Thomas S. Freeman, mercantile broker, Grand Rapids, was born near Burlington, Halton county, province of Ontario, Canada, October 3, 1834, and a son of Joshua and Mary (Smith ) Freeman, natives respectively of Nova Scotia and Wales. These parents were married in Burlington, Ontario, and there spent the remainder of their lives on a farm, the father dying March 4, 1893, and the mother in the year 1889. They had a family of ten children, the subject of this sketch being the eldest, and are remembered as most excellent people and leaders in the churches of their neighborhood—the father as a Methodist, and the mother as Episcopalian.

Thomas S. Freeman remained under the parental roof until his seventeenth year, attending meanwhile the public schools, in which he made rapid progress, fitting himself for entrance into the grammar schools of Ancaster, province of Ontario, where he pursed his studies for some time. At the early age of eighteen years he was sufficiently advanced to obtain a teacher’s license, and for one year he taught school in the vicinity of his home. Not being favorably impressed with the idea of making teaching his life work, Mr. Freeman abandoned the profession, and for three years held a clerkship in a mercantile house in Dundee, Ontario. At the end of that time he located near Flint, Genesee county, Mich., and engaged in agricultural pursuits, and was thus employed until 1863, when he came to Grand Rapids and accepted a clerkship with a business firm, in which capacity he continued until 1866. In the latter year he embarked in retail merchandizing in partnership with Leonard H. Randall, his former employer. After 1872 they carried on an extensive wholesale grocery business and were classed with the substantial merchants of the city. A few years later, L. E. Hawkins was admitted to the firm; later, Mr. Randall sold his interest, and the firm name became Freeman, Hawkins & Co. Subsequently, George R. Perry was admitted as a partner, and the firm this constituted continued until 1887, at which time Mr. Freeman disposed of his part and retired from the business. From that day to the present time he has been engaged in mercantile brokerage, which has returned him liberal profit.

On the 21^st day of February, 1856, Mr. Freeman entered into marriage relation with Miss Helen M. Randall, of Genesee county, N. Y., and the union thus solemnized has resulted in the birth of the following children: Mary F., wife of Edward G. Wilson, of Logansport, Ind.; Claude D., a bicycle dealer in Grand Rapids; Edith A., wife of D. C. Scribner, of the Grand Rapids Paint & Color company; Jane R., at home, Helen M., who married Prof. George H. Fairclough, instructor of music in the city of Kalamazoo.

Mr. Freeman and family are members of the Episcopal church of Grand Rapids. He is a Knight Templar and also member of the Mystic Shrine; for sixteen years he was treasurer of De Molai commandery and several years treasurer of Grand Rapids chapter, R. A. M., also treasurer of Saladin temple, Mystic Shrine, and takes an active interest in all matters pertaining to the fraternity.

As a business man and citizen, Mr. Freeman’s reputation is unassailable. In his political views he yields allegiance to no party, yet believes it to be his duty as a worthy member of the body politic keep well informed upon all the real issues and questions of the day. He is independent in all the terms implies, and has never been ambitious for public honors, his preference being the quiet walks of commercial activity. He has an attractive home on State street, where, surrounded by his family and numerous friends, he finds his chief enjoyment of life.