WIFE

Hannah Astwood

CHILDREN

1. John Freeman
    b. 13 Oct 1654 Milford, New Haven, CT
    bap. 15 Oct 1654
    d. 24 Dec 1654 Milford, New Haven, CT

2. Hannah Freeman
    b. 1655/6
    Bap. 2 Mar 1655/6 Milford, New Haven, CT
    m. Joseph Brown
    d. Aft.. 21 Nov. 1694 Newark, NJ

3. Mary Freeman
    b. 15 Nov 1658 Milford, New Haven, CT
    bap. May 1659
    m. Thomas Brown
    d. Bef. 7 Apr 1711 Newark, NJ

4. Stephen Freeman
    b. 7 Feb 1660/1 Milford, New Haven, CT
    d. 5 Apr 1661 Milford, New Haven, CT

5. Samuel Freeman
    b. 1 Dec 1662 Milford, New Haven, CT
    bap 21 Dec 1662
    m. Elizabeth Brown
    d. 1749 Orange, Essex, NJ

6. Martha Freeman Milford, New Haven, CT
    b. Abt. 1665
    m. 18 Feb 1685 Samuel Porter
    d. Aft. 1715 Farmington, Hartford, CT

5. Sarah Freeman
    b. Abt. 1669 Milford, New Haven, CT
    m. 9 Feb 1688 Thomas Judd
    d. 22 Nov 1720 Waterbury, New Haven, CT 

The Ancestry of Rev. Nathan Grier Parke and his wife Ann Elizabeth Gildersleeve

Stephen Freeman

Newark New Jersey

Stephen Freeman, born in England, died at Newark, N. J. (before 22 Oct 1675; married by 1653, Hannah Astwood, born in England, died (perhaps at Farmington, Conn.) after 1690.  She married second, Robert Porter of Farmington and Waterbury, Conn., who died in 1689; and third, by 1690, a Clark, perhaps John Clark, Sr. of Farmington.
The origin of Stephen Freeman is unknown.  A possible clue is the alleged marriage of a Stephen Freeman to Mary Osborn at Olney, co. Bucks, England. (a) The date would be about right for the parents of the emigrant.
Stephen appears to have been in Milford, Conn., by 1646, and he joined the church there 25 Feb. 1648/9.  On 17 Sept. 1654 Hannah Freeman, described as wife of brother Stephen Freeman and daughter of Capt. Astwood, was admitted to membership. (b)
There are a few mentions of Stephen in the Milford town records until the family removed to become original settlers of Newark, N. J.  Stephen died there at a rather early age, but had been Townsman in 1674 and 1675.  His will, dated 14 June 1675, named his wife Hannah, son Samuel, and daughters Hannah, Mary, Martha and Sarah, and appointed as executors Michael Tompkins and Lieut. Ward.  However, administration was granted to the widow Hannah, 22 Oct. 1675; the estate inventoried at £554.19.4. (c)
That the widow married Robert Porter and lived with him in Waterbury, Conn., is proved by deeds in Milford, one dated 12 Nov. 1685, by which Robert Porter of Mattatuck conveyed, mentioning his wife Hannah Porter, who was formerly Hannah Freeman, relict of "Steven" Freeman.  On 9 Nov. 1688, Samuel Freeman of Newark and Hannah Porter of Waterbury, formerly wife of Stephen Freeman belonging to Milford, conveyed to Robert Porter, "my deare friend standing in the Relation of a ffather to mee the said Samuel: and a husband to mee the aforesaid Hannah Porter."  (d) After Porter's death in 1689, another deed was given, 10 Mar, 1690, by Thomas Porter of Farmington, heir to Robert Porter of Mattatuck (Waterbury), and Hannah Clark, "now widow formerly the wife of Robert Porter of Mattatuck." (e) It seems very probably that her third husband was John Clark, Sr., of Farmington, whose first wife (and mother of his children) was Rebecca, daughter of Matthew Marvin.
On 5 Mar. 1714/15, Samuel Freeman, Stephen Brown and John Brown, all of Newark, Essex Co., East Jersey, and Deacon Samuel Porter of Farmington and wife Martha, and Deacon Thomas Judd of Waterbury and wife Sarah, gave conveyance to Ezekiel Stone of Milford. (f )It was thus appear that as late of 1715 some residue was left of the property rights in Milford to the heirs of Stephen Freeman or John Astwood, for the grantors were the only son of Stephen Freeman, his two surviving daughters with their husbands while the two Browns were sons and representatives of the two Freeman daughters who had married Brown brothers.
Children of Stephen and Hannah (Astwood) Freeman, the first five recorded at Milford:

1. John, b. 13 Oct. 1654; bapt. 15 Oct 1654; d. 24 Dec. 1654.

2. Hannah, b. last of Feb. 1655/6; bapt. 2 Mar. 1655/6; m. Joseph Brown, bapt. at Milford, 9 May 1652, d. at Newark, N. J. between 20 Oct and 21 Nov 1694.

