I will use the history column this week to write about the complex Freeman family.

Roy Freeman was born in January 1897 and came to Mancos when he was 7 years old. He lived the remainder of his life in Mancos. He married Barbara Bircher in 1925. He was engaged in the coal-mining business but was best known for his fiddling. He passed away in December 1977. Barbara was born in December 1905 and was a school teacher for many years. Barbara passed away in January 1966.

John Freeman was born in 1869 and married Anna Belle Lewis in 1895. He farmed and was also a rural mail carrier for many years. He passed away in October 1948. Anna Belle was born in 1877. She was electrocuted by high voltage in a radio and passed away in Farmington. She died the same day, Dec. 31, 1935. Rosalie Freeman was the oldest daughter of John Freeman. She was born in 1901 and married Edward Derrington. She was a teacher in Mancos Junior High when she had an operation for appendicitis. The surgery came too late, and she died in December 1924. Ingie Freeman was a daughter of John Freeman. She was born in 1904. She married William Redpath in 1934. She started teaching in 1927 and taught for 44 years. She passed away in June 1993. William was also born in 1904 and was a telephone employee until he retired. He passed away in 1978.

Thomas Jefferson Freeman was born in 1843 and entered the Confederate Army in 1861. He served under Gens. Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson. In July 1865, he married Semiramus Victoria Dupree in July 1865 and came to Mancos in 1904. He was the father of 12, one of whom was Ira Freeman. Semiramus was born in 1844 and passed away in October 1918.

Charles Dupree Freeman was born in 1877 and came to Mancos in 1904. He married Mary Matilda Brown in October 1912. He was stricken with paralysis, and died in Southwest Memorial Hospital on Dec. 6, 1951. Survivors included a brother, Ira Freeman. Mary was born in 1894 and died in 1940.

Henry Allen Freeman was born in 1871. He married Julianne Arizona Meyers in December 1892. They came to Mancos in 1911. He was survived by three brothers, John, Ira and Charles. He died in September 1941. Julianne was born in 1874. She died in June 1937. They had a daughter, Flora, who was the youngest of their five children. She was born in 1906 and came with her family to Mancos in 1911.

Ira Sidney Freeman was born in 1879. He was the editor of the Mancos Times for many years. He married Susan (last name is unknown), who was born in 1884 and died in February 1957. Ira lived another 12 years and died in July 1969. Among his survivors was Janice Freeman. She was born in 1921 and died in March 1976. She married Herb Hawkins in 1940. He passed away in May 1996. They had a son, Stephen, who passed away in December 2013.

Emma Jeanette Freeman was born in 1875. She was the oldest daughter of Thomas Jefferson Freeman. She married James Sheek in December 1893. They had 12 children including Mattie Holston, Ada Gibbs, Lee Sheek, Wiley Sheek and Florence Roberts.

Darrel Ellis is a longtime historian of the Mancos Valley. Email him at [email protected].