Bios of Lawrence, Harrison, and Willard Freemire, Sunfield and Vermontville Townships, Eaton County, Michigan Copyright © 1998 by Jan Sedore. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ FREEMIRE FAMILY EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN PAST AND PRESENT OF EATON COUNTY Page 312 LAWRENCE B. FREEMIRE Lawrence B. Freemire took up his residence in Eaton County more than forty years ago but lived but a few years thereafter, his death resulting from a most pitiable accident. He had, however, impressed himself on the people of the county as a man of sterling integrity and honor and as a citizen of the highest type, so that it is most fitting that a tribute to his memory be entered in this work, while in the connection will be given also representation to other members of his family who still remain resident of the county. Mr. Freemire was born in the state of New York, in the year 1811, and was reared on a farm, receiving a good common-school education. In the old Empire State was solemnized his marriage to Miss Eliza A. Sheldon, who was there born, April 25, 1821 and who still survives him. They continued resident of New York until 1850, when they removed to Ohio, making the trip with teams and wagons and transpo9rting their household effects by this means. Mr. Freemire purchased a partially improved farm in Lorain County, Ohio, where he remained until 1864, when he came with his family to Eaton County, Michigan, again availing himself of the transportation facilities afforded by team and wagon. He purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land in section 34, Sunfield Township, about forty acres having been cleared and a small frame house having been erected. This was the second frame house erected in the township, and there was also a sawmill on the farm. With aid of his two elder sons, who had attained maturity, he began clearing land and getting out lumber, there being a ready demand for the products of the sawmill. October 10, 1866, while on the way to Vermontville with a load of lumber, the load was displaced, and the heavy lumber fell upon him in such a way as to break his neck, causing instant death. His venerable widow now resides with her second son, Willard L., mentioned in a following paragraph. Lawrence Freemire was a man of marked business capacity and his life was one guided and governed by the highest ethical principles. Of his four sons Harrison is the eldest and Willard L. the second, both being subjects of individual sketches following this. Elden is a resident of Vermontville, and Ambrose of Sunfield Township. PAST AND PRESENT OF EATON COUNTY Page 313 HARRISON FREEMIRE Harrison Freemire, eldest son of the subject of the preceding memoir, was born in Broome county, New York, November 8, 1840, and is one of the representative farmers of Vermontville township, while he is also an honored veteran of the civil war. He was reared to manhood in the old Empire State, and there secured his educational training in the common schools. He was twenty-four years of age at the time of the family removal to Eaton County, and here he is associated with his father and brother Willard in the operation of the sawmill, being engineer in the same. Soon after locating here he purchased forty acres of land in Vermontville Township, on the Ionia Road. About eight acres had been chopped over and a log house and stable had been erected. He located on this land, where he continued to reside nine years, in the meanwhile clearing a considerable portion of the land. He then purchased eighty-five acres where he now lives in section 6, Vermontville Township. About forty acres had been chopped over, but the outlook was not inviting to one of sybaritic tendencies, for stumps and stones were the principal elements of distinction. The upright to the present house had been built and there was also a log barn. The energy and good management of Mr. Freemire are clearly shown in the fine appearance of the farm today. He has made way with the formidable stumps and stones, has cleared an additional twelve acres, has remodeled the house and has erected other good buildings. Prior to coming from Ohio to Michigan he served four months as a valiant soldier of the Union. June 9, 1862, he enlisted in Company D. Eighty-seventy Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and while in the command of General Nelson A. Miles he was one of the large body of Union soldiers captured at Harper'' Ferry, having been slightly wounded before being taken prisoner by the enemy. He received an honorable discharge at the expiration of his term of enlistment, and he now receives a pension in recognition of disabilities resulting from his army services, while he is an appreciative member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He is an uncompromising adherent of the Democratic Party, and has served as highway commissioner of his township. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is one of the popular citizens of his community. Mr. Freemire is especially fond of hunting, being a good shot, and for the past years he has made a hunting trip each winter in the Upper Peninsula of the state, in company with other hunters, principally from Nashville, Barry County. In 1864 Mr. Freemire was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Brown, who was born in Wayne County, Ohio, and whose death occurred in 1897. She is survived by one son, the elder, James W., having died at the age of twenty years. Myron, who was born in 1878, resides with his father and is associated in the work of the farm. He married Miss Grace Green and they have a little daughter, Bessie, and one son, James W., born October 23, 1905. PAST AND PRESENT OF EATON COUNTY Page 313 WILLARD L. FREEMIRE Willard L. Freemire, second son of Lawrence B. Freemire, of whose career a brief outline has been given in a preceding paragraph, was born in Broome County, New York, February 17, 1845, and he accompanied his parents to Ohio when about five years of age, being reared to maturity in the Buckeye State, where he secured his education in the common schools. He was nineteen years old when the family came to Eaton County, and as noted in the foregoing sketches, he assisted in the reclaiming of the home farm and in the operation of the sawmill. After the death of his father he came into possession of fifteen acres of the old homestead, forty acres of the original tract having been sold and fifteen acres having been devised to his father Ambrose. He later purchased an adjoining sixty-five acres and now has a well-improved farm of eighty acres, a large portion of which he individually reclaimed from the forest. He has remodeled the house and in 1901 erected a large and well-equipped barn. He is a stalwart supporter of the principles and policies of the Republican Party, but has never been an aspirant for public office. His venerable mother remains with him and receives the utmost filial care and solicitude. April 22, 1866, Mr. Freemire was united in marriage to Miss Luverne Hall, who died August 18, 1870, leaving no children. Mr. Freemire later wedded Miss Ellen F. Downer, who was born in this state, January 16, 1851, and they became the parents of three children: Lenette, who was born November 26, 1872, and who remains a member of the home circle; Roy W., who was born February 5, 1876, is associated with his father in the work and management of the home farm: he married Miss Ida Bellenger, who died in 1904, leaving no children; Hattie May died at the age of thirteen months. dz