Charles Freeman 1816 - 1876

[felixfly]

I want to take a particular branch of my family tree back further than Charles Freeman who was born in 1816. The census records I have say he was born in 1816 in France but was a British subject. Up until then all family were in St Austell Cornwall UK and He was married there to Mary Peters also from St Austell. I have seen on his marriage cert that his father was called Charles Freeman also but I cannot find any more info on them to take it further back.

Any help would be much appreciated. I have been stuck on this for years.

[maddys52]

Hello felixfly and welcome to RootsChat.

I love the transcription on Ancestry of his place of birth on the 1871 census " Ancertan Wherd France" as if that were a place! "France (uncertain where)" is my transcription. 

I notice on his marriage certificate his father Charles is a mariner. (Charles jnr signs "x"). I wonder if this means his family wasn't necessarily from France, FREEMAN is not a particularly French name, but rather his parents were in France when he was born.

Sorry can't be more help at this stage. Will keep looking ...

Modified to add:
However the name could be an Anglicised version of something like FREMON or FREMIN, I see a couple of births in France around the right time for this name. 

[Neale1961]

I have seen on his marriage cert that his father was called Charles Freeman

His father, Charles Freeman was a mariner. Have you looked for mariner's records, or for other children born to the same father?

[Neale1961]

This might be worth investigation:

Name   Charles Freeman
Military Rank   Seaman
Event Type   Military Service
Event Date   1814
Event Place   France
Series Number   ADM 103/472
Affiliate Publication Title   Register of British POWs, France, 1812-1815
Affiliate Name   The National Archives
Ship Name   H M S Caledonia
War   Napoleonic Wars

[maddys52]

There is also a reference to a Charles FREEMAN, seaman, who was rescued from the wreck of the Sceptre in 1799 off the Cape of Good Hope, however it says "Charles Freeman, Seaman, (black)".
 Friday,  Feb. 14, 1800
Publication: Oracle

[felixfly]

Thanks for the help and replies.

I think Freeman is a British name and his father would be British. The fact his son was born in France at that date and he was a mariner leads me to think it was connected to the Napoleonic war. Either he took part in it in the Royal Navy or was there just after as part of the maritime trade in the Merchant Navy.

I've looked through the Merchant Navy records but many start after that date.

I had seen the Caledonia Charles before but have no way of confirming that yet and not sure how a POW could have a child there.

The Sceptre one can't be him as it says he is black.

[felixfly]

I've been looking more into the HMS Caledonia link.

This ship was involved in the war with the US and was captured near Niagra. This Charles Freeman was a prisoner of the US and then later exchanged and was sent to France in 1813. Maybe he met someone there and had a child.

On the same ship there was also a William Freeman and a John Freeman. Maybe they were related?