

Patience Freeman- b. 1654 in Eastham, MA. d. 15-Feb-1744/45 in
Eastham, MA. m. Lieutenant Samuel Payne on 31-Jan-1682 in Eastham, MA.

Hannah Freeman- b. 1656. d. 15-Feb-1743. m. John Mayo on
14-May-1681 in Eastham, MA.

Lt. Edmond Freeman- b. July 1657. d. 10-Dec-1717. m. Ruth Merrick.
m. Sarah Mayo on 10 Dec 1717.

Mercy Freeman- b. Dec. 1659. d. 19-Jun-1737. m. Samuel Knowles in
16-Dec-1679 in Eastham, MA.

William Freeman- b. 1660. d. 1687. m. Lydia Sparrow in 1684.

Prince Freeman- b. 03-Feb-1665. d. young?

Nathaniel Freeman- b. 20-Mar-1669. d. 04-Jan-1760. m. Mary ? in 1690.

Bennett Freeman- b. 14-Mar-1670. d. 30-May-1716. m. Deacon John
Payne of Eastham, 14-Mar-1689. He was married to Mercy PRENCE on 13 Feb 1649 in Duxbury, Plymouth, MA.

2511. Mercy PRENCE was born in Jun 1631 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA. She died on 28 Sep 1711 in Eastham, Barnstable, MA. She was also known as Mary. Children were:

i. John FREEMAN was born on 2 Feb 1650. He died after 2 Feb 1650.
ii. John FREEMAN Jr. was born in Dec 1651 in Eastham, Barnstable, MA. He died on 27 Jul 1721 in Harwich, MA.
iii. Deacon Thomas FREEMAN was born in Sep 1653 in Eastham, Barnstable, MA. He died on 9 Feb 1715/16 in North Harwich, MA.
iv. Patience FREEMAN was born in 1654 in Eastham, Barnstable, MA. She died on 15 Feb 1744/45 in Eastham, Barnstable, MA.
v. Hannah FREEMAN was born in 1656. She died in 1743.
vi. Lt. Edmond FREEMAN was born in Jul 1657. He died on 10 Dec 1717.
vii. Mercy FREEMAN was born in Dec 1659. She died on 19 Jun 1737.
viii. William FREEMAN was born in 1660. He died in 1667.
ix. Prince FREEMAN was born on 3 Feb 1665.
x. Nathaniel FREEMAN was born on 20 Mar 1669. He died on 4 Jan 1760.
1255 xi. Bennett FREEMAN.

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