Individual Details
Stephen, Sr. FREEMAN
(1687 - 2 Aug 1771)
From Freeman Families of New England: "On 3 January 1737/1738 in Newark, Essex, New Jersey his father, Samuel, deeded a tract in Newark at the Mountain Plantation (later Orange) on the east side of the Rahway River to him, referring to him as “of Hanover, Hunterdon County, yeoman.” He subsequently sold the land to Timothy Freeman, who mortgaged it on 8 April 1776.
In 1738 he is living in Hanover, Hunterdon (later Morris), New Jersey.
In 1740, Stephen was named one of the first township officers (Overseer of the Highways) of Morris Township, Morris County, New Jersey.
In 1742 in Morristown, Morris, New Jersey, he and his wife Hannah were among the founding members of the First Presbyterian Church.
About 1710, a few families moved from Newark and Elizabeth Town and settled the town of Hanover, on the west side of the Passaic River, then in Hunterdon County, but now in Morris County, New Jersey. By 1718 they formed the Hanover Presbyterian Church. About 1730, members of the Hanover Church who lived in Morristown began trying to establish their own church. After a lengthy struggle, which saw their effort opposed by the Hanover Church and reviewed by the Presbytery in Philadelphia, they succeeded by 1740 in establishing the Morristown Presbyterian Church. Stephen and Hannah Freeman were among the founding members.
Based on the Morristown First Presbyterian Church records, Gardner and some other sources have suggested that this Stephen Freeman had another son, Benjamin, born about 1712 or 1713, who married first and second, Esther Marsh. However, Myers has shown conclusively that this Benjamin Freeman was the son of Henry Freeman of Woodbridge, New Jersey, born there on 3 June 1713, and who lived much of his life in Morristown."
Events
| Birth | 1687 | Newark, Essex County, New Jersey | |||
| Death | 2 Aug 1771 | Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey |  | ||
| Burial | 2 Aug 1771 | First Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey | | ||
| Marriage | Hannah UNKNOWN |
Families
| Spouse | Hannah UNKNOWN (1694 - 1779) |
| Child | Daniel FREEMAN (1717 - 1788) |
| Child | Stephen, Jr. FREEMAN (1720 - 1762) |
| Child | Zophar FREEMAN (1728 - 1810) |
| Father | Samuel FREEMAN (1662 - 1738) |
| Mother | Elizabeth BROWNE (1662 - 1732) |
Notes
Death
History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morriston, New Jersey, includes their listing of the Bill of Mortality. The 2 August 1771 entry for Stephen is on page 31 of the History and indicates he died suddenly at age 84.
Burial
History of Morris County, New Jersey, 1739-1882, Page 132.