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H. M. FREAS
Vol. 5, p. 1832, 1833

Every community owes a debt of gratitude to the men who protect it
from the depredations of the criminal classes. A once popular song
contained the line, "A policeman's lot is not a happy one," and it is
often the case that the arduous duties of the guardians of the law
are faithfully performed without meeting with an adequate reward or a
due measure of appreciation. The latter, however, cannot be said of
H. M. FREAS, of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, whose services as sheriff of
Osage County for the last five years are highly regarded by his
fellow citizens. Sheriff Freas was born in Berwick, Columbia County,
Pennsylvania, March 15, 1863, and is now therefore in the prime of
life. His parents were Jonathan and Susanna (CAMPBELL) Freas, who in
1868 moved to Sterling, Illinois, and later to southeastern Kansas,
the father dying at Independence, Montgomery County, that state, in
1909, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. He was a farmer by
occupation, and a veteran of the Civil war, having served as captain
of company G, One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Infantry. A
republican in politics, he belonged also to the Grand Army, and was a
loyal, patriotic and useful citizen, in short, a good American. His
widow is still living and is a resident of Independence. They were
the parents of five children, namely: H. M., the subject of this
sketch; Sadie, who resides in Waterloo, Iowa: Ella, wife of W. H.
TASKER of Tyro, Kansas; Ida, wife of Frank SHUDY, of Okmulgee; and
Bertha, who married W. H. HARPER, and resides with her husband in
Independence, Kansas.

H. M. Freas resided in Montgomery County, Kansas, for the first
twenty-two years of his life, from early boyhood being engaged in
agricultural pursuits. In 1886 he came to Oklahoma, settling in Osage
County and buying a farm about three miles east of Pawhuska, on which
he still resides, and which he is operating successfully. A democrat
in politics, he has long taken an active interest in public affairs,
and in 1910 was elected sheriff of Osage County, being re-elected to
the same office in 1912 and 1914, so that he is now serving in his
third term. Fearless in the discharge of his duty, he has proved his
efficiency by sending over seventy men to the penitentiary, many of
whom were among the worst criminals in the state. In thus safe-
guarding [sic] life and property he has made himself a terror to evil
doers and has rendered a great service to the county, which his
fellow citizens appreciate.

Sheriff Freas was married in 1884 to Miss Pauline PALZIN, who was
born in Berlin, Germany, in 1862, and emigrated with her parents to
Illinois, where he first met her. They have had seven children born
to them, namely: Bertha, who is the wife of J. M. GORDON, of Osage
County, Oklahoma; Florence, wife of Joe BOWERS, of Osage County; Amy,
who married Sam KENNEDY and resides with her husband in Pawhuska;
Bessie; Pauline and H. M. Freas, Jr.

Typed for OKGenWeb by Jeanne M. Misleh, 20 July, 1999.

SOURCE: Thoburn, Joseph B., A Standard History of Oklahoma, An
Authentic Narrative of its Development, 5 v. (Chicago, New York: The
American Historical Society, 1916)

[NOTE: Bill J. Kennedy [ NDNKAKES4U@aol.com ] wrote on Oct 7, 1999,
I am the great grandson of H.M. "Harve" Freas. I have alot of family
history on the Freas line.]