History of Northeast Indiana
LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties
Editorial Supervisors: Ira Ford [LaGrange], Orville Stevens [Steuben],
William H. McEwen [Noble] & William H. McIntosh [DeKalb]
The Lewis Publishing Company
Chicago and New York City
1920

William H. Freed. Members of the Freed family came from Ohio to
Northeast Indiana at the beginning of the Civil war, and have been among
the progressive citizens and farmers of Steuben County. William H.
Freed has been a hard working and industrious farmer in Steuben township
the greater part of his life.
He was born in that township July 22, 1861,a son of Anthony and
elizabeth [Bender] Freed and a grandson of Peter Freed. His grandfather
was born in Pennsylvania and his father in Stark county, Ohio. Anthony
Freed came to Steuben county early in 1861, a ffew months before the
birth of his son, and bought the farm that his son Joseph now occupies.
He cleared up a large part of the land owned 130 acres, and died there
in 1882. His widow sruvived until 1905. They were members of the
Mennonite Church. Their children were eleven in number, named Peter,
Nancy*, Adaline, Angeline, William H., Daniel [who died in childhood],
Lauretta, John, David, may and Joseph.
William H. Freed qcquired his early education in the public schools
of Steuben towhsnip and then worked on the home farm until he was past
his majority. In 1884 he married Della Sunday, daughter of Andrew and
Mary Sunday, of a family whose record in Steuben County is elsewhere
recorded.
After his marriage Mr. Freed bought the twenty acres adjoining the
old homestead and has since added forty acres, and for twenty years has
worked hard to cultivate and improve the land and has put up all the
buildings. He is a member of the United Brethren Church.
Mr. Freed and wife have four children: Nellis, Harold, Ralph, and
Lucile. Harold married arlie Lininger, Nellie’s first husband was Lewis
Frederick,and by that marriage she had two children, Opal and Aline.
After the death of Mr. Frederick she became the wife of Earl Sams, and
has one daughter, Ida.

*Nancy Freed mother of Peter Crowl who was the husband of Cora A. Wolf


Submitted by: Joey Pedigo