A Lexicon History of Freetown, Massachusetts

On the 200th anniversary of the founding of our republic, the citizens of Freetown looked back with pride on the role Freetown played in American history. It was a Freetowner who led the Union army in the first battle of the Civil War. While this document does cover national events, it is mainly devoted to local history. It is the local history of Freetown that made Freetown what it is today and decides what it shall be in the future.

This page is dedicated to the booklet entitled "A Lexicon History of Freetown, Massachusetts" by Earl William Rogers II - © 1973 by Earl William Rogers II - All information contained in this document was valid and factual as of the time of its printing in 1973. Since then, several changes have taken place and have been noted within the material wherever known.

Click on any letter in the alphabet to quickly find a corresponding topic.
Or scroll through this alphabetical Lexicon Index of the History Of Freetown.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

A

Alexander (or Wamitta) died 1661. He was the oldest son of Massasoit King (chief) of the Wampanoeg Indians. He was the co-seller of the Freeman's Purchase in 1659 and husband of Wetamoe the other co-seller. He became chief early in 1661, but he died soon after. Wetamoe and her brother Philip, firmly believed he was poisoned by the whites, however, there was never any evidence found to support that charge.

Algonquin Gas Transmission Co. is located on a 473 acre tract of land on South Main Street. The plant converts naphtha to synthetic natural gas.

Area of the town of Freetown is 34.57 square miles.

Assessors, board of, the first were John Reed and samuel Gardiner elected in 1690.

Assonet is a Wampanoag Indian word for "song of praise".

Assonet Industries, established in 1953 on Mill Street. The plant manufactures shipping reels and employs 25 people.

Assonet River is approximately twelve miles long. Its sources are a number of ponds, swamps, creeks, and brooks in the area. It empties into the Taunton River.

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Battle of Freetown took place on May 25, 1778.

Beach, The town beach at Long Pond is located off County Road. It was purchased by the town in 1967 and opened in 1969.

Beach, The town beach at Porter Shores is located off Gramp Deane Road. It was partly donated and partly purchased by the town in 1969 and opened the same year.

Birth, The first recorded birth in Freetown was Abigail Makepeace on November 25, 1686.

Braley, Bradford, born in Freetown on July 12, 1793. He was the youngest son of Ezekiel and Mary Tripp Bradford. Braley studied medicine and became a doctor in 1816. Dr. Braley set-up his practice in the Eastern part of town. Dr. Braley was one of the founders of the Mason's Corner Church in 1831 and for a number of years was clerk of the church. Dr. Braley held many town offices and was twice a state representative. Dr. Braley died on February 7, 1872.

Bridges - The town has three notable stone arch bridges: Elm Street (built in 1822), South Main Street (built in 1886), and County Road (built in 1941).

Briggs, Charles A., was born in Charlestown on December 25, 1863. He studied medicine at Brown University and Long Island College Hospital. He moved to Freetown in 1892 and set-up his medical practice. Dr. Briggs was physician for the town schools and served on the school committee. He had a keen interest in the library and for many years was one of the trustees. Dr. Briggs died on December 14, 1942.

Bristol County was established in 1685.

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C

Calvary Pentecostal Church can trace its beginning back to 1964 when the church was planned by the Rev. Peter Rodriques and Jennie Lopes. The Church, on Braley Road, was dedicated on November 6, 1971. Rev. Rodriques was the first pastor. The church has a notable choir, the Christ Ambassadors, which have cut a number of records. Part of the record sales was used for the building of the church.

Carrier-Schooner, 143 tons, was the last large ship built in Freetown in 1843. The Carrier was sunk off the coast of New Jersey in 1852, but happily all of the crew escaped to safety.

Charleston, South Carolina, Three ships hailing from Freetown (Bently, Challenge, and Truman) were in Charleston shortly before the firing on Fort Sumter. All managed to escape, however, the Challenge and Truman were fired at, unsuccessfully, by the South.

