a Mount Ayr newspaper, date unknown

M. E. FREELAND came to Mt. Ayr from Wayne county March 12, 1883, as head clerk in the dry goods store of HUGGINS & SAVILLE. After working there for three years he and J. R. HENDERSON bought in January, 1891, the dry goods, boot and shoe business of John F. ROWELL. This partnership lasted until May, 1892, when Mr. FREELAND bought Mr. HENDERSON'S interest, and since that time has been sole proprietor of what has grown to be the largest dry goods and shoe house in the county.

With the help of Mrs. FREELAND and Mass CAMPBELL he has built up a business of which any old established merchant might well be proud. The small stock with which the firm started has grown so that it now occupies not only the original store room but a large room upstairs. The lines of ladies' wraps and overcoats have been added to the stock.

The judgement of Mr. and Mrs. FREELAND, their taste in matters of dress and their constant watchfullness to be always a little in the lead with each meritorious new idea has gained them an enviable trade among the most fashionable and fastidious people in the county.

Mr. FREELAND is serving his second term as city treasurer, having been unanimously reelected last spring.

~ Photograph by MAXWELL

Mount Ayr Record, date unknown

Mr. FREELAND has been identified with the business interests of Mount Ayr for thirty years. He was born on a farm in Wayne county, Iowa and began clerking for Miles BROTHERS, of . . . text missing . . . of age. He came to this city thirty years ago and began clerking for HUGGINS & SAVVILE and remained in their employ three years, after which he became a member of the firm of HENDERSON & FREELAND and purchased the John ROWELL stock, which was located in the west room of the building which he now occupies. At the end of a year after purchasing the ROWELL stock, Mr. FREELAND purchased the interest of his partner, Mr. HENDERSON, and has had personal charge of the business since.

At various times during his business career in Mount Ayr, Mr. FREELAND has had others associated withhim, but he has always had personal supervision of the business and has built up a large patronage. For the past three years C. B. CARR was a member of the firm until last fall when he purchased a stock of merchandise at Blockton.

For the past four years the store has been a member of the R.C.U., a national organization with headquarters at Chicago and through his organization Mr. FREELAND sees an opportunity to serve his patrons better. There are now more than 550 members of the organization. They have their own wholesale house in Chicago and they bought last year direct from the manufacturers more than $45,000,000 worth of merchandise.

"During the years I have been engaged in business," said Mr. FREELAND yesterday, "I have never known a plan that offers such advantages to the retailer as does the R.C.U. and we hope to serve our patrons better and build a larger business during the coming year."

Mount Ayr Record-News, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Wednesday, February 14, 1917

In his advertisement in this issue of the Record-News, M. E. FREELAND announces that he has sold a half interest in his Mount Ayr store to Richard LOUTZENHISER, of Blockton, and that after the invoice, which is now in progress, the business will be conducted under the firm name of FREELAND & LOUTZENHISER. Mr. LOUTZENHISER is at present superintendent of the Blockton schools and will continue to serve in that position until the close of the school year, after which he will move to Mount Ayr.

The new member of the firm is quite well known in Mount Ayr, having attended the local high school, from which he was graduated in 1907. After completing his high school course he attended the State University at Iowa City and for the past two or three years has engaged in teaching. While a student in the Mount Ayr high school he was employed in the FREELAND store and for a year or more thereafter clerked for Mr. FREELAND, so that he is will acquainted with the people of the community. He is a young man of sterling character and good habits, a competent business man and his many friends will be pleased that he is to become associated with Mr. FREELAND in the R.C.U. store.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, January 24, 1946

Expressing a desire to provide the most modern store in southern Iowa fo the people of Ringgold county and surrounding territory, John E. FREELAND announces plans for complete modernization of the double store building on the east side of the square in Mount Ayr which was recently purchased from Lee TIMBY. Under favorable conditions construction will begin the last of March.

The front of the building will be finished in shades of ivory and wine Carrara structural glass. Three display windows will permit observers to view the latest styles of clothing and entrance to the building will be gained through two double glass doors.

The walls of the interior of the building, which will be 105 1/2 feet long and 42 1/2 feet wide, will be made attractive by the use of Celotex which exemplifies the appealing beauty of modern interior decoration. A harmonious color scheme will form a cheerful background for the many lines of good merchandise which will be on display. The the rear of the building will be a stock room 25 1/2 feet in length.

The "Challenger Line" of fixtures, which are trim, streamlined and styled to the last, will be featured throughout the store. The "Challenger Line" fixtures are new in design, modern but simple and are constructed of a combination of maple wood, with a trim of magnolia wood, finished almost natural.

The various departments, several of which will be increased, will include infants' wear, hosiery, dresses, coats, men's furnishing, millinery, shoes and yard goods.

