Minnie Bett Freeman
Minnie Bett Freeman was born in Laurel County on July 15, 1882. Dr. John William Parker, the brother of Martha Parker Freeman helped to bring her into the world. When she was three in (1885) her parents, George and Martha Parker Freeman moved into their two story log cabin on Freeman Branch Road, East Bernstadt, Kentucky. Her father George was given 200 acres of land for his service in the civil war and later purchased another 50 acres. Minnie Bett had lots of hills to explore with her 7 brothers and sisters.
"During that time there were plenty of chores to do. There was no running water or electricity. You had to lower a pail into the well and the water had to be heated over a wood stove, or campfire to do washing. While the boys chopped wood for the fireplace and cookstove, the girls would be busy helping their Momma cook for the day and gathering vegetables from the garden. The men would plow the fields with a team of horses and ready the soil planting."
When the Christian Church at McWhorter was built, logs were hewn from Church member's land. George Washington Freeman helped to build the first Church. He became an Elder and later trustee for McWhorter Christian Church. Geo's daughters Eliza Ann and Minnie Bett Freeman played the piano and organ respectively for the Church. On Sunday mornings the family probably rode by horse and wagon to the Service.
Memories of Minnie Bett Freeman as told by *Bill Buckles:
"My land adjoins the ridge where the Freeman's are buried." "The Freeman graveyard is in bad shape and some of the graves have sunken in."
"Lee Buckles split rails on the Freeman farm for 50 cents a day. His day started before sunup and ended in the evening."
"I used to go to the Freeman farm as a boy" - Bill Buckles
"Minnie Bett was a sweet and good woman" - Bill Buckles
"Minnie Bett dated my grandfather, Luther George, for a bit." - Bill Buckles
"I remember Minnie Bett Freeman wearing long dresses, a bonnet, and using a cane" - Bill Buckles
"Minnie Bett would milk the cow sitting on a stool. She would milk with one hand and hold a pan in the other. When the pan was full she would pour it into the pail." - Bill Buckles
"They also raised tobacco on the Freeman farm." - Bill Buckles
"I didn't know Margaret or Grant" - Bill Buckles
"Minnie Bett Freeman eventually sold the Freeman farm for $25,000 dollars to Charles Garland, and then it was bought by Don Sowders. The coal royalty was about $280,000." - Bill Buckles
Minnie Bett was getting up in age, and she moved into town.She lived above Begley's Drug store in an apartment, and then lived with former neighbors James and Dorothy Cochran on McWhorter Street. Minnie Bett Freeman died on July 13, 1975 at the age of 93 years old. She is buried at Wiggington Cemetery.
*Bill Buckles lives in the East Bernstadt Community on the Twin Branch side. He is a farmer.
Freeman Family Neighbors:
Cochran's - 1940's (Freeman Road) (1940 Census)
Buckles's - late 1800's - current
McWhorter"s - late 1800's - current
Thank-you to Jewell Harris Buckles
and Bill Buckles
Janet Freeman Auman
Left Front: Ned, Felix with “Dog - General Sherman”, White Freeman. Left Back: George Washington Freeman, Eliza Ann Freeman Creech, Minnie Bett Freeman, Margaret “Marg” Freeman. (Not Pictured - (Mother) Martha Parker Freeman, Grant Freeman, and Bill Freeman.