Christian Congregational Church, can trace its beginning back to November 9, 1831 when Dr. Bradford Braley, Hezikiah Mason, Elbridge Morton, Samuel Wilde, Thomas Lucas, Mary Harvey, and James Ashley meet at the Mason Corner school to plan a church for the Western part of town. The church, called the Second Christian Church, was built in 1833 at Mason Corner. The church was valued at $1,000.00 in 1880. The number of parishioners grew so large, in the 1880's that a larger church was needed. Plans for the new church were drawn up by Frank Edminster. The church, called the East Freetown Christian Church, was built on Washburn Road in 1888 at a cost of $2,720.00. The Mason Corner Church became deserted and was destryed by fire in the early Twentieth Century. In 1931 a number of Congregational Churches and Christian Churches joined together, and the church changed its name to the Christian Congregational Church. The Church is a member of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches.

A town church was first proposed at the town meeting of June 10, 1699, however no action was taken at that time. William Way opened a church-school in 1704. Way was dismissed in 1707 because he lacked any qualifications for being a minister or teacher. The town meeting of March 21, 1707 voted to apply for a Church of England minister, however this action may have been more against the Boston Puritans than a desire for a Church of England minister.

Clerk, first Town Clerk was Samuel Gardiner in 1688

Congregational Church was organized on April 26, 1807. The present church on North Main Street in Assonet was built in 1808-09. Ebenezer Pierce of Lakeville was the master builder. The bell is a Revere Bell and was installed with great difficulty by Pierce. The Church was remodeled in 1867, and was valued at $4,000.00 in 1880. The clock in the steeple of the Church was added in 1882, and is still in working order today. The clock was purchased from Amherst College. The Church joined with the First Christian Church on May 11, 1916 to form the Federated Church of Assonet. The Christian Church withdrew in November of 1917 and the churches resumed separate services. The two churches were united again, by a joint agreement on January 1, 1922. Under the agreement, services were held at each church on alternate Sundays. The Congregational Church withdrew on January 1, 1944 and the churches resumed separate services. The Church merged with the First Christian Church of Assonet on June 26, 1968.

Cranberry Bogs became a major industry shortly after the end of the Civil War. Today there are approximately 16 bogs in operation in Freetown.

Crystal Springs Bleachery and Dyeing Company was built on South Main Street in 1882. The company for many years was the largest employer in the town but it did not fair well in the depression. The plant was taken over by the town for non-payment of taxes in 1935. It was sold by the town that same year for $22,250.00. The new owners, the Crystal Springs Finishing Company, ran the plant until 1949 when it was closed. The plant was sold and reopened as the New England Print and Dye Workers in 1952. The Plant was completely destroyed by fire in 1955.

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Daley and Laycock Bleachery was a small plant on Mill Street. It was built in the early twentieth century, but was rather unsuccessful and closed about 1920.

Dams, The first dam on the Assonet River was built in 1695 and was used to power a saw mill. The first Forge Dam was built in 1702 and used to power a grist mill. There were 19 dams in the town in 1900: 10 on the Assonet River, 3 on Terry Brook, and 6 on Fall Brook.

Death, The first recorded death in the town was John Bailey on June 22, 1686. A man named Lawton may have been killed by Indians in in 1675, but his death in unconfirmed.

Debt, The town went into debt for the first time in 1838.

Degree, The first native born Freetowner to earn a college degree (from Yale) was Shadrach Winslow in 1772.

Doctors, The first doctor in town was Thomas Browell in 1734. Other notable doctors in town have been: Jesse Bullock (c.1770), John Turner (c.1770), Nicholas Hathaway (1773-1848), Thomas Bump (1790-1883), Thomas Nichols (1819-1883), and Henry Sproat (1842-1892).

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East Freetown, (or New Freetown) was annexed from Tiverton in 1747.

Elizabeth, Whaler, 349 tons, sailed from Assonet (on her first whaling voyage) under Captain Bradford Winslow in 1841. She was the largest and the unluckiest ship to hail from Freetown. On that first voyage, Captain Winslow and five crewmen were killed when a whale hit the small boat they were in. On July 4, 1844, the Elizabeth sailed from Assonet on her second and last voyage under Captain Elisha Gifford. The ship was burned off the coast of Fiji in 1846.

