FOURTH GENERATION
45. Jonathan Freeman
was born about 1788 in Middlesex Co, NJ.(2)
He died between 1856 and 1860 in Liberty Twp, Clarke Co, IA. Although
there is no concrete proof of the parentage ascribed for Jonathan, a compelling
amount of evidence of dates and places make the association most likely. There
is no other family that fit all the facts.
Jonathan Freeman was born in Middlesex Co, NJ probably in South Brunswick on
the farm his father had inherited from his father. Jonathan, Sr obtained property
in South Amboy, and Jonathan, Jr and his first wife lived on a portion of that
tract after their marriage. Jonathan served in the War of 1812 as a private
in the company commanded by John Frazee and Lt Jacob Holmes under Maj Isaac Andrus'
detachment of the NJ militia. He was drafted, and entered service in June of
that year at Inglestown, New Jersey and served for a period of two months. At
some point in time, before 1815, Jonathan and his first wife, Elizabeth Gordon
migrated to Pennsylvania. Elizabeth died in Pennsylvania, perhaps in the birth
of the couples second son, Alexander...or shortly thereafter. Jonathan, his two
sons and two or three of his brothers migrated to Ohio around 1816. There they
bought property and began farming. They settled the area near the Guernsey and
Muskingum county lines. In 1817, approximately two years after the death of his
first wife, Jonathan, carrying the burden of being both mother and father for
his two young sons met and married Mary Ann Cherry. Perhaps he had known Mary
prior to his relocation from Pennsylvania to Ohio, or had met her after settling
in Ohio. Together, John and Mary had 10 children, all but one living into adulthood.
The family appeared in the 1830 Guernsey Co census, and were in Muskingum county
during the 1840 and 1850 census. Mary died sometime between the 1840 census and
the one taken in 1850. In November of 1852 while living in Muskingum county,
Ohio, Jonathan filed for a bounty land claim which his service during the war
of 1812 had qualified him. Sometime after that, Jonathan made his final move
to the new lands that were opening up in Iowa. In 1850, he still had two of
his sons at home, and it is presumed that they probably made the trip to Iowa
with him. How many of his married children’s families migrated with him
at that time is not known. It is known that his son, Joseph and his family had
migrated into Iowa by 1851. From Iowa, many of the extended family unit gradually
began to move on to other parts of Iowa, and eventually on to Nebraska, Oklahoma
and beyond as they married and began their own lives. Jonathan died at Liberty
twp, Clarke Co, Iowa sometime during the timeperiod of 1856-1860 and is buried
in the Liberty cemetery. On his simple tombstore are: JONATHAN FREEMAN FRAZERS'
N.J Mil. WAR 1812. In all likelihood his daughter, Elizabeth (Jackson) cared
for her father until the time of his death. Elizabeth is buried in the Liberty
cemetery, next to her father's grave.
(Information researched by Aubrey Freeman, descended from Jonathan and Mary's
8th child, Edwin)
He was married to Elizabeth Gordon on 31 Mar 1811 in New
Brunswick, Middlesex Co, NJ.(2)
Elizabeth Gordon was born about 1794. She died about 1815 in possibly
Westmoreland County, PA.(2) Found in
NJ Genealogies #1 -- Eliza Gordon born in the year of our Lord 1794 This information
was listed under information on the Charles Gordon family Jonathan Freeman and
Elizabeth Gordon had the following children:
+59 i.
Jonathan Freeman.
+60 ii.
Alexander Freeman.
He was married to
Mary M. Cherry
(daughter of Robert Cherry and
Hannah ) on 20 Nov 1817 in Muskingum Co, OH.
(2) Mary M. Cherry was born between 1794
and 1800 in Harford Co, MD.(2) She died
about 1841 in Salt Creek Twp, Muskingum Co, OH.(3)
She was buried in Freeman Cemetery.(4)
The marriage license/affidavit issued to Joseph Freeman when he married
Catherine Gilbert stated that Joseph's mother was Mary Cheney. This most probably
was a mistake or misspelling. All current evidence points to Mary Cherry as
the mother of Joseph Freeman Jonathan Freeman and Mary M. Cherry had the following
children:
+61 i.
Henrietta Freeman.
+62 ii.
Rachel Freeman.
+63 iii.
Joseph R. Freeman.
+64 iv.
Elizabeth Freeman.
+65 v.
Anna Elizabeth Freeman.
+66 vi.
Emmaline Freeman.
+67 vii.
Martha H. Freeman.
+68 viii.
Edwin O. Freeman.
69 ix.
Jefferson Freeman was born in 1837 in Salt Creek Twp, Muskingum Co, OH.
(2)
70 x.
Inf Dau Freeman was born in 1839 in Salt Creek Twp, Muskingum Co, OH.
(2) She died before 1850 in Muskingum Co, OH.
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