Yolo County CA Archives Biographies.....Freeman, John W. 1842 - 1906
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com December 1, 2005, 1:45 am

Author: Tom Gregory

p. 185 - 186

JOHN W. FREEMAN

   For many years associated with the early and later development of Yolo
county, Cal., John W. Freeman, born in 1842, retained an important place among
the citizens of this part of the state until his death, which occurred on
Christmas Day, 1906. Then almost twenty years had elapsed since he had located
in Nevada as a rancher and stockman. In Woodland, however, he had had a
beautiful residence which he had made his home, ever giving to the welfare of
the city and surrounding country the support which might have been expected from
one of his generously helpful nature.

   A native of Buchanan county, Mo., Mr. Freeman was left an orphan at an early
age and endured many hardships and privations which taught him that
self-reliance which stood him in such good stead in his later life. At the age
of twelve years he began to acquire a knowledge of printing in a printing office
in Nebraska City, established and owned by the Hon. J. Sterling Morton, in which
he labored faithfully four years. Deciding to follow his brother, Major Frank S.
Freeman, to California, he came overland to the state in 1860, and was employed
as a clerk by his brother, in the latter's store at Yolo City, now Woodland.
Four years later he entered into partnership with his brother, and the two
established a general merchandise enterprise at Lakeport, Lake county, Cal. Two
years later they sold out and opened a store in Cacheville, Yolo county. After
four more years had passed Major Freeman withdrew from the enterprise and A. J.
Hall became John W. Freeman's partner, and the new firm existed about four
years. Then Mr. Freeman sold his interest in this store and again entered into
partnership with his brother, the two conducting the Pioneer store at
Cacheville. About that time they opened a branch store at Capay and a hardware
and agricultural machinery business in the College block, Woodland. The brothers
continued in business until 1885, when John W. Freeman sold out, after which he
improved a large ranch in Capay valley, raising fruit and stock. In 1888 he
located in Nevada, where he bought an extensive stock ranch in the sink of the
Carson river, fourteen miles from Fallen and twenty-seven miles from the
Southern Pacific Railroad. He eventually owned 12,000 acres of land, a part of
which had been under irrigation from the old ditches until 1905, when the great
government canal was completed, the government still recognizing that right. He
devoted his attention to the cultivation of alfalfa and the raising of cattle,
sheep and horses, having thousands of head grazing on the broad lands of his
ranch. In his work he met with the most gratifying results and was justly
mentioned as one of the most successful stockmen of the West, his indomitable
energy and strict application to business having won him his competency and his
proud place among his cotemporaries.

  In Woodland, October 2, 1867, Mr. Freeman married Hannah Swain, sister of Mrs.
Gertrude Freeman, who was born in Marshall, Mich., the daughter of George G. and
Ruth (Kimball) Swain. After spending the first thirteen years of her life in
Calhoun county, Mrs. Freeman came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama
in 1862, and was educated at Hesperian College, Woodland. She is a woman of
culture and refinement, widely known for her generosity of heart and for the
kindly hospitality of her home. She bore Mr. Freeman two children: Mary was born
in Yolo county and was educated at Stanford University, where she was graduated
in 1897 with the B. S. degree. She is now the wife of John H. Crabbe, an
attorney of San Francisco. John Ernest Freeman was a graduate of St. Mathew's
Academy at San Mateo. While manager of the Freeman ranch in Nevada he became
very ill and came to San Francisco, where he died June 22, 1912, at the age of
twenty-eight. In January, 1909, he married Elizabeth Williams, a daughter of
Senator W. W. Williams of Nevada.

    Fraternally John W. Freeman was a Mason of the Knight Templar degree, and
was a member of the Knights of Pythias. Politically he was a staunch Republican.
Mrs. Freeman is a member of the Order of Eastern Star and is a past matron of
Yolo Chapter No. 60. She attends the Protestant Episcopal Church and assists all
of the varied interests of that organization at Woodland. With her sister she
was active in the establishment of the city library which, when it was popular
and prosperous to a degree, was turned by its management over to the city of
Woodland. Since her husband's death she has retained the ownership of the
Freeman ranch in Nevada, which is under her management, and she also has
valuable property in Woodland and in San Francisco.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]



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