William Freeman Mary Bryan 1759-1840 NC Mo
I have researched this family for many years .Recently I have found Information that Mary Bryan may really be Mary Collins or that both may be correct she may of been born a Bryan and married a Collins before Freeman. Or born Collins and married a Bryan.This info is from an article in a book
History of Green Co, Mo published about 1900 where a grandson states William Freeman and Mary(Collins) Freeman . I will quote it from here on
"ictorial and Genealogical Record of Greene County, MOPictorial and Genealogical
Record
of
Greene County, Missouri
Together with Bibliographies of Prominent Men of Other Portions of the State,
Both Living and Dead
LEMUEL B. AUSTIN. In the midst of the failures which occur on the sea of life,
it is a real pleasure to chronicle the life of a man whose efforts have been
crowned with success, and whose career has been as honorable in every particular
as has that of L. B. Austin. A large class of the farmers and stockraisers of
Greene County, Mo., are doing magnificent work in their line, and they deserve
the utmost credit for the admirable way in which they have surmounted the many
difficulties that have strewn their pathway. Mr. Austin's walk through life has
been one of strict integrity, usefulness and success, and the fortune which he
has accumulated enablesthat Lemuel Austin
a home that is made beautiful by the sweet spirit of kindliness, mutual regard
and appreciation among the members of the family. He was born in Greene County,
Mo., November 14, 1836, a son of Greene and Nancy (Freeman) Austin, and grandson
of Samuel Austin, who was a North Carolinian by birth and a soldier in the war
of the Revolution for a short time, being discharged from the service on account
of sickness. In 1835 he followed his son, Greene, to Greene County, Mo., and
here took up some land, a portion of which is now in the possession of L. B.
Austin. He followed farming throughout life, in which occupation he was
successful and became wealthy. and during his residence here, up to the time of
his death in 1854, he became well known and gained many friends. He was a member
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics was a Whig, to the principles
of which he clung all his life. He reared a family of eight children, three of
whom are now living. All of the family came to Missouri except two children who
remained in North Carolina. Their names were Anna, Mary, John, Greene, Jennie,
Catherine, Sarah and Samuel. Greene Austin was born in the Old North State in
1805, and there he was brought up, receiving the advantages of the common
schools, which were by no means the best, in his youth. He followed in his
father's footsteps, and became a farmer and stockraiser, and in 1834, a number
of years after his marriage in North Carolina, he came to Missouri and took up
land in Greene County, upon which the Pickwick addition to the city of
Springfield is now located. This tract, comprising 160 acres, he tilled for six
years, then traded for a farm about three miles east of Springfield, which is
now owned by his son, L. B. Austin. There he followed general farming until
about 1880, when he retired from active business life, dying in 1885. He was
always a Democrat, politically, and at all times took a deep interest in all
movements for the improvement of his section, and was an earnest and active
worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was a member. His wife was
a daughter of William and Mary (Collins) Freeman, who were North Carolinians,
the former having been a soldier in the war of the Revolution. He reared a
family of seven children, as follows: Redrick, Michael, John, Lawrence, Lemuel,
James, Nancy, Fannie and Rachel. The parents of these children came to Greene
County, Mo., about 1834, and here Mr. Freeman died in 1838 and his widow in
1845. They were also members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Freeman was
a Whig, politically, and being a pioneer became well known throughout Greene
County. The most of their children came to Greene County, but the family also
became represented in Indiana and in the Old North State. Mr. Freeman was a
soldier in the war of the Revolution, and for services rendered during that time
he was given a land grant in Missouri. L. B. Austin was left motherless in 1874,
he and five other children surviving her: Mary, wife of William Robertson, died
after rearing a family of seven or eight children who now live in Springfield;
Louisa, who married Martin Beshears, died after becoming the mother of seven
children, all of whom are now grown; Wesley is living in Benton County, Ark., is
a man of family, an extensive farmer and stock dealer, and although reared in
Greene County, has been a resident of Benton County since 1867; Bettie married
Robert Adams, of Greene County, and died in 1859, leaving two small children,
who are also dead; Lemuel B., the subject of this sketch, and Sallie, who
married Job Rose, and died in 1859, leaving two children, one of whom died. Mr.
and Mrs. Austin were among the very first settlers of southwest Missouri, where
they were classed among its very finest citizens. In Greene County their name
was a synonym for all that was kind, generous and hospitable, and their friends
were, as a natural consequence, legion. L. B. Austin was born just on the
outskirts of Springfield, and in the schools of that place he obtained his
knowledge of the "world of books." He started in active business life at about
the time of the opening of the Civil War. After the war he resumed farming, and
that occupation and stockraising and trading have occupied his time and
attention up to the present time. His estate comprises 462 acres of fine farming
land, well improved, and much of his attention is given to raising and dealing
in cattle. He is much interested in the breeding of Shorthorn cattle, and has
some magnificent animals on his place. In politics he has always been a
Democrat, and nearly always has been a delegate to county conventions, being
active in the political affairs of his section. He is a Mason of many years'
standing, and is a member of Solomon Lodge. He was married in 1863 to Miss
Louisa J. Mitchell, a native of Greene County, born January 11, 1845 a daughter
of George W. and Mary (Freeman) Mitchell, who became residents of this county
about 1842, coming from the Blue Grass State, and dying here in 1860 and 1852,
respectively. They were the parents of four children- Louisa J., Josie, Hosea
and George, all of whom are dead except Josie, who lives in Illinois. Mr.
Mitchell was a Democrat of pronounced type, was prominent in local political
affairs, and held the office of justice of the peace and was recorder in the
land office at Springfield for some time. He was a farmer by occupation, and he
and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Austin, their
daughter, was born and reared in Greene County, and after bearing her husband
seven children, died on April 1, 1888. She was a life-long member of the
Christian Church, was earnest in her labors for the welfare of humanity, and was
a kind and considerate wife and mother. Their eldest son, Charles G., was born
December 6, 1863, and died January 11, 1888. He was married to Miss Lulu Hubble,
but died before their son, Charles H., was born. The second child, Mary E., was
born March 17, 1864, and became the wife of Charles Tuthill, a prominent farmer
of Campbell Township, by whom she has three children: Lemuel R., Lulu and Seth.
Anna L. was born July 11, 1870; Victoria was born December 25, 1872; Albert M.
was born September 4, 1875, and Blanche L., who was born July 3, 1880. Mr.
Austin and his family are highly respected in the community in which they
reside.
[92-96]