Monday, July 4, 2016

A Patriotic Family


Thomas Freeland, my 6X great-grandfather, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Responding to the alarm at Lexington on April 19, 1775, Thomas and all seven of his sons joined the Patriot cause. Thomas Freeland served as a private in Col. Jonathan Ward's regiment. His sons' service records are listed below:




  • Dr. James Freeland served as a surgeon in the United States army. He is listed with the regiments of Col. Ebenezer Learned and Col. Jonathan Holman. 
  • John Freeland served as a private in Col. Samuel Bullard's regiment and later in Capt. James Mellen's company, Col. Jonathan Ward's regiment (the same regiment as his father). Later he took part in the expedition to capture Fort Ticondergoa and Crown Point in the company of Capt. Thomas Marshall Baker, regiment of Col. James Denny. He and his wife later moved with other Hopkinton families to Clavarack and formed the settlement of Mellenville, New York. 
  • William Freeland served as a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War.
  • Joseph Freeland enlisted in 1775 and served as a Sargent in the regiment of Col. Jonathan Ward (with his father and brothers, John and Thomas). 
  • Thomas Freeland, Jr. served as a private in the regiment of Col. Jonathan Ward. 
  • Abraham & Asa Freeland are also said to have served in the Revolutionary War.
James and John have lineages approved by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Since neither Abraham or Asa is supposed to have married it makes sense that they are not included in the DAR index


Children of Thomas & Mary (Nutt) Freeland:

  1. James was born in Hopkinton in December 1743. He was baptized on Christmas Day, 1743. He became a doctor and married Mehitable "Hetty" Mellen of Hopkinton on October 31, 1770. She was the daughter of Capt. Thomas & Elizabeth (Wood) Mellen. 
  2. Elizabeth was baptized on March 24, 1745 in Hopkinton. The History of Sutton says she married a man named Graves. The Sutton Freelands says that she married Nathan Hall and lived in Sutton. This may be a confusion with her sister who did marry a Nathaniel Graves. 
  3. John was baptized in Hopkinton on September 28, 1746. He married Mary Mellen, widow of _____ Gibbs. They settled in Claverack, near Hudson, New York. 
  4. William was baptized in Hopkinton on September 18, 1748 and married Lucy Claflin. They lived in Hopkinton. 
  5. Joseph was baptized in Hopkinton on July 18, 1750 and married Judith Gibson. He was a merchant in Hopkinton.
  6. Mary was baptized in Hopkinton on September 24, 1750 and married John Holland, Jr. on April 6, 1775. He was from Sutton. They moved to Dixfield, Maine. 
  7. Anna was born in Hopkinton on January 20, 1754 and Nathaniel Graves on November 4, 1774, according to The Sutton Freelands. However, The History of Sutton says she married a Mr. Hall. 
  8. Thomas, Jr. was baptized in Hopkinton on June 13, 1756 and married Anna Barrett. They lived in Hopkinton. 
  9. Sarah was baptized in Hopkinton on November 26, 1759 and married Joshua Park of Sutton on June 9, 1779. They lived in Hopkinton and later in Milford.  
  10. Abraham was baptized in Hopkinton on October 19, 1760 and never married. He lived in Hopkinton. 
  11. Asa was born and lived in Hopkinton. Neither the History of Sutton or The Sutton Freelands lists any marriage information for him. 

Thomas Mellen died at the home of his son, Dr. James Freeland. 

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