Fulton Daily Leader - Friday Evening, May 17,1912

  J. M. Freeman Dead - Pioneer Citizen, Ex-Confederate Soldier, Useful 
and Upright Citizen Goes to His Final Reward. Death Came After Days 
of Suffering at His Home on Commercial Avenue. Funeral from Family 
Residence Sunday Afternoon at Two O'clock. Burial to be Under Auspices 
of Masons at Fairview.
  At 10 o'clock this morning, pioneer citizen, valiant Confederate soldier 
and upright man, breathed his last, after days of terrible agony incident to 
the disorder which proved victorious, peritonitis. Death came to the bedside 
of the aged sufferer while his wife and children hovered near ready to 
administer relief and comfort.
  The funeral will take place Sunday afternoon at two o'clock from the family 
residence on Commercial Avenue. The burial will take place at Fairview 
under the auspices of the Masonic Fraternity, of which he had been a member 
for more than forty years.
  The deceased was born in Weakley County, Tennessee, March 6th, 1833, 
where he resided until the opening of hostilities between the states, when he 
cast his fortunes with the cause that lost, enlisting in the First Kentucky 
Battalion Confederate volunteers, in this city. Later he was transferred to 
Wheeler's cavalry, of which he continued a member throughout the long and 
bloody struggle. He was an active participant in many of the most sanguinary 
engagements of the Civil War, and his old comrades in arms delight to recount 
incidents of the days of "blood and iron" in which he acquitted himself with 
that gallantry and courage which reflects honor upon his name, and glory upon 
the uniform he wore. After the surrender he was paroled at Montgomery, Alabama,
without money and in tattered clothes, as was the condition of the brave and 
dauntless remnant that resisted the Northern invader to the end. With heavy heart, 
yet unbroken spirit, he turned his face to Kentucky and walked the entire length 
of the way, arriving at the home of his mother, who was then living in Mayfield. 
He remained there only a short time, going to Pierce, Tennessee, he embarked in
business. While there he met the lady who was to become his wife, Miss Josephine
Breakfield, to whom he was married in 1870.
  In 1874 he removed to this city and engaged in the grocery business, for a number 
of years on the site where the New Meadows Hotel now stands, later buying and 
moving to the property located on the corner of State Line and Church streets.
Continuously, until 1909, he occupied this building, when he sold out his grocery
business and became interested in a business at San Marcos, Texas. Since that time 
he has made numerous trips to San Marcos, but never moved, choosing to remain 
in this city and have his business there conducted by his son, M.r J. T. Freeman, 
and son-in-law, Mr. A. E. Cheesbro.
  During his long residence in this city, he was many times solicited to run for public
office, but aside from serving on the city council, would never allow his name to be 
used in connection with politics.
  Besides the aged widow, who is grief-stricken, five children survive to mourn his 
death, They are: John T. Freeman and Mrs. A. E.Cheesebro, of San Marcos, Texas; 
Mrs. Ed Dancy and Mrs. Bate Vance of Arcadia, Florida, and Miss Sallie Freeman, 
of this city.