Edmund Freeman

Son of Edmund Freeman, baptized at Billingshurst, Sussex, on 26 Nov 1620. He came over with his family on the Abigail in 1635: "Edmond Freeman 15." In 1642 he bought William Almy's house and undertaker's rights at Sandwich as "Edmond ffreeman of Sandwich the yeonger." He married Rebecca Prence, daughter of Gov. Thomas Prence and Patience Brewster, on 22 Apr 1646; she died soon after the birth of their only child, Rebecca, and on 18 July 1651 he married Margaret Perry.

On 3 Oct 1659, "Mr Edmond Freeman, Junir, for refusing to assist Gorge Barlow, the marshall of Sandwich, in the execution of his office, is fined ten shillings" (PCR 3:173). The fine was long told of his father, of whom Frederick Freeman wrote, "Self-respect, doubtless, forbade a murmuring word." From 1669 he served Sandwich seven years as deputy.

In King Philip's War the colony's council of war, on 29 Feb 1675/6, named a council of war for each town, with power over "watches and wardings and garrisons"; Sandwich's was "Mr Richard Bourne, Mr Edmond Freeman, Junir, Thomas Tobey, Senir" (Records of the Colony of New Plymouth 5:186). The same order put his brother John Freeman on Eastham's. The day before, his brother-in-law Lt. John Ellis had called the Sandwich town meeting that let families into the town garrison (Freeman, History of Cape Cod 2:68).

He died by January 1703/4, when administration of his estate went to his son-in-law Ezra Perry. The settling of it was bitter: his son Edmund appealed to the Superior Court on 12 Mar 1704/5, calling the testimony of his uncle John Freeman a "pack of lyes," and lost (Miner Descent, from the probate).

Children (Freeman Genealogy): Rebecca (m. Ezra Perry Jr.); Margaret (1652); Edmund (1655); Alice (1658); Rachel (1659, m. John Landers); Sarah (1662, m. Richard Landers); Deborah (1665, m. Thomas Landers).