Born: Floyd County, Indiana, March 18, 1839.Died: Seattle, Washington, May 7, 1913.
Born: Floyd County, Indiana, March 18, 1839.
Died: Seattle, Washington, May 7, 1913.
No preacher has been more prominently connected with the work in Iowa, than Freeman Walden. Born in Floyd county, Indiana, March 18,1839. His father, Dr. Joseph Walden, was born and raised in Connecticut, where the Walden family trace their ancestry back to 1661. His mother's maiden name was Rhoda Sparks, born in Tennessee, and raised in Indiana.
Dr. Walden removed to the Territory of Iowa in 1846, and settled in Mahaska County, not far from Oskaloosa. Here Freeman grew up to manhood. His father dying when he was but fourteen years old, left him to make his way in the world, under the disadvantages of poverty and orphanage, as best he could. He had the usual advantages of the district schools, and by improving them in winter, and working by the month in summer, with economy, he was enabled to enter a select school in Oskaloosa, in 1855, taught by Geo. W. Drake.
By the kindness of Mr. Drake, in taking him into his family and boarding him for doing chores, etc., he was enabled to continue in the school with limited means, nearly a year. He then went to work in a saw mill to earn money with which to prosecute his studies, but meeting with a slight injury he gave up his place in the mill, and by the advice of Prof. Drake, sought and obtained a school when but seventeen years old.
He continued teaching and attending school alternately for about six years; his teacher for the most part being Prof. A. Hull, now of Oskaloosa College, to whom Bro. Walden feels that he owes more, for whatever mental training he received, and for his start in the ministry, than to any other man. It was during this time, April, 1859, that he confessed Christ, and was baptized by J. B. Noe. He was influenced to cast his lot among the Disciples, by hearing a discussion on the action, subject, and design of baptism, between Aaron Chatterton, Disciple, and F. W. Evans, Methodist.
At the time he united with the church, he had not the remotest idea of preaching, but by being called on by the elders from time to time to exercise in the congregation, it suggested to his mind, that he ought to prepare for these, to save himself from embarrassment, and from this he gradually grew into a preacher, in less than a year.
In the autumn of '61 he quit school, and in the Spring of '62 began preaching for the church at Albia, and teaching the higher branches in a select school, conducted by himself and J. C. Sellers.
In August of the same year, he was married to Miss Mary Olivia Berry, who has faithfully stood by him in the work of the Gospel, from that time to this.
The double work of preaching and teaching school proving too great for his physical strength, he abandoned the latter, devoting his whole powers to the ministry. Hence, in the fall of 1863, he removed to Lee County, and preached for the church at Lost Creek, till the spring of 1865, when he went to Columbus City and preached for the church there till autumn, 1867. During his stay there, he preached and held meetings at various places, and was again called to Albia, where he continued six years, adding about 500 to the church during that time. He also held protracted meetings at several places, and held a public discussion with John Hughes, a Universalist.
In 1873, he resigned at Albia, and accepted the position of Financial Agent of Oskaloosa College, which he held for one year, and then visited New England, and spent two months in the employ of the Evangelizing Board there. He held meetings in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
On his return, he held a meeting at Steubenville, Ohio, and was invited to become pastor of the church there. Accepting, he removed there in the spring of 1875. But the smoke of the city, so affected his throat, that he asked to be released, and returned to Iowa. He spent one year with the church at Charles City, and then bought a fruit farm at Albion, moved to it January 1, 1877, and preached for Liscomb, Bethel, Bangor and Albion churches for about four years, and gained some notoriety as the "Strawberry man."
In 1881, he moved to Illinois, and preached a year and a half for the church at Old Bedford, McDonough County, when, having sold his fruit farm, he was invited to locate with the church at DeSoto, Iowa, his present field of labor.
He has been Secretary of the State Convention quite often, was a trustee of Oskaloosa College twelve years, and is now on the Board of Drake University.
He has contributed to the columns of the religious press quite freely, and is the author of a tract on the "Indwelling of the Holy Spirit," a pamphlet on the "Sabbath Question," and a "Treatise on the Culture of Small Fruits."
In personal appearance: fair complexioned, blue eyes, large head, and a little bald, about five feet ten inches in height, and weighs about 160 pounds. In style as a speaker: deliberate, full rounded periods, positive, without flourish, but with force; his points are put with emphasis. He has rigid regard for accuracy in thought, as well as in the dress in which it is to appear. He bears acquaintenance, and proves to be more companionable and fraternal than you will at first suppose him to be. And being ever ready to aid every good work, he is a most valuable yoke-fellow among the preachers of Iowa.