John Freeman

Also Maj. John Freeman of Eastham

Maj. John Freeman of Eastham, Massachusetts, son of Edmund Freeman of Sandwich, baptized at Billingshurst, Sussex, in 1626/7, who came over aged eight on the Abigail. He married Mercy, daughter of Gov. Thomas Prence, in 1649/50, and was deputy, selectman, an Assistant from 1666 and judge of Common Pleas in 1692; he died at Eastham in 1719. Brother of Elizabeth, wife of John Ellis.

Family tree →Migration map →
01

Life

  1. 1626
    Born
    bapt. 28 Jan 1626/7, Billingshurst, Sussex, England

    From the 1633/4 Chancery depositions. "John Freeman 8" on the Abigail.

    documentedprobable
    Sources· 2 found
  2. 1649
    Married Mercy Prence, daughter of Gov. Thomas Prence
    13 Feb 1649/50
    compiledprobable
  3. 1719
    Died
02

Family

Spouse
Mercy Prence, daughter of Gov. Thomas Prence · married 1649

She died 28 Sept 1711 "in the 81st year."

compiledprobable
Sources· 1 found
03

Pedigree

documentedcompiledinferred
04

Notes

Major John Freeman of Eastham: deputy, selectman, Assistant from 1666, judge of Common Pleas 1692. In July 1674 the Indian Hoken, “a notoriouse theife,” broke prison, stole a horse and “lyeth sherking and lurking about,” and the Court ordered “Leiftenant Freeman or any other magistrate that can light off the said Hoken” to have him “sold or sent to Barbadoes.” In March 1676/7 he distributed Eastham’s share of “the contribution made by diuers Christians in Ireland” for the relief of losses in King Philip’s War, and in June 1678 Taunton was owed for “billetting Captaine Freeman and his men and theire horses,” and for beef he gave out “for the releiffe of some of youer poor, whoe were in extreamyty” (Plymouth Colony Records, quoted in Dawes-Gates 2:356-361). His father-in-law Gov. Thomas Prence’s codicil of 28 Mar 1673 left him “Speeds Cronicle and Wilson’s Dictionary and the abridgement; and Simpsons History of the Church and Newmans Concordance” (DG 2:360). His will (1716) freed “his negroes ‘Tobye’ and Bess, with the added gifts of four acres of land, a horse and a cow” (Dawes-Gates paraphrase; Freeman Genealogy p. 29).

Children (Dawes-Gates; NEHGR 20): John (d. young); John (1651-1721); Thomas (1653-1715/16); Patience; Hannah (m. John Mayo); Edmond (1657-1717); Mercy; William (c. 1660-1686/7); Prince (d. young); Nathaniel (1669-1760); Bennett.

05

Connections

In his ancestry
3 notable connections →

Every notable ancestor and famous relative that John's own ancestors lead to, with the lines drawn down to him.

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