One of the outstanding features of the store will be the section reserved for the display of a complete line of Crosley and Hotpoint electrical appliances. Included among the electrical equipment will be refrigerators, home freezers, stoves, washing machines, mangles, radios, fans, clocks, irons, toasters, coffee makers and combination radio and record players. The latest in recordings and a complete line of radio tubes and accessories will also be on display.

A feature of the store especially interesting to the women, will be a model kitchen arrangement. All equipment of the kitchen, including stove, sink, refrigerator, cupboards and other articles will be new and modern in design, popular and practicable.

In planning the interior decoration of the store, Mr. FREELAND'S first consideration has been to achieve pleasant surroundings for his customers and to attractively display articles of merchandise.

For over fifty-five years the name of FREELAND has been identified with the merchandise business in Mount Ayr, first through the name of M[ontgomery]. E. FREELAND and now through the name of Mrs. Marge FREELAND and son, John.

Congratulations are extended these enterprising business people.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, May 05, 2011

Last summer, Paul Ramsey and I were talking about Mount Ayr business leaders of the past. He was thinking of ways to pay tribute to the people who invested in the growth and prosperity of Mount Ayr. We talked about hanging portraits of early business leaders in his supper club. After all, that is the Timby building and William Timby was one of the biggest investors in the Mount Ayr business district.

The Allyn brothers, the Dunning brothers, and Frank Sheldon would easily qualify for this list as they were investors and developers.

And then there are long-term business owners like Amos "Fatty" Collins, H. H. Wilson, George Slentz, and M. E. Freeland.

Montgomery E. Freeland was born June 6, 1861 in Illinois. He was called Ned while his twin brother was called Nat. Ned's parents moved to Corydon, Iowa in 1864 and he grew up there. He clerked in Miles Brothers store for three years and married a local girl, Kitty McVAY (or McVEAY), in 1886.

They moved to Mount Ayr in 1888 where Ned clerked for Huggins & Saville and A. O. Ingram. In 1891 he formed a partnership with J. H. Henderson and they conducted their own business for one year, at which time Mr. Freeland bought his partner's interest in the firm.

This was the beginning of a business career that would last more than 40 years.

In 1909, Ned's wife passed away and he married Margorie Dowling in 1911. To them was born one child, John, who graduated from Mount Ayr High School in 1931. Ned and Margorie also raised two girls, Edna Dowling and Edna Freeland, although I know nothing more about them.

Mr. Freeland was a Mason, a member of the City Council, a member of the Methodist Church, and served as city treasurer. His reputation and character were never in question as his business and personal life were of the highest quality.

M. E. Freeland died August 22, 1935.

I know of three store locations where he operated his business. Freeland's dry goods store occupied the Timby building on the northeast corner of the square for over 20 years. I saw an article in the Record-News that said he was moving west of his old store, but I don’t remember the date. At some point he located to the present site of Lucky Lanes.

George Slentz had a dry goods here around 1900 to 1910. Freeland probably moved there in the early 30s and I think Woodward’s followed Freeland.

Woodward’s gave way to C. R. Anthony Co. in the 1960s. Anthony’s left after the Gamble's fire of 1977 and the building served as a consignment auction house and also housed antique displays during Ayr Days.

In the mid-90s the building became Bib's Lanes and then Majestic Lanes and, later, Lucky Lanes.

One thing I noticed about the photograph was the year of the automobile on the right. It is from the early 1940s which means Freeland's was in operation after Ned's death.

I'm guessing it was run by Mrs. Freeland, son John, or both.

NOTES: Montgomery Edward FREELAND, son of Francis Asbury FREELAND (1825-1884) and Eliza Caroline (KIRBY) FREELAND (1826-1890), was born in Edgar County, Illinois, on June 6, 1861. M.E was called "Ned" and his twin brother John Nathaniel FREELAND was called "Nat." M.E. was married first in 1886 to Kesiah "Kittie" McVAY, the daughter of John C. and Elizabeth "Bettie" (HARDESTY) McVAY. Kittie was born in Ohio on November 16, 1859, and died in Mount Ayr on September 28, 1909. M.E. and Kittie did not have any children.

M. E.married second in 1911 to Marjorie Bernadine "Marge" DOWLING and had a son, John Edward FREELAND. M. E. and Marge took in and raised two little girls, Edna (FREELAND) ROBERTS and Edna DOWLING.

Marge (DOWLING) FREELAND was born October 31, 1880, Mount Ayr, the daughter of John and Susan A. (ROBINSON) DOWLING, and died May 21, 1948.

M. E. FREELAND died at the age of 74 years on August 22, 1935, Mount Ayr.

John Edward FREELAND was born August 15, 1913, and died at the age of 83 years on September 9, 1996, Winter Haven, Florida. John was married to Mary K. HILL.

Kittie, Marge, and M. E. were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.

Submissions by Mike Avitt, September of 2011

Notes by Sharon R. Becker