Biography - Honorable Romeo H. Freer
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Our thanks to the Ritchie County Historical Society
April/May 1973 Newsletter
Information submitted by Miss Nell Robinson
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HONORABLE ROMEO H. FREER        

Among the many names that adorn the pages of West Virginia history, there
is none which shines with brighter luster than that of Honorable Romeo H.
Freer.  He was born at Bazette, Trumball county, Ohio, November 9, 1845.
He was of French-English descent, his father being Josiah D. Freer, whose
ancestors came from France and settled in New York State; while his mother
was Caroline P. Brown, whose parents were English.

When Romeo was three years old, his father moved to Hartsgrove, Ashtabula
County, Ohio, and there he spent his youthful days receiving his education
in the common schools.  At the outbreak of the Rebellion, he enlisted in
the Union Army, although only fifteen years of age and served from 1862 to
1865.

At the close of the Civil War, in 1866, he located at Charleston, West
Virginia, and began reading law while teaching school.  Two years later, he
was admitted to the Bar.  The same year he was made Assistant Prosecuting
Attorney of Kanawha County, which position he held until 1870, when he was
elected to the office of Prosecuting Attorney.

In 1873, he was appointed United States Consul to Nicaragua, Central
America, during the second administration of President Grant.  Mr. Freer
was a Grant elector in 1872 and a Blaine elector in 1884.  In 1877 he
resigned the office of United States Consul and was appointed Register of
the Land Office for New Mexico which office he also resigned in 1879.

In 1881 Judge Freer moved to Ritchie County, where in 1884 he was united in
marriage to Mary Iams.  Aside from his political life, Judge Freer has held
many positions of honor and trust.  He was Department Commander of the
Grand Army of the Republic in 1897 and in 1898 served as Grand Master in
the I.O.O.F.

In 1890, he was elected to the State Legislature and served in the years
1891-1892.  In 1892 he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Ritchie County,
and at the expiration of his term in that office in 1896, he was elected
Judge of the Circuit Court for the Circuit embracing Ritchie, Tyler,
Doddridge, and Wetzel counties.

Having served two years as Circuit Judge, he was nominated for the United
States House of Representatives, from the Fourth District of West Virginia
and elected.  During his term in Congress, he was a member of the Special
Committee which recommended refusal to seat, as a member of the House, Mr.
Roberts of Utah.  He was also a member of the Judiciary Committee and the
Committee on Patents.

Congressman Freer was nominated and elected Attorney General of West
Virginia and from 1901 to 1905 he held this office.  At the close of the
term, he returned to Harrisville,and resumed the practice of law, becoming
the senior partner of the firm of Freer and Robinson.

The West Virginia National Guard was an object of his special affection; he
was really its founder.  In this organization, he served as Captain, Major
and Colonel, First Regiment; hence, the title by which he was best known -
Colonel Freer.

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