Walter
Abram Freed
(1884-1952)
Walter Abram Freed was born on Oct. 22, 1884 in
Vanderbilt, Fayette County, PA, the youngest of five children of Christian
Stoner and Esther (Barnhouse) Freed.
On Valentine's Day 1906, said the Connellsville Weekly Courier, he "was among those who were at Dawson Monday evening and took in the Valentine ball given by the Rambler Club..."
Walter was married three times -- to Jennie Martin, Leona Colbert and Harriet Glen Reddy. In all, Walter had five children -- Christian Stoner Freed II (to his first wife) and Mildred Hrezo, Helen Prudent, James Freed and Eugene Freed (to his second wife).
Walter was a lumber and building supplies contractor and resided in Vanderbilt.
His second wife, Leona (Colbert) Freed, was the daughter of I.J. and Ida (Shaffer) Colbert, and "was born in the Tri-Town community where she spent her entire life," said the Connellsville Daily Courier. "She had a pleasant disposition and was an active member of hre church and the Faithful Friends Class." Sadly, Leona died in October 1938, at St. Francis Hospital in Pittsburgh, and was laid to rest at Dickerson Run Union Cemetery.
Walter remarried again and moved to Winter Haven, FL, where he "was engaged in the builders' supplies business in which also shared two of his sons," said the Connellsville Courier. "He had been engaged similarly in Connellsville and Vanderbilt, while living in those communities."
Walter's unmarried sister, Sarah Freed, also lived in Winter Haven at the time.
Tragedy struck in June 1952 when Walter and Harriet were killed in an automobile accident en route to a hospital in Winter Haven. They had been in Miami to attend the national Shriner convention, and were returning home when the accident occurred. "The automobile was practically demolished and the two occupants were badly crushed."
Copyright © 2001-2002, 2008 Mark A. Miner