Whiteside County IL Archives Biographies.....Freek, Nicholas 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 January 31, 2008, 3:21 am

Author: Portrait/Bio Album, Whiteside County IL 1885

Nicholas Freek has been a resident of Albany since 1854, when he bought an 
acre of land, on which he built his present residence in 1855, having 
previously sent money on to purchase 80 acres in the country. He was born Feb. 
9, 1820, in Selby, Yorkshire, Eng., and is the son of William and Ann (Abby) 
Freek. His father died when he was 12 years old, and on finding the burden of 
maintenance on himself, he engaged in a brick and tile factory, where he was 
occupied until 1841. On reaching his majority, he determined to emigrate to 
the United States. He took passage for the New World on the sailing 
vessel, "Ohio,'' and landed in New York after a passage of six weeks. He was 
accompanied on his journey by his mother, three brothers, two sisters and 
brother-in-law. The whole party proceeded to the city of Rochester. Mr. Freek 
and one of his brothers went thence to Toronto, Canada. The former was the 
possessor of $5 in cash, but he obtained immediate employment as foreman in a 
brick­yard at $26 a month. In the year following, associated with his brother 
James, he established himself in the manufacture of brick and tile, which 
business they pursued till 1854. In that year Mr. Freek sold his claim in the 
business in Canada and came to Albany. He engaged in the manufacture of brick 
at that place, at Morrison and Savanna, in Carroll County. Mr. Freek is the 
owner of four acres included in the village plat, and all in excellent 
tillage. He was married June 6, 1846, to Mary Routledge. She was born June 16, 
1816, in Market Weighton, Yorkshire, England. Their five children were named 
John, Thomas, Robert W., Ann E. and William Robert. John was born in Toronto 
March 17,1847, and died Nov. 3, 1859; Thomas, born Oct. 8, 1848, is a farmer 
in Newton Township; Robert W., born July 6, 1852, died July 21, 15 days after 
birth; Ann E., born July 20, 1850, married Robert Brewer, of Eau Claire, Wis; 
the youngest son was born Sept. 10, 1854, is a practicing physician and 
druggist and lives at Cordova, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Freek are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church at Albany.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois, Containing Full-
page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens of the County. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1885.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/whiteside/bios/freek2379nbs.txt

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