PVT John Clark Freeland

courtesy of Linda Keil Smith

PVT John Clark Freeland was born 6 Mar 1893 in Woodhull, New York the 5th of 6 children born to Garrett Henry and Rebecca Fidelia (Munn) Freeland. The family farmed. At some point John moved to the area of Fredericksburg, Virginia where he lived at 521 Main Street and worked as a "laborer" at Hunters Laundry.

John enlisted in K Company 2nd Virginia Infantry on 28 Mar 1917.  he participated in the Mexican Border service and was re-called for service in France.  He trained with the unit at Camp McClellan, Alabama and was one of the men assigned to K Company 116th Infantry when the Virginia units were reorganized into the 116th Infantry Regiment. It is unclear when, but John moved to Roanoke and on 6 May 1918 married Mary Belt Oakes. He was probably on leave when he and Mary were married.  John traveled with the unit aboard the USS Finland to France in June 1918. PVT Freeland was wounded and died of his wound(s) on 30 Oct 1918.

PVT Freeland was repatriated and is buried in Fair View Cemetery in Roanoke, Virginia.

Mary never re-married. The couple had no children.