1905 History of Crawford County Kansas

Enoch Freed, who resides on section 24, Osage township, came to Crawford county in 1880, and has since been numbered among the progressive and prosperous farming element, being a man of unquestioned worth and standing in his community. Born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in March, 1841, he has spent the years of his life in usefully directed effort, and by providing well for self and family enjoys contentment and ease at the approach of his declining years.

His parents were William and Mary (Grote) Freed, both native Pennsylvanians and of German descent. Both died in Pennsylvania, the father at the age of eighty-six and the mother at eighty-five. His father was a farmer and politically a Democrat, and both were members of the Reformed church. There were thirteen children in their family, nine of whom grew up, but Enoch is the only resident of Kansas. His brothers and sisters are Aaron, Henry, Mary Ann, Catherine, William and Amanda.

Mr. Freed was reared on the old farm in his native state, receiving his education in the public schools. At the age of twenty-two he came west to Knox county, Illinois, from which county he went to the war. He enlisted at Victoria, that county, in April, 1864, in Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Illinois Infantry, under Captain Hunt and Colonel Goodman; from camp at Quincy, they were ordered to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where they were stationed six months, thence went to Springfield, Illinois, and later to Little Rock, Arkansas, and at the close of the war were returned to Illinois and honorably discharged.

After the war Mr. Freed returned to Knox county, and on November 10, 1866, was married there to Eliza Jane Glaze, who has been his wife and partner of joys and sorrows for nearly forty years. She was born in Clinton county, Ohio, February 16, 1848, a daughter of James and Phoebe (Duncan) Glaze, natives, respectively, of Brown county and Adams county, Ohio, whence they moved to near Muncie, Delaware county, Indiana, and later to Knox county, Illinois. The mother died in Monmouth, Kansas, at the age of eighty-seven, but the father, who was a soldier, now lives as one of the honored and respected residents of Monmouth, this county. Mrs. Freed has a brother, William Perry, who was a soldier of the Ninth Indiana Cavalry and now lives at Muncie, Indiana, and four sisters: Sarah A. Northam, Mary E. Johnson, Harriet E. Windsor, and Martha F. Price. Daniel H., a brother, died at the age of fifty.

Since coming to Crawford county in 1880 Mr. Freed has been a prosperous agriculturist, and at the present time he owns one of the model farms of his locality. The homestead comprises eighty acres of choice land, with a pleasant and comfortable country residence, and well improved with barn, orchard and other up-to-date equipments of a twentieth century country home.

Mr. and Mrs. Freed have four children: Mary, a resident of Pittsburg; Martha, the wife of Louis Gray, who lives on the homestead of Mr. Freed; Ed G., formerly a successful teacher in Pittsburg, who is in the wall-paper business in Kansas City, and Charles, in the furniture business at Pittsburg. Martha also followed the profession of a teacher in this county. Mr. Freed is affiliated with Osage Post No. 156, G. A. R., at McCune, and he and his wife and three of the children are members of the Methodist church.