Individual Details

In the 1850 Coral, McHenry County, Illinois Census he is listed as Rodolphus Freeman.
In the 1860 census he is living in Hamilton, Lee County, Illinois as a farmer with his brother Charles Silas and his family, and his mother.
Enlisted into the Civil War from Walnut Grove, Illinois on 31 December 1861 and discharged 1 May 1862 due to a disability. He was a Private in Company E, 64th Illinois Infantry and is buried at the Whiteside IOOF Cemetery in Rock Falls, Coloma Township, Whiteside County, Illinois.
In the 1870 Census he is living in Waverly, Martin County, Minnesota with wife Rhoda and son William.
He is listed in at least three 1880 Census reports. The Federal Census and the Nebraska state census has him in Cass County, Nebraska and another Federal census on a different date has him in Douglas County.
In 1900 Census he is living with his family at 604 Dixon Avenue, Rock Falls, Whiteside County, Illinois. The census indicates he is a day laborer and that his wife had twelve children of which nine were living in 1900.
From The Walnut Leader, November 4, 1908, Page 4

From the Walnut Leader, November 13, 1908, Page 4:
"OBITUARY OF WM. R. FREEMAN.
William R. Freeman was born in ??mber [Note: believed to be Clymer], Chautauqua Co., N.Y., Feb. 27, 1843, and with his parents moved to Coral, Ill. at the age of two years. After his father died his mother moved to Walnut, where he grew to manhood. At the outbreak of the civil war he enlisted with Co, E, First Battalion of Yates Sharp Shooters, and served with honor and was discharged on account of disability May ?, 1862. On returning he and his mother traveled overland to California, returning home in the spring 0f 1865.
He was united in marriage to Rhoda Rapher soon after his return. One child blessed this union, Willie R., who preceded him in death ten years ago. His wife died after five years of wedded life. Later he was married to Annie C. Huseman. Twelve children were born, Vernon C., Edgar A., Leonard H., Mrs. Nellie M. Waite, Clarence A., Walter J. and Arneda L.
William R., or as he was more commonly known as the “Apple Man,” has made Sterling and Rock Falls his home for a number of years and has always sold fruit and vegetables from his wagon. By hard work and honest dealings he had worked up a very large number of friends in the two cities who will miss him.
He was very fond of children and never turned a child down who asked him for apples. He was always a friend to the poor and was always ready to help any one in need. He was an active member of the Will Enderlon Post, G. A. R. He united with the Methodist church several years ago, to which faith he has always rung.
Mr. Freeman was taken ill Wednesday, although he had been in quite poor health for several months past. On Saturday it was deemed best to take him to Agatha hospital, Clinton, Iowa, where he submitted to an operation for distention of the gall bladder. He was on the operating table nearly two hours, coming out from under the influence of the anesthetic in good shape and seemingly improved. Sunday morning, Nov. 1, ’08, he suddenly took a turn for the worse and passed away.
The funeral was held from the home Wednesday afternoon and burial made in Rock Falls cemetery. Rev. Murray assisted by Rev. Clancy, officiated. The G. A. R. Post had charge of the funeral. The floral offering from the friends was elegant."
The above obituary indicates there were twelve children by his second wife, Annie, but it only lists seven. This writer has only located eleven children. The obituary lists Vernon C., Edgar A., Leonard H., Nellie M., Clarence A., Walter J., and Arneda L. Those not mentioned in the obituary are, Alice, William, Henry, and Mattie and it is a probability by this writer that those four had died before 1908.

Birth	27 Feb 1843	Clymer, Chautauqua County, New York
Marriage	Bef 1869	Rhoda J. SAFFER
Marriage	Feb 1874	Anna Christina HUSEMAN
Death	1 Nov 1908	Agatha Hospital, Clinton, Clinton County, Iowa
Burial		Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery, Rock Falls, Whiteside County, Illinois

Spouse	Anna Christina HUSEMAN (1855 - 1916)
Child	Vernon Casper FREEMAN (1875 - 1929)
Child	Alice A. FREEMAN (1877 - 1908)
Child	Edward (Edgar) Arthur FREEMAN (1880 - 1940)
Child	Leonard Henry (Pat) FREEMAN (1882 - 1960)
Child	Nellie Myrtle FREEMAN (1885 - )
Child	Clarence Arthur FREEMAN (1887 - 1918)
Child	Mattie M. FREEMAN (1890 - 1908)
Child	Walter Ellis FREEMAN (1891 - 1949)
Child	Arneda Leona FREEMAN (1897 - 1980)

Spouse	Rhoda J. SAFFER (1848 - 1874)
Child	William (Willie) Ross FREEMAN (1868 - 1898)

Father	Walter FREEMAN (1805 - 1845)
Mother	Abigail ROSS (1805 - 1877)
Sibling	Walter Ross FREEMAN (1830 - 1882)
Sibling	David W. FREEMAN (1832 - 1917)
Sibling	Amy A. FREEMAN (1838 - 1926)
Sibling	Charles Silas FREEMAN (1835 - 1890)
Sibling	Josephine L. FREEMAN (1840 - 1884)