Individual Details

David was born either in Clymer or Sherman, Chautauqua County, New York. The family lived in Clymer in the 1830 Census and in 1840 Census they were in Sherman. Sherman was formed from Chautauqua in 1832 and it is not clear if the family moved to Sherman or if Sherman was formed at where they lived. There is one researcher who has him born in Waddington, St. Lawrence County, New York but there is no source provided.
In the 1850 Census, David is living with his widowed mother and siblings in Coral, McHenry County, Illinois as a blacksmith.
The 1860 Clayton County, Iowa census has J. W. and Amanda FREEMAN living in McGregor Township. J. W. is David W. Also living in the same residence is W.B. Freeman, age 2; J.H. Blassell (Amanda's nephew - Blaisdell), age 11, and two Boyse children who are believed to be William 17 and Noah Royse 11, Amanda's brothers. David is listed as a blacksmith.
David and Amanda became guardians of John H. BLAISDELL, son of Amanda's sister, Sally Jane. In the guardian court records, David W. FREEMAN claims to be 'uncle by marriage.' In a court paper dated 27 June 1861 the top of the paper reads, "Report of David L. Freeman, Guardian of John Blaisdell, minor heir of Nathaniel Blaisdell Deceased.' Then the report is signed....D.W. Freeman. Mary Ann Love has seven court guardian papers concerning her great grandfather John H. BLAISDELL and all of them show David W's signature as D.W. In John H. BLAISDELL's obituary, it mentions that he was raised by his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. David W. Freeman.
The August 1870 Census of Monona Township, Clayton County, Iowa shows family having four children (Walter, Frank, Willis, and David) and David W. as a Blacksmith. Also living with them is Noah Royer (Royse).
The 1880 Census of Waverly, Martin County, Minnesota shows family having five children and David as a farmer.
The 1895 Iowa Census shows David, Amanda, and Fred H. living in Eagle, Kossuth County, Iowa.
The 1900 Census of Springfield Township, Kossuth County, Iowa shows David as owner of a farm, his parents born in New York, and his family with Amanda and son Fred H. .
The 1910 Census of Union School Township, Emmons County, North Dakota shows widower David and his son Fred in dwelling number 34, family number 36.
From the Emmons County Record, Linton, Thursday May 2, 1912: "Fred Freeman spent several days in Dale last week, called there by the illness of his father, D. W. Freeman. Dr. Shockey of Pollock, was called and at the present writing the old gentleman has almost recovered."
The following obituary is published in "A Collection of Obituaries from Campbell County, South Dakota and Southwestern Emmons County, North Dakota, by Bob Dale: May 4, 1917, David Freeman. David Freeman, father of Fred Freeman of Dale, ND., died last night."
In 1940, Leonard Jellema, a field worker for the North Dakota Historical Data Project interviewed Willis S. Freeman, a son of David. This is a sixteen page handwritten document. Below is transcribed portions which pertain to genealogy of David.:
"....David W. Freeman, at the time of his marriage, was stationed at McGregor, Ia. as general stage agent for Frinck and Walker (Note: This was Frink, Walker & Company ) stage line between Dubuque, Ia, and Minneapolis and St Paul, Minn. He sometimes drove the stage himself, and Willis S. still has the little steel box, about 10 inches long, 6 inces wide and 3 inches deep, having 3 compartments, in which Mr. Freeman kept his change enroute in a little cubby hole under the driver's seat. This was in the days of the 1850's before any railroad paralleled the Mississippi River. Shortly after his marriage he retired from this service and engaged in a livery business of his own. About 1867, his stable burned down, and he moved to Monona, Ia, where he became a blacksmith for a number of years, until about 1880, when he moved to Fairmont, Minn. ........
....The family left Monona and moved to Fairmont, Minn. about 1879. Willis and Allan went separatly with two cows, the family went by wagon.............
....In the fall of 1886, he visited his family in Fairmont, Minn.......". (Note: In 2003 it was discovered that Frink and Walker owned a stagecoach line between Galena and Elgin, Illinois and it ran through Marengo, Illinois (David, in 1850 Census, is in Coral, Illinois which is very close to Marengo, Illinois) until 1851. This was confirmed by a descendant of a purchaser of part of the Catherine Frink estate and is recorded in McHenry County, Illinois Historical Society. This leads to the belief that David worked for the company in Marengo and then perhaps transferred to northeast Iowa when the Marengo line closed.)

Sources: 1] McGregor Township, Clayton Co, Iowa Census taken 14 June 1860. 2] Monona Township, Clayton Co, Iowa Census taken August 1870. 3] Springfield Township, Kossuth Co, Kowa Census taken 22 Jun 1900. 4] Waverly, Martin Co, MN Census 1880.

Birth	18 Sep 1832	New York
Marriage	Abt 1857	Iowa - Amanda (Addie) Adeline ROYSE
Death	3 May 1917	Pollock, Campbell County, South Dakota
Burial	May 1917	Dale Cemetery, Dale, Emmons County, North Dakota

Spouse	Amanda (Addie) Adeline ROYSE (1840 - 1908)
Child	Sarah A. FREEMAN ( - 1879)
Child	Walter Burton FREEMAN (1858 - 1887)
Child	Frank Woodburn FREEMAN (1860 - 1938)
Child	William (Willis) Solomon FREEMAN (1862 - 1942)
Child	David (Al) Allen FREEMAN (1865 - 1945)
Child	Fred Harvey FREEMAN (1874 - 1961)

Father	Walter FREEMAN (1805 - 1845)
Mother	Abigail ROSS (1805 - 1877)
Sibling	Walter Ross FREEMAN (1830 - 1882)
Sibling	Amy A. FREEMAN (1838 - 1926)
Sibling	Charles Silas FREEMAN (1835 - 1890)
Sibling	Josephine L. FREEMAN (1840 - 1884)
Sibling	William Redolphus FREEMAN (1843 - 1908)