Rev. Jeremiah James Freeman – Fairmount Cemetery, Hodgeman, Kansas

Rev. Freeman was born in Ohio on March 22, 1828. He married Phoebe Jane Oliver (b. 1840) on December 20, 1860. The couple was blessed with five children. Early in his marriage, Jeremiah became a minister and preached as a pastor in various churches in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Probably inspired about the opportunities in western Kansas for colored people, Rev. Freeman arrived in Hodgeman County in 1878. The 1880 Federal Census lists Jeremiah, Phoebe, their children, Sarah, Orian, Ella and Jesse living in Center Twp.

Rev. Freeman was involved in the community. He served as a member of the school board, justice of the peace and township trustee. He was also the pastor of a church.

In April of 1904, Jeremiah contracted “la grippe” (flu). He did not get better and died on May 26th at the age of 72.

Phoebe moved to Hutchinson with her sons. She passed away on the 30th of August 1915. She is buried in the Hutchinson Eastside Cemetery in Reno County, Kansas.

Daughter Sara, married George Bradshaw and died in 1947. She is buried in Fairmount Cemetery with her husband and father. Orian followed in his father’s footsteps and became a minister. Jesse fought in the Kansas Infantry during the Spanish-American War. Both are buried in the same cemetery with their mother.