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Fall River, became a separate town on February 25, 1803.

Fire Department, The town relied on private volunteers until August 20, 1887. Then the town appropriated the sum of eight hundred dollars and a committee was appointed to purchase fire apparatus. The committee was able to purchase a Narragansett engine from Warren, RI and a hook and ladder truck from Franklin (both of them survive today). The apparatus was kept in the town hall. In 1911 a La France engine was purchased for $749.00. The non-motorized fire apparatus seemed adequate for the needs of the town until November 27, 1921. Then a large fire broke out in a house on Myricks Road. The town's apparatus was unable to cope with the fire, and the town was forced to call in motorized fire engines from Fall River to put out the fire. The town purchased its first motorized pumper in July of 1925. The pumper: was a 1925 Reo engine, had a four cylinder engine which weighed 1.5 tons, and had an overall weight of five tons. It had a pump displacement rate of 350 gallons per minute, and cost the town $5,300.00. Also purchased in 1925. was a used Ford fire truck. The town purchased a Chevrolet pumper (287 gpm) truck in 1933. The Chevrolet was stationed in the East Freetown Garage so the town could be better protected by the department. A GMC fire truck was added to the departmentin 1943. On March 10, 1945, a committee was appointed to look into a new building for precinct number one. The site cosen was on Elm Street, 180 feet from the Assonet Four Corners. In April of 1945 the town purchased a Buffalo pumper truck and sold the Reo and Ford trucks. Another Buffalo pumper (600 gpm) was purchased in 1947. The new building for precinct number one was completed in 1948. A Ford fire truck was purchased in October of 1953 and the GMC truck was sold. A Ford pumper (600 gpm) was purchased in November of 1956 and the Chevrolet was sold. On July 6, 1958, the town's first ambulance was put into service at precinct number two. The ambulance, a Cadillac, was purchased by the East Freetown Firemen's Association through public subscription. A Chevrolet emergency fire truck was put into service on July 18, 1960 at precinct number one. A 1958 Cadillac ambulance was purchased to replace the first one in 1964. The town's communication center was added to the department in 1966. A Ford pumper truck was purchased in 1967 and the 1945 Buffalo was sold. Precinct number two was purchased from the East Freetown Garage in 1969. A 1970 Oldsmobile ambulance was purchased on May 27, 1970 and the Cadillac was sold.

First Christian Church was organized in May of 1807. Its services were first held in a Baptist meeting house built in 1796 near the corners of High and South Main Streets. The present church was built on the same site in 1832. The large church bell was installed in 1863, having been donated by Edmund Hathaway. The church was valued at $3,500.00 in 1880. The church parsonage was built in 1895. The church joined with the Congregational Church on May 11, 1916 to form the Federated Church of Assonet. (See First Christian Church above)

Freemen's Purchase was on April 2, 1659. Alexander (also known as Wamitta), son of Massasoit (King of the Wampanoag Indians), and his wife Weetamoe (also known as Tattapanum or Nanumpun), princess of the Pocasset Indians sold part of their land to: Josiah Winslow, James Cudworth, Constant Southworth, John Barns, John Tesdale, Humphrey Turner, Walter Hatch, Samuel House, Samuel Jackson, John Damon, Timothy Hatherly, Timothy Foster, Thomas Southworth, George Watson, Nathaniel Morton, Richard Moore, Edmund Chandler, Samuel Nash, Henry Howland, Ralph Partridge, Love Brewater, William Paybody, Christopher Wadsworth, Kenelme Winslow, Thomas Boure, and John Waterman (all FREEMEN) all of Plymouth Colony. The price of the purchase was: 2 rugs, 20 coats, 2 iron pots, 2 big kettles, 1 little kettle (origin of the seal), 8 pairs of shoes, 6 pairs of stockings, 12 hoes, 12 hatchets, 2 yards of cloth, and debt due Alexander from John Barnes (this was possibly fire-water). Massasoit's (Ossamequin) name was mentioned in the deed, however he did not sign it. The deed was signed by three witnesses: Thomas Cooke, Jonathan Bridge, and John Sassamen. Since all of the colonists were free men, the purchase was called the Freemen's Purchase and thus the town was named Freetown.

