This distinguished philanthropist was born at Portland, July 3d, 1783, and died at Cherryfield, Feb. 20, 1879, at the ripe age of 96. He graduated at Harvard College in 1804, having written considerable for the Boston Palladium and other publications, previous to that date. Mr. Sayward, editor of the Bangor Whig, regarded Mr. F. as the most versatile writer then in the State, and many of his best verses were written under non de plumes. On the 4th of July, 1806, while a resident of Portland, he delivered an oration in the old wooden First Parish meeting-house, by invitation of the town authorities. Mr. Freeman became a well-read lawyer, and was also very successful as a lecturer and peace-maker. It is said that he sometimes spent days in efforts to obtain peaceful settlements between parties who applied to him to prosecute or defend their claims before the courts. He formerly owned the very large tract of land now composing the towns of Steuben, Millbridge, Harrington, and a part of Cherryfield. And yet with all these opportunities to accumulate wealth he left comparatively a small estate. The great object of his life seems to have been to benefit his fellow-men, and for this he had the respect and esteem of all in his region. . . . He was a voluminous writer on a great variety of subjects, and retained his faculties until the last.

Poetry

William Freeman, The Drunkard's Wife: A Temperance Poem founded on facts (Machias, Maine: Printed by C.O. Furbush, 1875)

_____________, A poem delivered, in part, at Machias, Me., before Bradbury Post, G.A.R., 1873 taking up about twenty-five minutes of time, and since enlarged to its present length (Machias, Maine: Printed by C.O. Furbush, 1875)