In 1866 after the Civil War Dr. John Milton Hawks an abolitionist and Union Army Surgeon, Other Union Army Officers and The Florida Land & Lumber Company forced what would eventually become Freemanville. Roughly 500 former slaves some of them Union Soldiers brought there families to this settlement. After the Civil War roughly 3,000 Slaves settled in Florida and about half of those was along the Halifax River. At this time there was another 1000 that came to settle around Freemanville.

Dr Hawks named the area Port Orange before it was called Freemanville. They found this area to lack in surprise and very difficult to try and farm. Therefore many of the settlers and freed slaves eventually departed in search of work leaving the state of Florida and looking for work at some of the citrus groves in nearby counties. By 1969 there was a sawmill, integrated school which later was torched, many tents and huts. It was a poor community and most had not eaten meals in weeks. Most of the settlers lived off starchy roots, cabbage and fish from the Halifax River.  At this time the population went from a mere 1500 to only 250. 

In 1869 the School, Florida Land & Lumber Company & Settlement Disbanded from Port Orange. After this a few freed slaves stayed on behind and the settlement was named Freemanville after a man by the name of George Freeman. Eventually this area built up with a total of 27 buildings today only one is rumored to remain standing which was called the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church. However from my observation upon exploring the area we could not find this historical church. From further research however I learned that the 1911 church actually is actually still standing but sits down some back streets. So the settlement did extend much furthers then I thought.

Henry and Hannah Toliver owned a large mill in Port Orange which produced corn, green beans, cotton, peas, molasses and sold clothing. This was very important to the nearby settlement since beforehand the freed slaves would have to travel many miles just to gather some food and supplies to keep the colony surviving. 

Henry Toliver stepdaughter married George Freeman in the 1870s they had 15 children and purchased some land and lived next door to the Toliver's. The Tolivers son who was elected for the towns council built up most of the roads surrounding the Freemanville Settlement. Eventually however eventually most of the freed slaves abandoned the settlement went there own ways and eventually due to the poor harvesting, lack of work and the growth of Port Orange Freemanville became consumed and eventually most buildings were torn down. Today the last remaining structure is still in use so perhaps the history in one way or form will remain preserved.

Today if you were to visit Freemanville you would never realize that at one time it was a colony. All that remains is stone bridges, a creek and pond, couple newly built buildings, playground,  and a wooden boardwalk that extends out into the Halifax River which is really gorgeous at night to walk out onto. Other then that all that remains is visions of what this settlement use to be like as many settlers were born as slaves and since most of the settlement was of children they would be taught in a small school house, while the men worked hard at the saw mill constructing homes for there families. 

Honestly our first investigation here did not reveal much but sometimes its not about the photos you take its rather about what you feel, sense, hear, smell etc. You can feel the energy here but perhaps since today it is a very active well lit park it has diminished the activity somewhat. But perhaps on a good night one may see the freed slaves walking along some the dark paths at once was Florida's first settlements after the Civil War. With most Civil War history always comes a ghost story or two.

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Rick-AngelOfThyNight