Freeman is the eldest of eight
sons born to Albert T. Upham,
and his wife Elizabeth Wells.
(Freeman was possibly named
after his father's brother
Freeman Fisher Upham).
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Note: PLEASE, do NOT transfer this
memorial to other web sites.
Thanks, Nancy (Letcher) Heib.
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Note: Freeman's obituary, located
in the Bellevue Township Library,
states that he was born on
Jan. 20, 1842 in New York ST.
---
His death certificate also lists
his date of birth as Jan. 20, 1842.
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At the age of 19, Freeman enlisted
in Company E, of the 6th Michigan
Infantry Regiment on Aug. 20, 1861.
This Regiment was later changed to
the 6th Michigan Heavy Artillery, in
July of 1863. He was promoted to
full Corporal on April 27, 1865.
He mustered out on Aug. 20, 1865,
serving for exactly four years
to the day, in the Civil War.
---
Edward Upham Jr. (a distant relative,
who was married to Harriet Ketchum),
served (and also re enlisted), with
Freeman Upham in this same unit
for exactly four years also.
Edward Upham Jr. is also buried
in this Bellevue Cemetery.
Click on: "See all Uphams in
Bellevue Cemetery" (on the left).
---------------------------------
Freeman was married in
Vermontville, Eaton Co. Michigan
on July 30, 1866 to
Syba A. McDerby, the daughter
of David McDerby and his
wife Mary Reynolds.
(Their marriage certificate
states that both Freeman
and Syba were of Kalamo, MI).
He was age 24 and she age 19.
-------------------------------
Syba was born 1847 in Kalamo, MI.,
and she died Dec. 20, 1921 in
Bellevue, Michigan, at the age of
74 years, 7 months and 3 days,
of cerebral apoplexy.
---------------------------------
Their four children are:
------------------
1. Minnie M. Upham.
b. Sept. 9, 1867, in Kalamo, MI.
m. Daniel Cleveland Roscoe
(of Ainger, MI), on
Jan. 19, 1885 (He 37, she 17).
(Daniel was also married to
Jennie May Bisel (1876-1952)).
They lived in Walton, MI and
Ainger, MI.
Children:
Pearl Roscoe (born 1887),
Dale Roscoe of Battle Creek, MI and
Cora (Roscoe) Westwood of Bellevue, MI.
d. 1896, age 28, in Bellevue, MI.
Buried: Follett Cemetery,
Bellevue, Eaton County Michigan
(with Daniel).
-------------------------------
2. Cora E. Upham (never married).
b. Oct. 30, 1869, in
Marshall, Calhoun County Michigan.
d. Nov. 23, 1887,
at the age of 18 years and 24 days,
in Walton Twp. Eaton Co. MI.
Buried:
-----------------------------------
3. George FRANK Upham
(known as "Frank" Upham), of
Rookwood, MI and Flint, MI.
b. July 19, 1872, in Marshall, Michigan.
m. Mary Catharine ("Kate") Cunningham,
on Sept. 11, 1900 at St. Michaels
Church, in Flint, Genesee Co. Michigan.
Mary is the daughter of
William J. Cunningham, and his
first wife Mary Elizabeth Hawley.
George and Mary had two children:
Julia Cecilia Odelia Upham (1902-1903),
and Rose Upham (1906-1991).
Rose married Leo D. Lemerand.
Rose died in Rockwood, Wayne Co. MI.
George and Mary lived in Bellevue,
Eaton County Michigan in 1910.
d. George died in 1923, in Rockwood,
Wayne County Michigan.
Buried:
---------------------------------
4. Mary Ann Upham.
b. 1874, in MI.
m. Frank E. Jones on Oct. 5, 1894.
They lived in Walton, MI and
in Bellevue, MI.
They had a son,
Harry F. Jones (1901-1980),
of Battle Creek, MI.
d. 1954, in MI.
Buried: Bellevue Cemetery,
Bellevue, Eaton Co. MI.
_________________________________

Freeman's grandchildren were:
(1). Mrs. Cora (Roscoe) Westwood
of Bellevue, MI (dau. of Minnie).
(2). Dale Roscoe of Battle Creek, MI,
(son of Minnie).
(3). Harry F. Jones, of
Battle Creek, MI (son of Mary).
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Freeman had lived in the vicinity
of Kalamo, MI and Bellevue, MI
the greater part of his life.
His daughter Mary inherited
Block # Eight, in the village of
Bellevue, MI from her parents estate.
--------------------------------
Freeman's "Record of Death"
states that he died at the age
of 60 years, 5 months and 2 days,
of "hyperdropsy of heart and
deficiency of mitral valves",
and that he had been born in
New York State.
---
Freeman's death certificate states
that he died at the age of
60 years, 5 months, and 1 day.
-----------------------------------
Freeman's obituary reads as follows:
-----------------
Freeman Upham was born in New York,
January 20, 1842 and died at his home
in Bellevue, Michigan, June 21, 1902.
At the age of eight years he came to
Michigan with his parents, who settled
in Kalamo, [MI]. At the age of 19 he
enlisted in the war for the preservation
of the union, serving four years to a day,
in Co. E. 6th Michigan, Heavy Artillery.
He was married July 30, 1866 to Syba
McDerby, the union being blessed with
four children, Mrs. Daniel [Minnie]
Roscoe of Ainger, deceased, Cora,
deceased, Frank, of Flint, [MI], and
Mrs. Frank [Mary Ann] Jones of
Bellevue, [MI], who with the wife
and mother survive to mourn his
departure.
He has lived in this vicinity the
greater part of his life, and has been
beloved and respected as an upright,
honorable citizen. For many years he
has been an honored member of the
Grand Army of the Republic and of
the I.O.O.F.
He had not been in very robust health
for many years, yet his sudden death
came as a sad surprise and shock to his
family and friends. He was about town
the day before, greeting his numerous
friends with his accustomed cordiality,
and no one thought that so soon his
faithful heart would forever cease
to throb.
The funeral was conducted Tuesday
afternoon from the M. E.
[Methodist Episcopal] church by
Rev. C. S. Wheeler, under auspices
of James B. Mason Post G.A.R.
[James B. Mason G.A.R. Post # 213,
in Bellevue, Michigan],
with the I.O.O.F.
[Independent Order of Odd Fellows],
as escort.
------------------------------------
Freeman is buried next to his
wife and his parents, in
Section C-06, Lot 334.
Freeman's daughter, Mary Ann
(Upham) Jones and her husband
Frank Jones are also buried
in this cemetery.
---
This cemetery is also known as the
Bellevue Township Cemetery, and the
Riverside Cemetery in Bellevue, MI.
---------------------------------
Note: For the history of "this branch"
of the Upham family, see:
"The Descendants of John Upham,
of Massachusetts",
by F. K. Upham. (Pages 248 and 362).
Published by Joel Munsell's Sons,
Albany, N. Y., in 1892, located at
the Library of Michigan, Lansing, MI.
Also, located in the Allen County
Public Library, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Note: Be sure to see the book published
in 1892, because F. K. Upham compiled
several books on "different branches"
of the Upham family.
----------------------------------
Note: See the memorials for his
family on this web site:
--------------
Father, Albert T. Upham, of Michigan
Mother, Elizabeth (Wells) Upham, of MI
Brother, Theodore Albert Upham, of MI.
Nephew, Clarence Upham, of Michigan.
Wife, Syba (McDerby) Upham, of MI.
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Click on photos for enlargements,
captions, and additional photos.
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