Freetown was incorporated as a town in 1683.

Freetown Journal was the first regular town newspaper. The paper and nine other papers were published by Samuel Fiske of Fall River from 1885 to about 1898.

Freetown Screw Manufacturing Company was established in 1955 on County Road. Until 1969 it was called the Freetown Screw Machine Company.

Furnace Village the name came from an iron blast built by Levi Rounsevell and Abraham Morton (of Freetown), Job Pierce and Joseph Leonard (of Middleboro), and Seth Keith (of Bridgewater) near Fall Brook in 1784.

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Gilbert, Thomas was born in Freetown in 1714. He was appointed a captain in the English-Colonial army in 1745 and took part in the capture of Louisberg. Gilbert was promoted to the rank of colonel and led English-Colonial troops to victory at Lake George in 1755. Gilbert, in January of 1774, had passed at the town meeting a resolution condoning the Boston Tea Party. General Gage ordered Gilbert and a force of 300 Tories to quell the rebels in Bristol Couty earl in 1775.
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Harriet, whaler, 147 tons, was built in 1808. She was the first whaling ship to hail from Freetown and her 40 year career was highly unsuccessful. The ship was abandoned as unsafe in Pernambuco Harbor, Brazil in 1848.

Historical Society Organized in 1968. The George S. Mycock Museum on Elm Street, was donated to the Society by the Stillwater Charities Foundation in 1972. The Society had over 90 members in 1972 and has grown every year since.

Hurricanes - Major ones of the twentieth century have been: September 21, 1938, September 14, 1944, and August 31, 1954.

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Interviews, with many townspeople and homeowners have been taken and recorded in this document for posterity. Reference the interview pages for each of the respected villages for interviews with homeowners.
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King Phillip's War (June 20, 1675 - August 12, 1676) forced early settlers into abandoning the town until the war ended.
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Languedoc-Sloop, 30 tons, was the first lage sailing ship from Freetown in 1782.

Lawyer - First in the town was William Leonard in 1793.

Leonard, Helen, Born on February 7, 1804 in Freetown. She married Charles Hay on October 13, 1831. Their son born in Salem, Indiana on October 8, 1838, was John Hay, the famous statesman.

Library, Guilford Hathaway - Towards the end of the nineteenth century there was a growing demand for a public library in the town. The town meeting in March of 1892 voted to establish a library. The library was kept in the town hall, which proved inadequate. E. Florence Hathaway then gave enough money for the building of a separate library. John Wilson gave land, on North Main Street, for the library. The library was open to the public in fall of 1895. The building (seen by link from above), now over 100 years old, is still in use today.

Library, James White - Soon after the opening of the North Main Street (Hathaway) Library, it became apparent the town needed a second library in the eastern part of town. The East Freetown Library was opened in 1910. Rachel A. Allen had a keen interest in the library, and for a number of years was librarian and on the board of trustees. The James White Memorial Library, on Washburn Road, was built in 1946 and opened in 1947.

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Medal of Honor was won by Captain John M. Dean of Freetown for his action at the battle of Fort Steadman, Virginai in March of 1865. Dean was also promoted to the rank of Major for his action is which he rallied his Union troops to capture the Fort and a large number of Confederate troops.

Militia, First town Militia was formed in 1683 under the command of Captain Thomas Terry.

Monument Manufacturing Company was opened in 1934 on Mill Street. The company engaged in textile manufacturing until it closed in 1969.

