Edmond Freeman

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ⁶⁰⁵
Edmond Freeman, baptized 25 Jul 1596, St. Mary's Church, Pulborough, died between 21 Jun and 2 Nov 1682 at Sandwich, Plymouth Colony. In England, he first married a woman named Bennett Hodsoll, daughter of John Hodsoll his wife, a widow of a man with the surname Bacon, on 16 Jun 1617. He married a second time, either on the voyage to New England or once there, a woman named Elizabeth, whose surname we do not know.

Edmond and his brother William, along with their wives were beneficiaries in John Hodsoll's wills, along with John's son by the same name. A few years later, in Jan 1634, there was a suit brought by Edmond and his five children in Chancery Court over the disposition of some of John Hodsoll's land, and it is from these court records that we know the precise dates each of Edmond's children were baptized.

Edmond moved to Billingshurst for eight years, but returned to Pulborough. His youngest child had been baptized on 2 Sep 1629, and then buried ten days later. His wife died soon after on 12 Apr 1630, and was buried in there as well. This may have given Edmond more incentive to move to the colonies and begin a new life elsewhere.

Early in Jul 1635, Edmond engaged for passage to New England for himself and his for children on the ship named "Abigail" with Robert Hackwell as the master, and they arrived in New England by October. Edmond was a man of consideration in England and brought his wealth along with him. At first he settled in Lynn, at which time he presented to Plymouth Colony twenty suits of plate armor. Soon after, he and other settlers at of Lynn asked for the permission to move to Cape Cod. Lynn at that time was called "Saugus," and on 3 Apr 1637, the town gave an order that Edmond and ten men "shall haue liberty to view a place to sitt downe & haue sufficient lands for three score famylies . . ." The place they chose was to become Sandwich. Our Edmond may have lead the group in this move since the document dealing with this move was made out to Edmond Freeman as agent. He has come to be know as the founder or "the original Proprietor of Sandwich."

The settlers at Sandwich were not Pilgrims, but were instead Puritans. Besides the minor differences in their religious beliefs, the Puritans often were people who were merchants and others who had a great deal more wealth than the Pilgrims. A church was started in Sandwich as early as 1638. Edmond was both a member and a deacon of this church.

The church of Sanwich differed from those in other parts of New England by being more tolerant. Because of this, Sandwich became the earliest stronghold of Quakerism in Plymouth Colony. The town and its church supported the Quakers by giving money toward building their meeting house and paying their pastor. The town also helped shield the Quakers from the law, and incurred penalties for doing so from the Plymouth government. Edmond Freeman and his wife were among those who incurred such penalties. Edmond had been a Magistrate or assistant to the Governor, but was permanently dropped at the election in 1646, which may have been a direct result of this tolerance.

Edmond, by profession, was as a merchant as well as being a representative of a group of investors in London that had interest in the economy of the Americas. He dealt in clothing, and he had a partnership with his brother-in-law, John Beauchamp, in the beaver trade in Plymouth Colony. Included in this partnership were William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Thomas Prence, Myles Standish, John Alden, John Howland, Iassc Alerton and the heirs of William Brewster. The business ventured failed, and many of the New England partners ended up giving or selling some of their land to pay back John Beauchamp for the capital he invested.

Edmond's second wife died, 17 Feb 1676, and she was burned on the hill of Freedman's farm. This spot became the oldest burial ground for that area. Edmond was later buried there beside her, and two large stones his sons brought from a distant field covered them. Before Edmonf Freeman died, he had deeded most of his property to his descendants. His will, which was dated 21 June 1682, and probated on 2 Nov 1682 named his "three sons," Edmond and John Freeman and Edward Perry as his executors.

Children of Edmond Freeman and Bennett Hodsoll, with Alice and John being born in Pulborough and the rest born in Billingshurst:

Alice, bap. 4 Apr 1619; d. 24 Apr 1651, Plymouth; m. 24 Nov 1639, Plymouth, William Paddy
Edmond, bap. 26 Nov 1620; d. 29 Mar 1673, Sandwich; m. first 22 Apr 1646, Rebecca Prence, daughter of Thomas Prence, and second, 18 Jul 1651, Margaret Perry
Bennett, bap. 20 Jan 1622; d. between 28 Nov 1633 and 13 Jan 1634
Elizabeth, bap. 22 Apr 1624; m. John Ellis
John, bap. 28 Jan 1627; d. 28 Oct, 1719, Eastham; m. 13 or 14 1650, Mercy Prence
Nathaniel, bap. 2 Sep 1629; d. ten days later

~~Dawes-Gates ancestral lines, Vol. I, pp. 350 - 357

• Background Information. ³³⁴
The will of "Edmond ffreeman Senior . . . the eldest of that name in Sandwich," dated 21 Jun 1682, gives "to my daughter Elizabeth Ellis" a one third share of all his lands "to the Westward and Northward" (was this intended to mean Scippican and Middleborough?_ and named her co-executrix. He names also his "grandson Matthyas Ellis" who already possessed the testator's house and home-lot [Plymouth Colony Probate, v. 4, part 2, p.5]. His inventory, dated 4 Oct5 1682 bears the notation: "This was the Estate that was sett forth by Elizabeth Ellis of her Father Mr. Edmond ffreeman." It was sworn at Plymouth 2 Nov 1682 by her brothers Edmond and John Freeman, who together with Edward Perry were coexecutors [The Freeman Genealogy (2nd ed. 1875), p. 21-22].

"Lt. John and Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis of Sandwich Mass." NEHGR, July 1965, pp. 170-171

Edmond married Bennet Hodsoll, daughter of John Hodsoll and Faith, on 16 Jun 1617 in Cowfold, Sussex, England.⁶⁰⁵ (Bennet Hodsoll was born in 1597-1598 in Pulbourough, Sussex, England ⁶⁰⁵ and died on 12 Apr 1630 in Pulbourough, Sussex, England ⁶⁰⁵.)