Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Richard FREEMAN (c1715-1778)

and Mary BENNET (1715-?)

Richard Freeman was my 6x Great Grandfather.  (Click here to see his place in my pedigree chart.)  He may have married twice.  Firstly to Mary Bennet by licence on 24 June 1744 in Ashington, Sussex.  He was then of Ashurst and she of Ashington.  Their marriage licence was issued on 23 June 1744 by the Archdeaconry of Chichester.  Surety for the licence was provided by Richard himself and John Bennatt of Ashington.  Richard may next have married Elizabeth Burchill by licence on 16 February 1747/8 at the parish church of St. James in Ashurst, when they were both of Ashurst and Richard was described as a widower.  However, Elizabeth may instead have married Richard's father.

Richard Freeman’s date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  He was the son of Richard Freeman (c1685-1755).  Richard left a will dated 23 November 1776 and proved on 27 May 1778, at which time he was a yeoman of Shipley - click here to read my transcipt of his will.  (I have a transcript of the Shipley registers and can not see a burial for Richard - I need to check the original registers.)  Under the terms of his father's 1752 will, he was to receive lands in Shipley that were then occupied by John Barnard.  He was mentioned as Richard Freeman the elder in the 1775 will of his kinsman John Freeman (c1689-1777), who I believe was Richard's uncle.  Richard did not mention his wife in his will, could this have meant that she had predeceased him?

On 15 February 1760, Richard provided surety for the issuing of a marriage licence to John Peirce and Mary Frances.  John was a butcher and widower, whilst Mary was a spinster and they were both of West Grinstead.  Richard was then described as a farmer of Ashurst.

Mary Bennet was baptised on 3 September 1715 in Ashington.  She was the daughter of John Bennet and Mary Holden.  The West Grinstead burial register records that Mary wife of Richard Freeman of Ashurst was buried on 30 July 1747, but as will be noted below, Richard and Mary were named as the parents of children baptised in 1752, 1756 and 1761.  However, Richard and Mary did have daughter baptised on 26 July 1747, so I think it possible that Mary may have died as a result of child birth, unless the burial referred to Richard's father's wife.  In 1752, Richard's father was of West Grinstead, but he also held lands in Ashurst and Shipley.

Elizabeth Burchill's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  Her baptism was not recorded in the Ashurst parish register.  Might she have been baptised on 29 April 1726 in Rusper, Sussex and have been the daughter of John Burchill and Susannah Kempshall?  However, if she was the wife of Richard senior, who died in 1755, might she have remarried on 20 April 1756 to William Belchamber by banns in West Grinstead?  They were both then of West Grinstead and witnesses were William Stenning and James Stiles.  Elizabeth wife of William Belchamber was buried on 6 January 1797 in West Grinstead.  William was buried there on 12 December 1798.  William and Elizabeth don't seem to have had any children baptised in West Grinstead.

Richard Freeman had 9 known children:

1. Richard Freeman was born about 1745/6, but so far no baptism has been found for him.  He was buried in West Grinstead in January 1830 aged 84 years.  He married Mary Lish in 1769.  (They have their own page.)

   Richard's children were:  Richard, Thomas, Mary, James, Phillis, Phillip and John.

2. Mary Freeman was baptised on 26 July 1747 in West Grinstead.  Her mother's name was recorded as Mary.  She married William Botting in 1771.  (They have their own page.)

3. John Freeman, my 5x Great Grandfather, was born about 1748/9, but no baptism as yet been found for him.  He died in Ashurst and was buried in West Grinstead in January 1819 aged 70 years.  He married Ann Woolven in 1776 in Ashurst.  (They have their own page.)

   John's children were:  Richard, John, Ann, Mary, Edward, William, Thomas, Felix, Elizabeth and Peter.

4. William Freeman was born about 1750, but so far no baptism has been found for him.  He died in Shipley and was buried in West Grinstead in June 1820.  He married twice, firstly to Mary Woolven in 1771 and then to Elizabeth Neeve in 1780.  (The have their own page.)

   William's children were:  Mary, Richard, Phillip, Thomas, Elizabeth, Henry, Sarah, Edward, Charlotte and Elizabeth.

5. Elizabeth Freeman was baptised on 4 February 1751/2 in Ashurst.  Her mother's name was recorded as Mary.  Her baptism was the first Freeman baptism to have been recorded in the Ashurst parish registers.  She may have died before 1776 as she was not mentioned in her father's will.

   Elizabeth married John Cowper by banns on 23 May 1773 in Shipley.  She was then of Shipley and he of West Grinstead.

   John and Elizabeth had 1 known son:

   1. Philip Cooper was mentioned in his maternal grandfather's will.

6. Edward Freeman was born about 1753.  He died aged 67 years and was buried on 30 January 1820 in West Grinstead.

7. Ann Freeman was baptised on 25 February 1756 in Ashurst.  Her mother's name was recorded as Mary.

   Ann married John Cutteridge by banns on 7 December 1773 in Ashurst.  She was then a spinster of Ashurst and he a bachelor of West Grinstead.  The witnesses were William Belchamber and William Muzzall.

   John Cutress was mentioned as son-in-law in the will of Ann's father.  John was also appointed a jointed executor of his father-in-law's will, at which time he was a cordwainer of Henfield.

8. Philip Freeman was mentioned in his father's will. Philip married Hannah Newnham on 5 February 1781 in Angmering.

   Hannah was baptised on 19 May 1756 in Clapham, Sussex and was the daughter of William Newnham and Hannah Kent.

   Philip and Hannah had the following children:

   1. James Freeman was baptised on 3 February 1782 in Angmering.

   2. Frances Freeman was baptised on 10 March 1784 in Angmering.

   3. Mary Kent Freeman was baptised on 12 April 1786 in Angmering.

   4. Elizabeth Freeman was baptised on 1 August 1788 in Angmering.

   5. Charlotte Freeman was baptised on 16 May 1790 in Angmering.

   6. William Freeman was baptised on 20 May 1792 in Angmering.

9. Thomas Freeman was baptised on 28 September 1761 in Ashurst.  His parents were then of West Grinstead and his mother was named as Mary.

Might Richard have also had the following daughter:

1. Sarah Freeman was not mentioned in Richard's 1776 will.  She had an illegitimate son before she married:

   1. Richard Freeman was baptised on 4 February 1776 in West Grinstead and it was noted in the baptism register that he was baseborn.  He may have died aged 61 years and have been buried on 22 November 1838 in West Grinstead, but there was another Richard Freeman born in 1775 and another Richard Freeman who was born in 1777.

   Sarah married Thomas Grant on 24 November 1786 in West Grinstead.  She was then a spinster and he a widower and they were both of West Grinstead.  Thomas may have previously married Maria Thorpe on 6 September 1772 in West Grinstead, at which time he was of Henfield.  Although it would seem Thomas and Maria had a daughter Sarah Grant baptised on 17 September 1786 in Shermanbury.

BENNETT          FREEMAN