Parents: Zebedee Applebee and Roxana (Snow) Thayer. Husband of: 1. Rebecca R. (Mathews) Thayer, 2. Celine "Mattie" (Stansberry) Thayer, and 3. Grace Agnes (Ostrander) Thayer.


Freeman's first marriage was on December 25, 1867 to Rebecca Mathews, daughter of John and Cynthia Mathews, in Colebrook, Coos Co, NH. She was b. 14 October 1848, Columbia, Coos Co, NH. They came to Minnesota in March 1869 and are found on the 1870 census living in Corrina, Wright Co, MN. Freeman is listed as a farmer. By 1880 they were living in Minneapolis where Freeman was a carpenter. Freeman and Rebecca had 6 children: Walter, 1870-1949; Ernest, 1872-1950; Fred, 1877-1949; William, b. 1880- died young; Guy, 1884-1975; and Ethel (Amy), his only daughter, 1886-1963. Rebecca died in 1888 at the age of 40; cause of death was blood poisoning.

Freeman's second marriage was to Celine "Mattie" Stansberry, daughter of William and Jane Stansberry, on 4 July 1889. She was born abt. 1863 in West Virginia. They had a son William L. Thayer, 26 May 1890. Mattie died less than five months later on October 4, 1890. "Willie" was raised by Mattie's family, and eventually moved to Los Angeles, California changing his name to Stansberry.

On 12 November 1891 Freeman married for the third time to Grace Agnes Ostrander (1873-1934) in Granite Falls, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota and settled in Montevideo, Chippewa County. She was the daughter of Oscar Ostrander (1849-1902) and Anna Mary Kent (1846-1928). They had 7 sons; Elwin Freeman Thayer, 1893-1970; Leon "Vern" Thayer, 1894-1977; Roa Burton "Roy" Thayer, 1896-1977; Percy D. Thayer, 1899-1975; and Dean G. Thayer, d. 1937; Roy Dewitt Thayer, b/d 1903; and baby boy Thayer, b/d 1908.

About 1899 the family moved to Rushseba twp, Chisago Co, Minnesota, along with Grace's parents. Rushseba was right near the Pine County and Chisago County line. Fred and Lena Thayer were living in Clover twp, Pine Co, MN. Fred was Freeman's third son who was only 4 years younger than Grace. There was a big age difference with Freeman and Grace. She was only 18 when she married 46 year old Freeman. Grace was younger than his first two sons, Walter and Ernest. The 28 year age difference may have lead to their separation in 1909 and their divorce on December 9, 1910 in St. Paul.

On August 5, 1927, Freeman Thayer went out to tend the farm animals when his enraged bull charged at him, knocking him over and trampling him. Four days later, surrounded by most of his children and ex wife, Grace, he died in his bed at the farm from internal injuries. He was 82. Freeman Thayer is buried at the Ogema ‘Bangs Brook' Cemetery, in Ogema twp, Pine County, Minnesota.