Benoni Freel (1821-1901)

AKA: Benona Freel AKA: Benoni Freel AKA: Bennie Freel AKA: Benonany Freels AKA: Buenonay Freel

Vital Statistics

 * Son of Charles Freel (1785-1843) and Mary Smith (1785-?) (Who is the son of James Freel (1765-1823))
 * Note: Grandson of James Freel (1765-1823) and Jean Wood (1765-1809) - Hmm - They would both be 56 yrs old at Benoni's birthdate?
 * 1821-Nov-18 : Birth in Hamilton Co, IN
 * 1845-May-15 : Marriage to Margaret Warren Prentiss (1830-1886) at Corydon, Wayne Co, IA
 * 1901-Mar-31 : Died - Liberty, Gage Co NE

Biography
Husband's Info : Benona Freel [197951] (Bennie) b.18_Nov_1821, Strawton, Hamilton Co. IN d.31_Mar_1901. Liberty, Gage Co. NE

The couple married at husband's hometown when Margaret was only 14 (1845). About 1860, the family moves from Corydon IA to homestead farm on the Nebraska open range near Falls City. They are not found on the 1860 US Census, but are there on the 1870 US Census.

Several other Prentiss children also married during the 1840s in Van Buren County: Margaret, at age 15, to Benona Freel on 15 May 1845; Alonzo Robert to Christiana M. Ream on 16 July 1846; and Mary Lovica on 25 January 1847 to David Robbins.

1849 Gold Rush
But during 1850, gold fever struck and several Van Buren County men headed west to California that fall, including Moses, his brother Alonzo and his brother-in-law Benona Freel. The 1850 census of California records Benona and Moses as miners in the Peru vicinity of Eldorado County during December and Alonzo, mining on the middle fork of the American River, also in Eldorado County, during January of 1851.

Children of Margaret and Bennie Freel
Note : Many Grandchildren!
 * 1) Manfred Freel (1845-) - m. Sarah B Main
 * 2) Charles Warren Freel (1846-1846)
 * 3) Albert Freel (1848-1904) - m. Elizabeth Jane Foutch
 * 4) Oliver Perry Freel (1850-1936) - m. Elizabeth Huff
 * 5) Herbert Manford Freel (1852-1940) - m. Sarah Mance
 * 6) Mary Priscella Jane Freel (1854-1934) - m. Edwin Carlos Ackerman
 * 7) Lucretia Lovenia Freel (1856-1857) -
 * 8) Otis Adel Freel (1858-1859)
 * 9) George Edwin Freel (1860-1860)
 * 10) Eva Lavisa Freel (1863-1936) - m. Samuel Jefferson Kizor
 * 11) Margaret Carre Freel (1864-1865)
 * 12) Robert Benona Freel (1866-1927) - m. Cora Emma Bowman
 * 13) Abraham Lincoln Freel (1868-1946) - m. Rose Vesser
 * 14) William Wilson Freel (1870-1888) -
 * 15) Ida May Freel (1872-1872)
 * 16) James Freel ?-? - m. Mary Gwinn - Note Mother born in 1830 / m. 1845 - Child of Grandfather Freel
 * 17) Margaret Jane Freel ?=? - m. Samuel Shetterly - Note Mother born in 1830 / m. 1845 - Child of Grandfather Freel

Research Notes
Many Genealogical files erroneously add James Freel and Margaret Jane Freel to this family but their birthdates predate their parents. These two are really children of the family grandfather - Daniel O'Freel and Agnes Jameson. They are Bennie's brothers - not his children.

1850 US Census
Take on Open Range - Mercer Co, IL Margaret and her first two children are living with her sister's family (Mary Robbins) It appears that husband is working elsewhere.
 * Isaac Robbins (M-32)
 * Mary Robbins (F-26)
 * Caroline Robbins (F-6 mos) b. IL
 * Margaret Freel (F-19) b. OH
 * Albert M Freel (M-3) b. IA
 * Perry M Freel (M-6 mos) b. IA

1870 US Census
Taken for the Nebraska Open Range (Township3, Range 16), Falls City Post Office, 24-Jun-1870
 * Benonia Freel (M-48) - Farmer - b. Indiana - Farm valued at $3000
 * Margaret Freel (F-39) - Keeping House - b. Ohio
 * Olive P Freel (M-20) - Assisting on Farm - b. IA
 * Manford H Freel (M-18) - Assisting on Farm - B. IA
 * Mary Freel (F-16) - b. IA
 * Louisa Freel (F-7) - b. NE
 * Robert Freel (M-4) - b. NE
 * Abraham L Freel (M-2) - b. NE
 * William W Freel (M-4 mos) - b. NE

1880 US Census
Taken at Barada, Richardson Co, NE
 * Benona Freel (M-58)
 * Margrette Freel (F-49)
 * Robert Freel (M-14)
 * Lincoln Freel (M-12)
 * Wilson Freel (M-10)