Romeo H. Freer Explained

Romeo H. Freer
Image Name:Romeo H. Freer (West Virginia Congressman).jpg
State1:West Virginia
District1:4th
Party:Republican Party
Preceded1:Warren Miller
Succeeded1:James A. Hughes
State2:West Virginia
Office2:13th Attorney General of West Virginia
Term Start2:March 4, 1901
Term End2:March 3, 1905
Predecessor2:Edgar P. Rucker
Successor2:Clark W. May
Governor2:Albert B. White
State3:West Virginia
Office3:Judge for 4th circuit court of West Virginia
Term Start3:1896
Term End3:1899
Office4:Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates
Term4:1890
Birth Date:9 November 1846
Death Place:Harrisville Ritchie County, West Virginia
Spouse:Mary Iams
Occupation:Attorney, judge, politician
Branch:infantry
Union Army
Serviceyears:1861–1866
Allegiance: United States of America
Union
Battles:American Civil War

Romeo Hoyt Freer (November 9, 1846 – May 9, 1913) was an American attorney, soldier turned pacifist, judge and politician. A Republican, Freer served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives representing West Virginia's 4th congressional district (1899–1901) and was Attorney General of West Virginia (1901–1905).

Early and military life

Born in Bazetta Township, Trumbull County, Ohio, Ohio on November 9, 1846, he was the son of Josiah D. Freer and Caroline P. Brown. The family soon relocated to Ashtabula County, Ohio, where Freer attended common schools. At the age of 15, he enlisted in the Union army through 1865. Wounded during the Battle of Gettysburg, he received an honorable discharge in 1866. Freer became a dedicated pacifist and determined isolationist for the rest of his life.

Career

In 1866, Freer moved to Charleston, West Virginia and began to study law. Admitted to the bar, Freer was elected the prosecuting attorney for Kanawha County in 1870. In 1872, he was a presidential elector for Ulysses S. Grant. President Grant appointed him U.S. Consul to Nicaragua until he resigned his duties in 1877 and accepted an appointment as Register of the Land Office for New Mexico. Freer resigned in 1879 after refusing orders that would lead to military conflict with Mexico.

Freer settled in Harrisville, Ritchie County, West Virginia in 1881[1] and married Mary Iams in 1884. That same year, he was a presidential elector for James G. Blaine. His isolationist policies proved to be divisive among voters, leading to his resignation from politics after the election.

Freer returned to politics by 1890 when he was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates and later appointed prosecuting attorney for Ritchie County. In 1896, he was elected to the Fourth Judicial Circuit of West Virginia.

He served in the 56th United States Congress having been elected in 1898. In 1900, Freer was elected as Attorney General of West Virginia, and he served from 1901–1905. In 1902, he was briefly nominated for the Supreme Court by President McKinley.

From 1907 until his death he was postmaster of Harrisville.

Personal life

Freer married Mary Iams in 1884.

Death and legacy

Freer collapsed suddenly while in a meeting with business associates in 1913. He was pronounced dead at 3:57a.m. His autopsy showed acute necrosis of the small intestine and an abnormal mass in the stomach. Freer was buried with full military honors at Harrisville IOOF Cemetery.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=F000367 FREER, Romeo Hoyt - Biographical Information