My Genealogy Hound

Brig. Gen. Thomas R. Freeman, prosecuting attorney of Newton County, Mo., was born in Benton, Scott Co., Mo., February 22, 1829, and is the son of James and Rebecca (Roberts) Freeman, natives of North Carolina and South Carolina, respectively. The father was reared in Rutherford County, Tenn., and was a farmer and mechanic by occupation. The mother was reared in Kentucky. To them were born eleven children, Thomas R. being the second son and child. Our subject was reared principally in Crawford County, Mo., and received his education in the subscription schools. He learned the black-smith trade, which he followed to some extent, being also engaged in trading in stock. He read law all his spare time, was admitted to the bar in St. Louis, and then practiced his profession more or less until the breaking out of the late war. In 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate army, and assisted in organizing the first regiment of troops in Southeast Missouri, and was made captain. He was then assigned to McBride’s division of State Guards, but remained only a short time, when he resigned, and was elected third lieutenant in First Regiment Cavalry, McBride’s division. Later he was promoted to captain, and in a few days to the rank of colonel of the regiment, commanding in that capacity until he was captured by Curtis’ army, February 14, 1862, and was held a prisoner eight months. Being exchanged in the fall of 1862, he received a commission from Gen. Holmes to organize a brigade, which he did. He was then made brigadier-general in the winter of 1863-64, and commanded Freeman’s brigade, in Marmaduke’s division of Price’s army, having charge of a post in Arkansas. He was with Price in his Northern raid, and his command was the last to surrender, on the 6th of June, 1865. He was wounded during the war, and to this day is suffering from injuries received at that time, and had four horses shot from under him in that fight. After the war he practiced his profession in Jackson Port, Ark., for three years, and in May, 1868, he moved to Shannon County, Mo. From there he came to Rolla, Phelps Co., Mo., and in 1872 to this county. He was first appointed to fill the office of prosecuting attorney, a vacancy having occurred by the death of the incumbent, and in 1886 he was elected to that position. In 1849 he was married to Miss Mary Lamb, a native of Crawford County. She died January 14, 1861, leaving seven children: William M. (now sheriff and collector of Shannon County, Mo.), Cynthia E. (wife of Perry Chilton, a member of the State Legislature), Eliza (now deceased), Isaac N., Elisha (now deceased), Thomas J. and James M. Our subject afterward married his present wife, Mrs. Olive Spangle, whose maiden name was Fuller, a native of Connecticut, and to them has been born one child, John, now thirteen years old. The names of the children of Mrs. Freeman by her former husband, Mr. Spangle, are as follows: George M. (business man in Granby), Minnie L., Annie B. and Olive (latter now deceased), all reared by Gen. Freeman from their infancy.