3. Mary, b. 15 Nov 1658; bapt. May 1659; m. Thomas Brown, b. 22 July 1655, d. at Newark, (before 7 Apr.) 1711.

4. Stephen, b. 7 Feb. 1660/1; d. 5 Apr. 1661.

5. Samuel, b. 1 Dec. 1662; bapt. 21 Dec. 1662; m. Elizabeth Brown b. (say 1663), d. 13 Nov. 1732.  He was prominent in Newark, being Constable, 1701, pound keeper, 1693 and 1698, and fence viewer, 1695 and 1709.

6. Martha, b. (say 1665); living 1715; m. (recorded at Farmington), 18 Feb. 1685, (Dr. and Deacon) Samuel Porter, b. at Farmington, abt. 1665, d. there 25 Mar. 1736 in 71st yr. (g. s.), son of Thomas and Sarah (Hart) Porter.  He m. (2) (recorded at Farmington without date) Abigail Humphrey, "sometime of Simsbury"; she d. at Farmington, 11 Oct. 1735 in 56th yr. (g. s.). The will of Dr. Samuel Porter, made 21 June 1735, proved 6 Apr. 1736, named wife Abigail and children.

7. Sarah, b. abt. 1669; d. at Waterbury, Conn., 28 Sept. 1738 in 69th yr (g. s.); m. 9 Feb. 1687, Thomas Judd, bapt. at Farmington, 13 Oct. 1662, d. at Waterbury, 4 Jan. 1747 ae. 79 (g. s.), but the last record is wrong, son of William and Mary (Steele) Judd.  Thomas Judd was called 27 years old in 1690 in the inventory of his father's estate.  Hence we conclude that he was the Thomas baptized late in 1662, and that the gravestone record may have been wrongly read, and perhaps he died in 1741 or 1742.  The marriage record at Waterbury calls Sarah "ye daughter of Stephen freeman of New worck in east jarsy."

a. Letter of Willis Freeman of Chicago, Ill., to Horace Dickerman of New Haven, Conn. 23 July 1933.  The Olney registers do not begin until 1665, hence the entry, if authentic, would have to be verified in the Bishop's Transcripts.

b. The American Genealogist, 16;32

c. N. J. Archives, 21;38

d. Milford Land Records, 3:7; 1 and 2:58

e. Ibid., 3:57

f. Ibid., 5:89

g. Manwaring's Digest, 3:189-90.

h. Ibid., 1:475.

j. Joseph Anderson. History of Waterbury (1896), 1:App.80

From Upson Family in America, 1940
"Stephen Freeman was one of the first settlers of Milford, Connecticut, in 1646 and later of Newark, New Jersey"

From Genealogical and Memorial History of the State of New Jersey by Francis Bazley Lee, 1910
"He owned land and homestead in Milford but did not become a proprietor until 1658. He removed to Fairfield, Connecticut, 1664. He was one of the signers of Milford of the Fundamental Agreement, October 30, 1666.
His home lot comprised six and a half acres bounded with John Carley land south, the swamp east, and highway north and west.
At a town meeting August 4, 1673, he was nominated for magistrate, and on October 13 was chosen with others "to take the Pattent in their names in the town Behalf and to give security to the Payment of the Purchase." On March 19, 1673-74, he was chosen selectman. September 3, 1680, he gave bond of forty pounds to the town in protection to Peter Jacobs. He died about 1681.
He emigrated to Newark, New Jersey, about 1662-63, and the Newark records show later that Widow Hannah Freeman hath for her division of upland lying near the Mountain containing forty acres bounded with Sergeant Richard Harrison north, by the common south and east, and with the top of the Mountain west. This division was intended for her husband and she succeeded to his rights. He married, about 1653-54 Hannah Atwood, daughter of Captain Samuel Atwood."

From Families of Early Milford, Connecticut by Susan Woodruff Abbott, 1979
"Stephen Freeman was an after planter in 1658 having lot #11, 2 acres, on West River Street near present school. He was admitted to the church 25 February 1648. He married Hannah Astwood dau of Capt. John. She married/ 2 Robert Porter. Admitted to the church in Milford 17 September 1653. They later removed to Newark, N.J. In the Milford land records for 8 October 1674 is the following "Stephen Freeman of Newrke in ye prov of New Jersey in New Netherland" sells his Milford land."

Estate of Stephen Freeman

Stephen Freeman
Death Date:	Abt 1675
Will Date:	14 Jun 1675
Will Place:	Newark
Comments:	will of. Wife, Hannah; son, Samuel. Daughters--Hannah, Mary, Martha and Sarah. Executors--Deacon Michel Tomkins and Lieut. Ward. Witnesses--Obediah Bruen and John Baldwin, jun.; will of. Wife, Hannah; son, Samuel. Daughters--Hannah, Mary, Martha and Sarah. Executors--Deacon Michel Tomkins and Lieut. Ward. Witnesses--Obediah Bruen and John Baldwin, jun.; 1675, Oct. 22. Inventory, £554.19.4.; 1675, Oct. 22. Administration granted to the widow, Hannah Freeman.; E. J. D., Lib. 3, pp. 119, 120.
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