Husband of Keziah "Kitty" (McVay) Freeland (1859-1909). Second wife was Marjorie L. (Dowling) Freeland (1880-1948). Father of John E. Freeland (1913-1996) . Son of Francis Asbury Freeland and Eloisa Caroline (Kirby) Freeland. Ned had a twin brother, John Nathaniel "Nat" Freeland. Ned and his wife, Kitty, helped raise their niece, Edna Freeland, after her mother died when she was four years old. After Kitty died and Ned remarried, he would also help raise his second wife, Marjorie Dowling's, niece, Edna Dowling.

The following excerpts of articles were transcribed for the Iagenweb boards - Ringgold County, biography pages under M.E. "Ned" Freeland:

a Mount Ayr newspaper, date unknown

City Treasurer M. E. Freeland.

M. E. FREELAND came to Mt. Ayr from Wayne county March 12, 1883, as head clerk in the dry goods store of HUGGINS & SAVILLE. After working there for three years he and J. R. HENDERSON bought in January, 1891, the dry goods, boot and shoe business of John F. ROWELL. This partnership lasted until May, 1892, when Mr. FREELAND bought Mr. HENDERSON'S interest, and since that time has been sole proprietor of what has grown to be the largest dry goods and shoe house in the county.

With the help of Mrs. FREELAND and Mass CAMPBELL he has built up a business of which any old established merchant might well be proud. The small stock with which the firm started has grown so that it now occupies not only the original store room but a large room upstairs. The lines of ladies' wraps and overcoats have been added to the stock.

The judgement of Mr. and Mrs. FREELAND, their taste in matters of dress and their constant watchfullness to be always a little in the lead with each meritorious new idea has gained them an enviable trade among the most fashionable and fastidious people in the county.

Mr. FREELAND is serving his second term as city treasurer, having been unanimously reelected last spring.

Mount Ayr Record (date unknown): M. E. Freeland -

Mr. FREELAND has been identified with the business interests of Mount Ayr for thirty years. He was born on a farm in Wayne county, Iowa and began clerking for MILES Brothers, of . . . text missing . . . of age. He came to this city thirty years ago and began clerking for HUGGINS & SAVVILE and remained in their employ three years, after which he became a member of the firm of HENDERSON & FREELAND and purchased the John ROWELL stock, which was located in the west room of the building which he now occupies. At the end of a year after purchasing the ROWELL stock, Mr. FREELAND purchased the interest of his partner, Mr. HENDERSON, and has had personal charge of the business since.

At various times during his business career in Mount Ayr, Mr. FREELAND has had others associated withhim, but he has always had personal supervision of the business and has built up a large patronage. For the past three years C. B. CARR was a member of the firm until last fall when he purchased a stock of merchandise at Blockton.

For the past four years the store has been a member of the R.C.U., a national organization with headquarters at Chicago and through his organization Mr. FREELAND sees an opportunity to serve his patrons better. There are now more than 550 members of the organization. They have their own wholesale house in Chicago and they bought last year direct from the manufacturers more than $45,000,000 worth of merchandise.

Mount Ayr Record-News, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Wednesday, February 14, 1917

FREELAND SELLS A HALF INTEREST

Richard Loutzenhiser Will Become Partner - Firm Will Be Freeland & Loutzenhiser.

In his advertisement in this issue of the Record-News, M. E. FREELAND announces that he has sold a half interest in his Mount Ayr store to Richard LOUTZENHISER, of Blockton, and that after the invoice, which is now in progress, the business will be conducted under the firm name of FREELAND & LOUTZENHISER. Mr. LOUTZENHISER is at present superintendent of the Blockton schools and will continue to serve in that position until the close of the school year, after which he will move to Mount Ayr.

The new member of the firm is quite well known in Mount Ayr, having attended the local high school, from which he was graduated in 1907. After completing his high school course he attended the State University at Iowa City and for the past two or three years has engaged in teaching. While a student in the Mount Ayr high school he was employed in the FREELAND store and for a year or more thereafter clerked for Mr. FREELAND, so that he is will acquainted with the people of the community. He is a young man of sterling character and good habits, a competent business man and his many friends will be pleased that he is to become associated with Mr. FREELAND in the R.C.U. store.

NOTES: Montgomery Edward FREELAND, son of Francis Asbury FREELAND (1825-1884) and Eliza Caroline (KIRBY) FREELAND (1826-1890), was born in Edgar County, Illinois, on June 6, 1861. M.E was called "Ned" and his twin brother John Nathaniel FREELAND was called "Nat." M.E. was married first in 1886 to Kesiah "Kittie" McVAY, the daughter of John C. and Elizabeth "Bettie" (HARDESTY) McVAY. Kittie was born in Ohio on November 16, 1859, and died in Mount Ayr on September 28, 1909. M.E. and Kittie did not have any children.

M. E. married second in 1911 to Marjorie Bernadine "Marge" DOWLING and had a son, John Edward FREELAND. M. E. and Marge took in and raised two little girls, Edna (FREELAND) ROBERTS and Edna DOWLING. Marge (DOWLING) FREELAND was born October 31, 1880, Mount Ayr, the daughter of John and Susan A. (ROBINSON) DOWLING, and died May 21, 1948. M. E. FREELAND died at the age of 74 years on August 22, 1935, Mount Ayr. John Edward FREELAND was born August 15, 1913, and died at the age of 83 years on September 9, 1996, Winter Haven, Florida. John was married to Mary K. HILL. Kittie, Marge, and M. E. were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.

(Submissions by Mike Avitt, September of 2011, Notes by Sharon R. Becker)