Morton, Marcus, Born in Freetown on February 19, 1748. He was the son of Nathaniel Morton III and Mary Carey Morton. He graduated from Brown University in 1804 and was admitted to the Taunton Bar Association in 1807. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1817 to 1821. He was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1823. In February of 1825, Governor William Eusts died and Morton became acting Governor. On July 4, 1825 Morton resigned the Governorship to take a seat on the Massachusetts Supreme Court. He resigned from the Supreme Court to run for Governor in 1839. Morton won the election over Governor Edward Everett by one vote. He served as Governor from 1840-1845 and was appointed by the state legislature to that office. He was appointed collector for the port of Boston on May 1, 1845 and held that office for four years. He served in the state legislature from 1858 - 1860, with his last year also holding the position of trustee of Harvard University. A Hospital in Taunton was dedicated to him after his death on February 8, 1864

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N.R. Davis and Company was opened on Forge Road on July 1, 1853. The company manufactured muzzle-loading rifles and began with five employees. The company moved to Water Street in the fall of 1854. The company began to manufacture shot-guns as well as rifles in 1858.
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Old Man of Joshua's Mountain (or Profile Rock) is located off Slab Bridge Road. The Mountain was named for Joshua Tisdale who was the first to settle near the mountain.

Old Home Festival was held by the assonet Village Improvement Society on July 30, 1902. Major John Deane was the president of the festival. Among the notables at the festival were: George Grime mayor of Fall River, Judge James Morton, Judge Henry Braley, Curtis Guild historian, Hebert Hathaway poet, W.S. Greene congressman, and Rufus Soule state senator.

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Pierce, Ebenezer W. of Freetown was a colonel in the Union army soon after the outbreak of the Civil War. Colonel Pierce led Union Troops into the battle of Big Bethel on June 10, 1861. This was the first battle of the Civil War. Major (later Colonel) Silas P. Richmond, of Freetown, also took part in this battle.

Parks, Joseph Hathaway Memorial Park, on Water Street, was left to the town in 1965 and opened in 1966. Memorial Field, on Memorial Drive, was opened in 1968.

Pocasset Purchase was made in November of 1678. John Briggs, Thomas Purdance, Ephem Allen, and Samuel Briggs of the Pocasset Indians sold part of their land to: Christopher Almy, Edward Gray, Nathaniel Thomas, Captain Benjamin Church, Job Almy, Thomas Waite, Daniel Wilcox, and William Manchester, all of Plymouth County. The price was 1,100 English pounds. This land purchase was called the Pocasset Purchase and part of the land that later became the eastern part of Freetown. On April 11, 1681, the Pocasset Purchase was divided into 30 lots in the following way: Edward Gray - 9, William Manchester - 2, Benjamin Church - 1, Job Almy - 2 1/2, Jacob Mott - 1, Christopher Almy - 4, Daniel Wilcox - 1, Gideon Freeborn - 1, Nathaniel Thomas - 3, John Cook - 2, Edward Wanton - 1, William Cory - 1, Thomas Waite - 1, and Robert Hazard - 1/2.

Police Department was not formally organized until 1932. Before that time only the occasional constable was used. In 1932, a part time police force was organized with a chief and seven officers. In April of 1971, a full-time force was organized with a chief, three officers, two police cars and also a part-time force of 12 regular officers.

Population of the town has been as follows:

1688
1765
1776
1790
1800
1810
1820
1830
270
1,492
1,901
2,202
2,535
1,878
1,878
1,909
1850
1860
1870
1880
1890
1895
1900
1910
1,615
1,521
1,372
1,329
1,417
1,405
1,394
1,417
1915
1920
1925
1930
1940
1945
1950
1955
1,681
1,532
1,663
1,656
1,584
1,830
2,104
2,573
1960
1970
1980
1990
1995
*2000*
*2010*
*Projected*
3,039
4,117
7,058
8,522
8,733
9,433
10,305


Post Office, Assonet was opened in 1811 as the Freetown Post Office. On April 1, 1901 the name was changed to the Assonet Post Office. The present South Main Street office was opened on November 26, 1962. The post office is second class and its Zip Code is 02702.

Post Office, East Freetown was opened in 1811. The post office was closed in 1822, and reopened in 1852. The County Road office was opened in 1962 and closed in 1996. It was reopened down the street in the Crossroads Plaza in 1996. The post office is second class and its Zip Code is 02717.

Property Tax, First levied in September of 1688.

