The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 724 JOSEPH B. FREEMAN. Joseph B. Freeman is the owner of an excellent property of twenty acres, which he purchased before the town of Grandview was established. He acquired this land in 1905, at which time it was a tract of sagebrush. Today it is a most highly cultivated property, devoted to the raising of cereals and fruit, and in his business affairs Mr. Freeman is meeting with gratifying success. He was born in Germany, August 24, 1865, a son of Jacob and Mary Freeman, who were farming people. He came to the United States in 1882 and took up his abode in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he resided for eight years. Afterward he traveled largely over the United States and about 1890 became a resident of the Yakima valley. where he worked for wages and was also engaged in railroad work for several years. It was in April, 1906, that Mr. Freeman purchased his present property, acquiring twenty acres near the present townsite of Grandview. It seemed a difficult task to clear away the sagebrush and make this a fertile and productive tract of land, but with characteristic energy he began the work and good results were secured because of his untiring industry and determination. He improved the farm erected thereon a good house and barns and he has now four acres planted to fruit trees, while the remainder is plow land, on which he is raising hay and corn. His fields now bring forth good crops and his orchards produce a large amount of fruit annually. His work is wisely, systematically and successfully conducted and he is meeting with gratifying returns as a reward for his labors. On November 26, 1895, Mr. Freeman was married to Miss Margaret A. Karney, who was born in Iowa. Their children were six in number: Myrtle, who died at the age of nineteen years; and Thomas, Josephine, Irene, Joseph and Margaret, all yet at home. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church and fraternally Mr. Freeman is connected with the Brotherhood of American Yeomen. His political endorsement is given to the democratic party and he served for one term as a member of the school board. He prefers to concentrate his efforts and attention, how ever, upon his ranching interests. He has long realized that close application is one of the strong foundation stones of success and his indefatigable energy and industry are bringing to him the substantial and desirable rewards of labor. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.