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Note: County," written by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916, located in the El DoradoPublic Library, El Dorado, KS. The book states the following aboutFreeman:
"F. W. Seward, a prominent farmer and stockman of Glencoe township,Butler county, is a native of Illinois. He was born March 14, 1872,and is a son of W. C. and Rebecca (Williamson) Seward, the former anative of Ohio and the latter of Illinois. W. C. Seward, the father,was a stockman, and came to Kansas in the spring of 1876, when F. W.,who name introduces this sketch, was four years old. The familylocated in Ford county, Kansas, and in 1884 came to Butler county. TheSewards are an old and prominent American family. W. C. Seward was acousin of Secretary of State Seward, of President Lincoln's cabinet,and Elizabeth Windsor, mother of W. C. Seward, traced her ancestryback to the Mayflower.
F. W. Seward is one of a family of eight children born to W. C. andRebecca (Williamson) Seward, the others being as follows: Samuel,Laird, Colo.; Mrs. Elizabeth Fowler, Bridger, Mont.; F. M., MountainHome, Ark.; Mrs. Anna Marks, Leon, Kansas.; Mrs. Amy Bush, Tonkwa,Okla.; Mrs. Florida Churchill, Denver, Colo.; Mrs. Ida Strickland,Lawrence, Kans.; and P. W. Ft. Worth, Texas.
F. W. Seward came to Butler county with his parents in 1884, andremained on the home farm until he reached his majority. In 1898 heremoved to Glencoe township and has since that time been successfullyengaged in stock raising. He has 600 acres of land and is one of theextensive stockmen in that section of the country.
Mr. Seward was married in 1900 to Miss Cora Parker, a daughter of JoelParker, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. To Mr. andMrs. Seward have been born the following children: Ruby, born in1901, a student in the Leon High School; Ivan, born in 1902; Wayne,born in 1905, and Freeman, born in 1907, attending the public schools.
Mr. Seward is a Republican and frequently takes an active part inlocal political issues. He has served as assessor of Glencoetownship, having been appointed for one year and elected to serve fouryears. The Seward home in Glencoe Township is a splendid residence ofbeautiful and commanding appearance, and has all modern improvementssuch as are found in the modern residences of the city. Mr. Sewardhas installed a gasoline engine, which is used for pumping the watersupply to a tank, which affords sufficient water pressure to maintaina perfect water system for the residence, and the same power is usedfor the laundry, cream separator, etc. He has combined the freedom ofthe country with the conveniences of city life.
Mr. Seward is one of the successful farmers and stock raisers ofButler county and a public spirited and substantial citizen of thecommunity."
This book also includes a picture of the house in Glencoe Townshipwhere Freeman and Cora lived. I can remember living in this housewith my parents and brothers before I was old enough to attend gradeschool, which would have been about 1955-56. The day after mymother's funeral, Saturday, December 1, 1993, my two brothers and Idrove to the old house. We couldn't go in the house as no one wasliving there at the time, but my younger brother Sam filmed the houseand barn with his video camera. It still looked big to me.
The following copy of Freeman's obituary is found in the book,"Obadiah Seward and Descendants," written by Frederick WhittleseySeward, Jr., Goshen, NY, 1948. This book is found in the MissouriHistorical Society Library, Forest Park, St. Louis, MO, and CathySeward Teller, Overland Park, KS, also has a copy of this book.
"Freeman W. Seward, the son of W. C. and Rebecca Seward was born atMilford, Illinois, March 14, 1872 and departed this life at his homein Glencoe Township, east of Leon, October 10, 1948, at the age of 76years, 6 months and 26 days. He had been in failing health for almosttwo years but was seriously ill only about a week.
He came to Kansas with his parents at the age of four years, whosettled in Ford County. In 1884 his parents with their family, fourdaughters and three sons, moved to Butler County.
He attended school at Quito and Leon and grew to young manhood in thatcommunity, and was married February 11, 1900 to Miss Cora Parker atthe Little Walnut Baptist Church. To this union were born fourchildren: one daughter and three sons.
He was a successful farmer and stockman of Butler County and was avital part of, and inspiration to, the community in which he resided.He took an active part in civic and political matters having served astrustee of Glencoe Township, and as a member of the school board forforty years.
Mr. Seward was Past Master of Joppa Lodge No. 223, A.F. and A.M.; amember of Little Walnut Chapter of the order of the Eastern Star No.362, and was affiliated with the Wichita Consistory.
Besides his widow, Mr. Seward is survived by his four children: Mrs.Ruby Brown, Cheney, Ks.; Ivan C. and Wayne H. Seward of Leon, Ks. andFreeman M. Seward, Eureka, Ks., and thirteen grandchildren. He isalso survived by two sisters, Mrs. Amy Bush, Tonkawa, Ok. and Mrs. IdaStrickland, Valley Center, Ks. and a brother P. W. Seward, Washington,D. C.
Mr. Seward was a kind husband; a loving father; a highly respectedcitizen, a friend and neighbor; a man of integrity, andtrustworthiness. He will be missed by his relatives and friends."
Note: An article about Freeman is found in the book, "History of Butler
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