Johannes D. and Anna (Hasbrook) Freer, natives of Ulster County, New York, moved west to Winneshiek County, Iowa, where Johannes built and ran a flouring mill at Frankville; their sons' sketches date the move to 1851, 1856 or 1858. In 1874 the family came to Jackson County and took homestead land on section 24 of Alba Township, and the parents later moved to Heron Lake, where Johannes died in 1894. Their son Newton, born in 1844, spent three years in the Black Hills before he homesteaded in Alba Township, and he was still farming there when the county history was written. Peter E. and Walter S. Freer went into business at Heron Lake, where between them they ran the Pioneer House hotel and livery barns for many years, and Walter, a deputy sheriff and village councilman, followed the race circuit with his own string of horses. Every fact below is cited to the public-domain 1910 county history.
Where the family starts
Johannes D. Freer and Anna (Hasbrook) Freerthe earliest generation in the recordMost recent in our records
Peter E. Freerborn 1848Tap a name to jump to that person.
Miller in Iowa; homesteaders in Alba Township
Alba Township homesteader
NEWTON FREER (1874), Alba township farmer, was born in Ulster county. New York, October 20, 1844, the son of J. D. and Anna L. (Hasbrook) Freer, both natives of the Empire state. They came west in 1851 and located in Winneshiek county, Iowa, moved to Jackson county in 1874, and died in Heron Lake. Newton is one of a family of six children born to these parents.
The subject of this biography moved from Ulster county. New York, with his parents when a child and grew to manhood in ' neshiek county, Iowa. He spent his early years with his parents on the farm with the exception of five years when he was employed in a flouring mill at Frankville, Iowa. He spent three years in the Black Hills country, and then, in 1874, became a resident of Jackson county. He took as a homestead claim the east half of the southwest quarter of section 24, Alba township, and upon that place he has ever since resided, being one of the pioneer settlers of the precinct.
Mr. Freer was married in Winneshiek county, Iowa, February 6, 1874, to Rosa Rathburn, a native of the county in which she was married, having been bora September 16, 1854 She is the daughter of Walter and Welthy (Lummis) Rathburn. One child was born to this union, Lloyd, born in April, 1886, and died in September, 1894. They have an adopted son, Emmet, aged fourteen years. Mr. and Mrs. Freer are members of the Methodist church. He has served as a member of the Alba township board and now holds the office of treasurer of school district No. 85.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Homesteader, hotel keeper and teamster at Heron Lake
PETER E. FREER (1874), of Heron Lake, is an early day settler of western Jackson county. He is the son of Johannes D. and Ann-E. (Hasbrook) Freer, descended from pioneer New York state stock, the family originally coming from Germany in colonial days. The mother of our subject was a cousin of John Jacob Astor, the founder of the American branch of the Astor family. The father of our subject moved from New York state, to Winneshiek county, Iowa, in 1856, and settled with his family at Frankville. There he erected and conducted a flouring mill seven or eight years. Later he engaged in farming in Winneshiek county, and in 1874 came to Jackson county and homesteaded in Alba township. He located in Heron Lake in 1889 and died in that village in 1894 at the age of 78 years. His wife died in ISOi aged 78 years,
Mr. and Mrs. Johannes D. Freer were the parents of seven children, as follows: Abraham H., born May 29, 1840; Sarah A., born May 22, 1842; Newton, born October 20, 1844; Peter E., born April 10, 1848; Mary C, born August 23, 1850; Nellie D., born August 11, 1853, died November 9, 1853; Walter, born March 29,
Peter E. Freer, the fourth child of this family, was born in Ulster county, New York. He accompanied his parents to Winneshiek county, Iowa, in 1856 when eight years of age, and in that county he grew to manhood, receiving his education and working on his father's farm and in the flouring mill at Frankville. He came with the family to Jackson county in 1874 and took a homestead claim in Alba township. He remained on the homestead until the fall of 1879, and then took a position as brakeman on the St. Paul and Sioux City railroad, running between Heron Lake and Woodstock. In the fall of 1880 Mr. Freer took a position in the tow mill of J. T. Smith, and operated one of the brakes in the mill the following winter. In the Summer of 1881 he was employed on the large farm of Hugh Paul, and that fall operated a threshing machine.
Mr. Freer went to St. Paul in the spring of 1882 and for three months was engaged in teaming there. He was in White Bear Lake for a time and then returned to Jackson county, locating in Heron Lake. In partnership with his brother, W. S. Freer, he rented the Pioneer House, which he conducted for a number of years. He also conducted the Chapman House livery barn until the spring of 1884. Returning to the farm that year, he engaged in agricultural pursuits until the fall of 1889; then he moved to Heron Lake, rented the Pioneer House from his brother Walter, and conducted it eleven years. Thereafter until the spring of 1909 he engaged in teaming in Heron Lake. On that date he rented the Waver Tree hotel, which he conducted until the fall of 1909. Mr. Freer owns his home in the village of Heron Lake. During his residence in Alba township Mr. Freer served two terms as treasurer of his precinct.
Mr, Freer was married to Maggie Golda in Heron Lake March 7, 1893. She was born in Germany and came to America with her father, Joseph Golda, when one year old. They have six children: Milton S., bom February 11, 18945 Merlin M., born July 26, 1896; Maud
A., born June 12, 1908; Myrtle, born December 23, 1901; Raymond, born January 21, 1903i Mary, born August 30, 1905.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Liveryman, horseman and deputy sheriff at Heron Lake
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
Walter Freer came to.Jackson county with Lis parents in 1874 and resided on the home farm until twenty-three years of age, receiving an education in the Heron l.iike school. He then moved to the village and bought the Pioneer hotel and a livery stable, and has tver since been in the livery business. Foi thi past seventeen years lie has followed the race circuit and has a fine string of horses. Mr. Freer owns four residences and a business lot in the village. He holds membership in the Odd Fellows and Modern Wondmen lodges. He is deputy sheriff of the county and has held the office several terms. He also served two terms as member of the village council.
Mr. Freer was married in Heron Lake February 2(1, 1886, to Nora Parro. a native of Minnesota. She died April 10, 180.1. aged 24 years. Two children were born to this union, of which one, Fred W., is living, having been born July 8, 1800. Mr. Freer"s second marriage occurred.July 10, 1805. to Miss Ida Weld. To them one child has been born. Margaret, born October 10, 1898.
JURGEN."CmVAriER (188.3) is one of the large land owners and.successful farmers of Sioux Valley township, of which precinct he is one of the early settlers.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
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