Property Tax Rate - per $1,000.00 during the twentieth century:

1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1997
$12.70
$15.00
$32.50
$34.00
$36.00
$42.60
$87.80
$116.50
???
$224.40

Puritan Mills, Established in 1910 on Mill Street. Herman Myers was its president and Edwin Blinn its treasurer. The company engaged in textile manufacturing. However, it was rather unsuccessful and soon closed.
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Quaker Meeting House, Built in 1725 near Mother's Brook on what came to be called Quaker Hill. The meeting house was moved, about 1765, to North Main Street near the town line. In 1880 the meeting house was valued at $600.00. In 1896 the old meeting house was torn down and a chapel erected. The number of Quakers declined in the twentieth century century and the chapel fell into disuse. The Chapel was later used by the Boy's Club for many years and then torn down.
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Roads, There were 50.32 miles of roads in Freetown in 1971.

Representative, First in colonial court was Joseph Bailey in 1684.

Randall, The last large ship hailing from Freetown. She was broken-up in the Assonet River in 1902.

Railroads, The New Bedford to Taunton (via East Freetown) railroad was opened in 1840. The Fall River to Myricks (via Assonet) railroad was opened in June of 1845. In 1900, there were four (two on each line) railroad stations in the town.

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Saint Bernard's Catholic Church can trace its beginning back to 1912 when Reverand Bernard Boylan began to hold Catholic services in private homes near Crystal Springs Bleachery. In 1927 land was purchased at Ridge Hill off South Main Street near where Route 24 is today. For a Catholic Church, however, that site proved to be unsatisfactory and no work was done there. In August 1936 land was purchased on South Main Street for the purpose of constructing St. Bernard's Catholic Church. Construction began in July 1937 and was finished in January 1938. Reverand William Harrington was the first pastor. The church was dedicated to St. Bernard for St. Bernard was the patron saint of the first Catholic pastor, Reverand Boyland, to serve in Assonet. The church moved into the "South Church" recently where services are now held.

Sassamon, John - Died March 1675. He was a Christian Indian who witnessed the Freeman's Purchase. He was murdered by King Phillip's men after warning the colonists that Phillip was planning to attack them.

School, Apponequet Regional High School - Until the mid twentieth century high school pupils from Freetown were sent to schools in near by towns, however by 1955 these towns could no longer maintain that arrangement. Early in 1955 a Regional School District Planning Board was set-up with members from: Freetown, Berkley, Carver, Lakeville, and Rochester. Carver withdrew from the board in December of 1955. On October 1, 1956, a vote on the issue of a Regional High School was held in the four towns. Freetown and Lakeville voted for the school, and Berkley and Rochester voted against it. On April 8, 1957, town meetings were held in Freetown and Lakeville on the issue of the two towns building and operating a Regional School. The vote in Freetown was 140 yes and 22 no, and in Lakeville 160 yes and 90 no. Freetown appropriated $20,347.00 and Lakeville $18,152.00 for the preliminary planning of the school. Land for the school was given by Paul Leonard and Frank Mello on Howland Road in Lakeville. On September 10, 1957, Israel Almy was selected as the architect for the school. Charles Sawyer was chosen to be the first principal for the school. On September 21, 1959, Apponequet Regional High School was opened with an enrollment of 610 students.

School, Freetown Elementary School - The town meeting of 1945 appropriated the sum of $1,000.00 for a survey of the school needs of the town. The survey was conducted by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The Harvard Survey Group reported, in 1946, that the best site, for a new school, was on an eighty acre tract of land between Chace and Bullock Roads, and this land was purchased by the town. Israel Almy was chosen as architect for the school. Construction of the school was begun in September of 1949. Edward Mojnar was chosen first principal for the school. The Elementary School was opened on September 11, 1950 with an enrollment of 317 students. An addition of six classrooms, an auditorium-gymnasium, a cafeteria-kitchen, and two offices, was added in 1954. Another addition, of six rooms, was added in 1965.

