U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Name: Orland Estmer Freeman
County: Creek
State: Oklahoma
Birthplace: Roseville, Kentucky,United States of America
Birth Date: 22 Aug 1886
Race: White
Provided by Laura J Stewart G-A-G #47412616

The following memorial was written by Scott Day Freeman, grandson of Orland E. Freeman, on October 29, 2013.

Orland Estmer Freeman was born in Roseville, Barren County, Kentucky, on August 22, 1886, and was the first child of Mariman Crittendon ("M.C.") Freeman and Flora Belle Berry. Orland's father had farmed and hunted near Prewitt's Knob, south of Cave City, for many years, as had three generations of Freemans before him. In 1889, Orland was joined by sister Tessa ("Tessie") Clyde. She died four months later and was buried at the Young Cemetery south of Glasgow, Kentucky.

In 1891, Orland's father, at the age of 38, participated in the Oklahoma land rush that opened the Sac and Fox country for settlement. He established a 160 acre homestead on land about four miles east of Chandler, Oklahoma, and, shortly thereafter, donated a portion of his land for what would later become New Zion Church and Cemetery.

Orland was raised on his father's farm along with his brother, Elvin Delph, who was born in 1895. Orland attended Hill's Business College in Oklahoma City in about 1909, and later worked as a banker in Drumright, Oklahoma.

On June 20, 1915, Orland married Occa Jefferson Cunningham at the First Christian Church of Oklahoma City. They had their first child, Ruth Elaine, in 1916 before moving to Bisbee, Arizona, in 1918. The family followed Occa's sister, Mary Myrtle Cunningham Moore, whose husband operated a grocery store in Bisbee. Before departing, Orland entered the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.

After arriving in Bisbee, Orland first worked as a banker before opening a grocery store with his brother-in-law, Alonzo Moore. Orland later bought out his brother-in-law and operated the store as Freeman's Grocery. In 1924, Orland and Occa had a son, Orland Estmer Jr.

Freeman's Grocery, also known as O.E. Freeman's Groceries and Meats, was a small, community grocery store located at 501 East Tombstone Canyon Road in Bisbee. The family lived nearby at 514 Tombstone Canyon Road. In the 1930s the family moved to a home at 539 Tombstone Canyon Road and rented the first residence as apartments.

With the Great Depression taking its toll, Orland closed his grocery store in the mid to late 1930s and became an auditor for the State of Arizona Banking Commission. With failing health, Orland resigned from the Banking Commission in about 1940. Orland and his wife moved to Oklahoma City in 1943 to help his sister-in-law, Oklahoma Belle Cunningham Cheever, operate Cheever's Floral Shop. In September 1945, Orland's son returned from World War II, and, shortly thereafter, Orland returned to Bisbee with his wife and son before moving the family to Phoenix, Arizona.

In November 1946, Orland died at St. Monica Hospital (later to become Phoenix Memorial Hospital) in Phoenix. He was buried near his parents at New Zion Cemetery, on the land that was originally a part of his father's homestead. He was a 32-degree Mason at the Tucson, Arizona, lodge and a member of Masonic Lodge 58 in Chandler, Oklahoma.

Orland's headstone indicates that he was born in 1888, which corresponds to the year of birth set forth on his death certificate and as listed in his obituary. His year of birth, however, was likely 1886, which corresponds to the year of birth set forth in his World War I Registration Card and in the Freeman and Berry Family Bibles. The Berry Family Bible specifically notes that he was born on a Sunday (at 7 p.m.), which would be the correct day of the week for 1886 but not for 1888.

Orland's wife, Occa, continued to live Phoenix, marrying twice after Orland's death. After Occa's death in 1969, she was buried near Orland, her marker also bearing the surname of her third husband, Lloyd Martin.

(Scott Day Freeman last updated this memorial on November 26, 2017.)

U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Name: Orland Estmer Freeman
County: Creek
State: Oklahoma
Birthplace: Roseville, Kentucky,United States of America
Birth Date: 22 Aug 1886
Race: White
Provided by Laura J Stewart G-A-G #47412616

The following memorial was written by Scott Day Freeman, grandson of Orland E. Freeman, on October 29, 2013.

Orland Estmer Freeman was born in Roseville, Barren County, Kentucky, on August 22, 1886, and was the first child of Mariman Crittendon ("M.C.") Freeman and Flora Belle Berry. Orland's father had farmed and hunted near Prewitt's Knob, south of Cave City, for many years, as had three generations of Freemans before him. In 1889, Orland was joined by sister Tessa ("Tessie") Clyde. She died four months later and was buried at the Young Cemetery south of Glasgow, Kentucky.

In 1891, Orland's father, at the age of 38, participated in the Oklahoma land rush that opened the Sac and Fox country for settlement. He established a 160 acre homestead on land about four miles east of Chandler, Oklahoma, and, shortly thereafter, donated a portion of his land for what would later become New Zion Church and Cemetery.

Orland was raised on his father's farm along with his brother, Elvin Delph, who was born in 1895. Orland attended Hill's Business College in Oklahoma City in about 1909, and later worked as a banker in Drumright, Oklahoma.

On June 20, 1915, Orland married Occa Jefferson Cunningham at the First Christian Church of Oklahoma City. They had their first child, Ruth Elaine, in 1916 before moving to Bisbee, Arizona, in 1918. The family followed Occa's sister, Mary Myrtle Cunningham Moore, whose husband operated a grocery store in Bisbee. Before departing, Orland entered the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.

After arriving in Bisbee, Orland first worked as a banker before opening a grocery store with his brother-in-law, Alonzo Moore. Orland later bought out his brother-in-law and operated the store as Freeman's Grocery. In 1924, Orland and Occa had a son, Orland Estmer Jr.

Freeman's Grocery, also known as O.E. Freeman's Groceries and Meats, was a small, community grocery store located at 501 East Tombstone Canyon Road in Bisbee. The family lived nearby at 514 Tombstone Canyon Road. In the 1930s the family moved to a home at 539 Tombstone Canyon Road and rented the first residence as apartments.

With the Great Depression taking its toll, Orland closed his grocery store in the mid to late 1930s and became an auditor for the State of Arizona Banking Commission. With failing health, Orland resigned from the Banking Commission in about 1940. Orland and his wife moved to Oklahoma City in 1943 to help his sister-in-law, Oklahoma Belle Cunningham Cheever, operate Cheever's Floral Shop. In September 1945, Orland's son returned from World War II, and, shortly thereafter, Orland returned to Bisbee with his wife and son before moving the family to Phoenix, Arizona.

In November 1946, Orland died at St. Monica Hospital (later to become Phoenix Memorial Hospital) in Phoenix. He was buried near his parents at New Zion Cemetery, on the land that was originally a part of his father's homestead. He was a 32-degree Mason at the Tucson, Arizona, lodge and a member of Masonic Lodge 58 in Chandler, Oklahoma.

Orland's headstone indicates that he was born in 1888, which corresponds to the year of birth set forth on his death certificate and as listed in his obituary. His year of birth, however, was likely 1886, which corresponds to the year of birth set forth in his World War I Registration Card and in the Freeman and Berry Family Bibles. The Berry Family Bible specifically notes that he was born on a Sunday (at 7 p.m.), which would be the correct day of the week for 1886 but not for 1888.

Orland's wife, Occa, continued to live Phoenix, marrying twice after Orland's death. After Occa's death in 1969, she was buried near Orland, her marker also bearing the surname of her third husband, Lloyd Martin.

(Scott Day Freeman last updated this memorial on November 26, 2017.)