Edmond FREEMAN [Parents] [scrapbook] 1 was christened 2, 3 on 25 Jul 1596 in Pulborough, Sussex, England, United Kingdom. He died 4, 5 in BET 21 JUN 1682 AND 2 NOV 1682 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. Edmond married 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Elizabeth RAYNIER on 10 Aug 1632 in Shipley, Sussex, England, United Kingdom.
Edmond had a will on 21 Jun 1682 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. His will was probated 11 on 2 Nov 1682 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.
Other marriages:HODSOLL, Bennet
Mentioned in his mother's will. Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Bowyer 56.
Twenty-two coats of Arms are registered to the Freeman name in Great Britain and Ireland, but only two came to America. The one in this file is the one that Edmond brought with him to Lynn in 1635. The motto is "Liber et Audax" , "Free and Bold"
Source: FHL US/CAN book area 929.273 A1 No.4583Edmund FREEMAN bapt 25 Jul 1596 in St. Mary's, Pulborough, Sussex, England; married: 13 Oct 1617 Bennett Hodsoll (had 6 children, two died early; died in 1630); secound marrige to an Elizabeth Raymen or Raymond or Raynier August 10, 1632 at Cowfold, Shipley, Sussex and had four children with them, Alice 17, Edmund Jr. 15, Elizabeth 12, and John 8 (ages in 1635 when embarked on the Abigail and a fifth child, Mary, may have been born in Mass. or adopted); died: 1682 "age 92" in Sandwich MA; will dated 21 Jun 1682, proved 2 Nov 1682; Son of Edmond FREEMAN and Alice COLES.
Edmond - remained in Sandwich all his life, suported good causes such as rebuilding the mill and meeting house, oppossed persecution of the Quakers, died 1682 the of the Ten Men of Saugus.Sources: Sandwich A Cape Cod Town by R.A. Lovell, Jr. 3rd edition and the Cowfold, Shipley, Sussex, Enland church records.
Children: 1 Alice b. 1618 (England ae 17 on Abigail - 1635) bapt 4 Apr 1619 (St. Mary's Essex Eng) m. 24 Nov 1639 Deacon William PADDY d. 24 Apr 1651 - 2. Edmund bapt. 26 Nov 1620 in St. Mary's, Pulborough, Essex England m. 18 Jul 1651 Margaret PERRY in Sandwich MA d. 29 Mar 1673 in Sandwich MA - 3. Bennett bapt 20 Jan 1621 d. 1633 - 4. Elizabeth b. 1623 (England ae 12 on the Abigail - 1635) bapt. 11 Apr 1624 m. John ELLIS - 5. John b. 1627 (28 Jan 1626) (England ae 8 on the Abigail 1635) m. 13 Feb 1649 Mercy PRENCE d. 28 Oct 1719 (Eastham MA) - 6. Nathaniel bapt 2 Sep 1629 d. 1629 - 7. Mary b. aft 1635 (MA) 1653 Edward PERRY
Indisputably Edmund helped to establish the wonderful Cape Cod town of Sandwich MA in what is now Barnstable County. He migrated from England aboard the Abigail in 1635 where the ship's manifest list him as age 45 and travelling with his wife Elizabeth and children Alice (age 17), Edmund (age 15), Elizabeth (age 12) and John (age 8). The family first went to what is now Lynn where he is recorded in in 1635. He also appeared in Plymouth (where he was made a freeman 2 Jan 1637) and in Duxbury records before finally moving to Sandwich (his grant for the settlement of Sandwich was given by the king and was dated 3 Apr 1637). He was the first English settler on Cape Cod and served as assistant governor to the Colonial Governor (William Bradford) seven consecutive terms beginning in 1640. Other public offices that he was known to have held included membership on the Council of War in 1642 and Deputy to the General Court in 1646. His two sons who survived to manhood both married daughters of Governor Thomas PRENCE (who's wife was Mayflower daughter Patience BREWSTER). The Tolland & Windham book says that he "continued to hold public office and exert a wide influence up to the time of his death" and that he was "buried on his own land on the hill at the rear of his dwelling".
Sources: Tolland and Windham Counties, Connecticut- Biographies - 1903; Freeman Genealogy in Three Parts by Frederick Freeman - 1875; Sandwich MA Vital Records; Our Family Museum: A Collection of Family History Notes
Edmond was generally recognized as disfavoring the church and legislative censure and coercion of the Quakers. He was said to have sympathized with them, and that his views were too liberal for the times. Edmond, after having been a Maglstrate or assistant to the Governor for several years, was permanently dropped at the next election, and some said it was because of his theological tolerance.
It was in the year 1658 that the "Monthly Meeting" of the Quakers was established at Sandwich. Public opinion in this section in favor of the Quakers became so prevelant, and efforts to protect them from the harshness became so frequent that in June 1658 the Plymouth government appointed George Barlow as the state marshal for the locality. He was to coliect the fines and punish the offenders, but his unfairness only increased the resentment. Knowing the feelmg of the Freeman family toward the Quakers, George Barlow had the audacity to ask Edmond for aid in his duties, for which he received an indignant refusal. This prompted Barlow to make a complaint at court for which Edmond was fined ten shillings.
At one court in 1661 the fines amounted to 150 pounds for the attendance at Quaker meetings, and for refusing to take the oath of fidelity. One list of fines imposed upon nineteen Quakers in and a-round Sandwich for this period showed a total of 660 pounds, of which over 89 pounds was paid by Edward Perry. In March 1676 Edward Perry proclaimed that he had received a message from God, saying that the sufferings of New England were caused by general sin and by the persecution of the Quakers, and demanded that this message be published by the governments of Plymouth and Massachusetts.
Edmond's wife Elizabeth died on 14 February 1675-76 and was buried on the hill of the Freeman farm. It is said that Edmond and his sons placed a large stone which in shape resembled a pillion, as a monument for her grave Another, longer stone was placed nearby, which was similar in form to a saddle. These two large stones are known as "the saddle and pillion", and family tradition tells us that they reminded Edmond of the early years in Sandwich when he and Elizabeth traveled by horseback over the fields of their farm. Edmond Freeman died in 1682 and was buried beside Elizabeth and the longer stone, "the saddle", was placed over his grave.
At one time these graves were encircled by a stone fence, remnants of which were still visible in the late 1800's. The beautiful bronze tablets which are presently on these stone monuments were placed there on 22 August 1910 by members of the Freeman family, descendants of Edmond. The photographs of these monuments on page five are by courtesy of Stanley C. Freeman.
ref: Freeman Genealogy; Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines; Planters of the Commonwealth by Charles E.Banks
Source: "Freeman Families of Nova Scotia" FHL Book area US/CAN 929.271 F877f v.1CHRISTENING: In the parish records the son and father's names were spelled "Edwarde".