School, Middle - Construction of the Freetown-Lakeville Regional Middle School was begun on October 2, 1971. The George R. Austin Middle School is on Howland Road (next to Apponequet) in Lakeville. Andrew Miller was chosen as the first principal on January 3, 1972. The school, grades 5 - 8 has a capacity for 760 students, and was named after the Superintendent of Schools, George R. Austin.

School, Small Elementary - At the beginning of the twentieth century there were six small elementary schools in the town: Village, North Main Street, two rooms; Union, Braley Road, two rooms; East, Middleboro Road, two rooms; Furnace, County Road, one room; South, South Main Street, three rooms. The Chace Road School, one room, was opened in 1913 and the Furnace School closed. The Forge School was used irregularly in the 1920's and 1930's, and was closed in 1940. The Furnace School was reopened in September of 1925. In the spring of 1935, nursery schools were established at South, Village, and Union Schools on an experimental basis by Federal Government; however, they were discontinued on September 1, 1936. The schools were closed in June of 1950.

School Committee, First members were Job Morton, John Turner, and Benjamin Weaver appointed in 1795.

School Committee, First published report was in 1843.

Selectmen, First were Thomas Terry, Thomas King, and John Bailey in 1685.

Shay's Rebellion, David Valentine (a follower of Daniel Shay) led a group of rebels against the Freetown Militia under the command of Captain Benjamin Weaver in 1786. The rebels were defeated and Valentine fled to England.

South Christian Church of All Nations The Braley Corners Church can trace its beginnings back to September 5, 1805 when Reverand Daniel Hix set up the South Freetown Branch of the Dartmouth Baptist Church. The services were held in a school house at the four corners. In 1841 the Braley Corners Church became independent of Dartmouth. The name of the church was changed to the South Christian Church, and the present Church was built on land given by Alden Braley. Reverand Barnabus Collins was the first minister. The church was valued at $1,000.00 in 1880. The Church changed its name to the Braley Station Advent Christian Church, in 1884. Reverand C.H. Sweet was the first minister. The church fell into disuse in the twentieth century and was damaged by the hurricane of 1944. On April 8, 1951 the church was repaired and reopened by Pastor Albert C. Croutworst. On October 27, 1952 the church was incorporated as the South Christian Church of All Nations. In May of 1953 Mildred Meade gave land to the Church. A Sunday School was built on this land and opened on December 23, 1955.

Surveyors of Highways, First were John Simons and Benjamin Chase appointed in 1685.

 

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Tavern, The first tavern to open in Freetown was owned by John Hathaway and opened on June 5, 1684.

Temperance Society, The first was the Assonet Temperance Society. Organized in October 1835, the temperance movement was very strong among townspeople for many years.

Thompson Plastics Company, Opened a plant on South Main Street. The plant is part of the Olin Corporation and employs 270 people.

Town Hall, was built in 1888. Still active today in all forms of local government.

Treasurer, the first town treasurer was Samuel Gardiner in 1690.

Town Report, the first town report was printed in 1854.

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United Methodist Church can trace its beginning back to March 7, 1915, when 28 families from Freetown held a Methodist service in Lakeville under Reverand Oscar Aldrich. In April of 1915 a Methodist-Episcopal Conference, held in Brockton, approved plans for a church in Freetown. The land for the church was given by Jane Thompson. On April 25, 1915, Reverand Ernest Ames was appointed minister for the proposed church. The corner stone for the church was laid on Augusr 29, 1915. The church bell was donated by A.H. Lawrence and installed on November 8, 1915. On January 2, 1916, The Methodist-Episcopal Church was dedicated. In 1939 the word Episcopal was dropped from the name of the church. In 1868 the United Evangelical Churches and the Methodist Churches joined together, and the Church name was changed to the United Methodist Church.
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Villager - newspaper, was established in 1965. The office was on Pleasant Street. The local paper served Freetown, Lakeville, and Berkley. L. Barry French was the editor and publisher.
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Wetamoe - Died August 3, 1676. She was co-seller of the Freemen's Purchase in 1659. She was Queen of the Pocasset Indians and led her people into the King Phillip War. Wetamoe, in an attempt to escape capture by the Taunton Militia, drowned in the Taunton River.
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