Wm. Freeman married Mrs. Rachel McNancy, whose father, Nathan Smith, was a native of North Carolina. This was his second marriage and James B. was its only issue.
James B. Freeman was left fatherless in his infancy. His mother being left in humble circumstances was not able to provide her son with other than very meager educational advantages. She died when he was but seventeen years of age and from that date he was thrown entirely upon his own resources. he sought work upon the farm and went to school as he could afford it, till he became able to secure a teacher's license, when he taught one term of school in Lost River Township.
At this time the Civil War came on and prompted by a spirit of loyalty, he tendered his services in defense of the Union. In July 1861, Mr. Freeman enlisted in Company "I" 24th Indiana Volunteer Infantry as a sergeant with Capt. McGuffin, Colonel Alvin P. Hovey's regiment. The regiment rendezvoused at Vincennes and was ordered from there to Camp Jesse, St. Louis, thence to Jefferson City, and on to Sedalia, Mo., then to Georgetown. From that point the regiment went to Tipton, Mo., with Gen. Fremont to Springfield in that place Gen. Fremont was relieved and Gen. Hunter given command.
The command returned to Tipton, thence to Sedalia, and there guarded prisoners captured by Gen. Jeff. C. Davis. Their next movement was to St. Louis, through Otterville, thence to Ft. Donaldson, and to Ft. Henry. The regiment then passed up the Tennessee River to Crump's Landing and was assigned to Gen. Lew Wallace's Division, which was ordered on the morning of the 6th of April to the Shiloh battlefield. They reached the battle ground at sundown of that day and participated in the second day's fight. Supported the besieging advance at Corinth, was ordered to Memphis via Purdy and Summersville and then up White River for the purpose of joining Curtis. It was then ordered back to Helena where it remained till March, 1863, when it was moved south to engage in the manoeuvres about Vicksburg. The troops were landed at Milliken's Bend in April and were marched around opposite to and below Vicksburg, to Louisville, striking the river at Perkins' plantation. By boat they then went to Grand Gulf and there had a six hour artillery duel with a Rebel land battery in an effort to silence it, and failing, the flotilla was dropped down the river to Bruinsburg where Gen. Grant ordered a landing and Mr. Freeman's company was the second to touch ground. The landing was covered, four days' rations were drawn and the command moved out and at daylight it was fighting the Rebels at Port Gibson, drove them off the field and took possession of the town. The army then went on toward Raymond, took it, filed to the left and on May 16, fought the battle of Champion Hill. This engagement lasted from ten a.m. to four p.m., many prisoners were taken and the batteries on the hill secured. The 24th Indiana lost 201 out of 500 men and remained on the field after the battle, Company I, aiding in burying the dead. Mr. Freeman was put in charge of 100 men to gather up the arms and other similar property belonging to the government.
The command followed up the enemy across Black River and up to their fortifications at Vicksburg, which was charged on the 22nd of the month without success. Siege was then laid to the city and it was captured July 4, 1863.
That campaign was the hardest through which Mr. Freeman passed. He was under marching orders for eighty-five days, and fifty-five of them he was under fire.
After the closed of the Vicksburg campaign the 24th aided in the capture of Jackson, returned to Vicksburg and rested a few days, and was then ordered to Port Hudson, to new Orleans, thence to Algiers, and to Brazier City and back through Louisiana to Opelousas, New Iberia and back to Berwick City and to New Orleans. Mr. Freeman was then transferred to Company K, of the 11th Indiana and sent across Lake Ponchartrain to Madisonville and was there transferred to Company C, of the 81st Ohio. He returned to New Orleans and Algiers at which latter place he was transferred to Verner's Battalion but was in that command but two months when he was returned to his own Company. Soon after this he left Baton Rouge for Indianapolis where he was discharged Aug. 17, 1864 and he reached Shoals the next day.
Mr. Freeman had saved up about $300 and with that he joined a comrade and together they opened a small store at Waggoner's Hill, this county, but ran it only two years when they moved to Hillham in Dubois County and there did a large and paying business for nine years, laying the foundation of a modest fortune. Mr. Freeman then came to Shoals with which town he has been identified most prominently. He has erected a number of buildings here, store-rooms, residences and a mill and has maintained a business place here all these years.
Mr. Freeman was first married on March 22, 1866 to Mary E. McCarrell. The children of this marriage were: Isota, wife of O.M. Wallace, of Cairo, Ill.; Rachel, wife of J.M. Huff, reading clerk of the Indiana State Senate; Ellsworth, deceased and Stella.
Mr. Freeman's present wife was Ida Cunningham, a daughter of John Price, of an old family, and an old stage man. He married a relative of a southern lady.
In politics Mr. Freeman is one of the most ardent Republicans to be found. He never fails in prominently identifying himself with every campaign of importance and in 1884 was chairman of the Martin County Central Committee; was Vice Chairman through the campaign of 1896, and to his labors was largely due the success attending the "big meetings" at Shoals.
Mr. Freeman has passed all the chairs in the Masonic Blue Lodge, and has been King, Scribe and Treasurer of the Chapter. He is also a charter member of the G.A.R. here, and was its first Quarter Master, and has been four times elected by acclamation its Senior Vice Commander, and is chairman of Lincoln League.
Pages 36-38, "Living Leaders An Encyclopedia of Biography. Special Edition. Daviess and Martin Counties, Indiana" American Publishing Company, 1897