Chatham County GaArchives Biographies.....Freeman, George C. 1833 - living in 1913
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 13, 2004, 2:47 pm

Author: William Harden
p. 579-581

   GEORGE C. FREEMAN. As money, or any other medium of exchange, is the
life-blood of business and commerce, it is evident that bankers, men who manage
and control the circulating medium, stand related to the public as the physician
who has his finger on the pulse of the patient and has the power of controlling
his condition for better or worse. No member of the business community has a
greater responsibility than the banker and any community or city is much to be
congratulated which has at the head of its finances men of thorough training,
stanch ability and moral dependability. No banker of the South is more closely
typical of what, is required in the financial manager and leader to inspire and
retain business and commercial confidence than George C. Freeman, assistant to
the president of the Citizens and Southern Bank, one of Georgia's most important
monetary institutions. He has resided in Savannah since 1854, and has been
identified with banking interests since 1873.

   Mr. Freeman is one of the Forest city's venerable citizens, his birth having
occurred in Bibb county, Georgia, August 16, 1833. He is the son of Azel R. and
Delia (Shaw) Freeman. The father was born in New Jersey in 1792. While still a
youth he started out like the proverbial hero of romance to seek his fortunes,
going with two companions to what was then known as the "West," crossing the
Allegheny mountains and going down the Ohio river and finally locating in
Lexington, Kentucky. When the War of 1812 came on Azel Freeman volunteered for
service and joined the Kentucky Mounted Riflemen, with which organization he
crossed the Ohio river and served with the same on the northern frontier. Upon
the termination of hostilities, he returned to the Blue Grass state, but
subsequently went thence to Nashville, Tennessee, which city remained his home
for a number of years. In 1827 he removed from Nashville to Bibb county,
Georgia, locating where the present city of Macon is situated, and in Bibb
county he spent the years which remained to him before traveling on to the
undiscovered country,

           "From whose bourne no traveler returns." 

The mother of the subject was a native of Massachusetts.

   George C. Freeman was reared and educated in Bibb county. He came to Savannah
in 1854, and ever since that time he has maintained his home in this city. His
first employment in Savannah was in the office of Hudson, Fleming & Company,
cotton factors, with whom he remained for six years. He then formed a
partnership with A. H. Champion, under the firm name of Champion & Freeman, in
the wholesale grocery business, their location being at the corner of Bay and
Drayton streets. At the outbreak of the Civil war, in 1861, Mr. Freeman and Mr.
Champion both joined the army of the Confederacy and their business, like that
of many another Southern firm, became suspended on that account, to be resumed
after the close of the war.

   Mr. Freeman joined the Chatham Artillery in Savannah and was in service in
Chatham county. In the second year of the war he was detached from his command
and assigned to duty as assistant to the collector of the port of Savannah,
under the Confederate government. The collector of the port was James R. Sneed
and his chief deputy was Maj. Charles S. Hardee, who has for many years held the
office of city treasurer of Savannah. A day or two prior to Sherman's entrance
into Savannah, the collector of the port and his office force, taking their
records, books, money and other possessions, went to Charleston, and of this
historic party Mr. Freeman was a member. Within a few days they changed their
headquarters from Charleston to Augusta; thence the Confederate authorities
ordered them to Macon; from Macon to Milledgeville; and from the latter place
they retreated to the plantation of Dr. T. A. Parsons, in Laurens county, whence
they were ordered to Macon, where their effects were surrendered to the United
States authorities and the party was paroled and returned to Savannah.

   Upon the return of peace to the devastated country, the business of Champion
& Freeman was successfully re-established and continued until 1877. Mr. Freeman,
however, is best known for his long and honorable connection with banking
business in Savannah. He entered upon his career in this field in 1873, when he
was elected a director and vice-president of the Citizens' Mutual Loan Company,
which began business in June of that year. He was one of the originators of that
well-remembered financial institution and took an active part in the management
of its affairs from the beginning. It was successful from the start and earned a
good annual profit in dividends to its stockholders. In 1887 the Citizens' Bank
was organized and by unanimous vote the Citizens' Mutual Loan Company was merged
into that institution. The Citizens' Bank began'with a capital stock of
$200,000, and Mr. Freeman was the first cashier of the new bank. In 1890, the
Citizens' Bank was reorganized and $300,000 was added to its capital, making its
capital stock $500,000. Mr. Freeman remained as cashier after the
reorganization, being the only one of the old officers retained after the
reorganization.

   In 1906 the Citizens' Bank was consolidated with the Southern Bank of the
state of Georgia, with the name of the Citizens and Southern Bank, and of this
substantial institution, as mentioned in a preceding paragraph, Mr. Freeman is
an officer and assistant to the president; the increasing duties of the
cashier's position being considered more than Mr. Freeman should discharge after
his long years of service with the bank. The Citizens and Southern Bank is one
of the largest and strongest banks in the South. It has a capital stock of
$1,000,000, with a surplus and undivided profits running over a million dollars.
It occupies the beautiful banking building constructed for its exclusive use, in
the square surrounded by St. Julian, Bryan, Bull and Drayton streets, with
entrances from both Bull and Drayton streets. Nothing could possibly be more
advantageous than its situation. Besides his position of assistant to the
president, Mr. Freeman is also secretary of the board of directors.

   Mr. Freeman served five years as alderman of Savannah and was at one time
chairman of the finance committee. He has been a member and officer of the
Savannah Benevolent Association since 1866, and for ten years he was secretary,
for nine years president, and for twenty-six years, treasurer, which latter
position he now holds. He is a member of the Independent Presbyterian church and
has been one of its board of trustees since 1878. He is the friend of good
government and takes a public-spirited interest in all measures likely to
advance the welfare of the beautiful old city to which he came over half a
century ago.

   Mr. Freeman laid one of the most important stones in the foundation of his
success in 1862 by his marriage to Miss Sarah E. Davis, of Savannah, daughter of
William H. Davis, one of the well-known early residents of the city and
particularly well remembered for his prominent connection with the Republican
Blues, one of Savannah's famous military organizations. Their union has been
blessed by five children, two of whom now survive: Judge Davis, Freeman, lawyer,
and judge of the city court of Savannah; and Miss Georgia Freeman, a member of
the charming Freeman household, whose hospitality is thoroughly consistent with
Southern traditions.


Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME I
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913


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