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Lewis R. Freeman

April 13, 2024

Lewis Ransome Freeman (4 October 1878, Genoa Junction, Wisconsin – 6 November 1960 Pasadena, California) was an American explorer, journalist and war correspondent who wrote over twenty books chronicling his many travels, as well as numerous articles.[1][2]

Lewis Freeman at Lees Ferry, Arizona, 1923

Biography edit

Freeman was born in Genoa Junction, Wisconsin, the son of Otto Freeman and Maria (Clary) Freeman, and moved with his family to Pasadena, California as a boy. He attended Stanford University, where he earned letters in football, baseball, tennis and track, and graduated in 1898. While a student at Stanford, he also served as coach of the University of Southern California's football team in 1897. The team's schedule included games on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, compiling a record of 5–1 and outscoring opponents 100–18; the only blemish was an 18–0 road loss on Christmas to a San Diego YMCA team, USC's second game ever outside of Los Angeles County. (USC teams were called the Methodists before becoming the Trojans in 1912.) Freeman was the team's first coach since its initial season in 1888, and brought the players new, standard uniforms with "USC" on the front and all the other elements common for the period. Afterward, USC football teams again played without a coach until 1901.[3]

After graduating from Stanford, Freeman spent the years 1899 to 1912 traveling throughout the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands, although in his various returns to Pasadena he continued his athletic endeavours, winning the 1903 Ojai Tennis Tournament in both men's singles[4] and doubles, also finishing as doubles runnerup in 1908.[5] In 1905 he served as a war correspondent in the Russo-Japanese War, and in 1910 he was a member of a commission of Pacific Coast chambers of commerce which traveled to China. During World War I he was a correspondent with the British, French, and Italian armies from 1915 to 1917, and he became a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1917–18. He was a correspondent attached to the Grand Fleet late in the war, and was a staff member for the Inter-Allied Naval Armistice Commission which traveled to Germany in 1918.

After World War I, Freeman focused on writing, turning out nine books between 1918 and 1922, and another each year through 1928. In 1925 he was a special correspondent with the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet on its cruise to Australasia; he again served as a special naval correspondent covering Fleet maneuvers in 1929, 1932 and 1935. In 1923 he was boatman and photographer for a U.S. Geological Survey expedition through the Grand Canyon, and the same year he illustrated with photographs a special edition of Rudyard Kipling's poem "The Feet of the Young Men".

 
Calamity Jane in her kitchen in Livingston, Montana, when she met Louis R. Freeman in 1901, the meeting described in "Down the Yellowstone"

Freeman was invited to participate in the 1923 United States Geological Survey (USGS) of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon by E. C. LaRue. He had piloted a boat for the 1922 USGS survey of Glen Canyon. Freeman's flamboyant articles about the 1922 trip were a contributing factor to his being invited to participate in the 1923 trip. On the Grand Canyon cruise, Freeman's nickname was "The Gorilla." While portaging their boats at Lava Falls, the trip experienced a stunning up and down rise in river flow. The Colorado river was a mild 9,380 cubic feet per second by 17 September 1923. On 19 September, the river had risen to 98,500 cfs, and by 24 September, the river was back down to 14,200 cfs. The water began rising after the men had all just turned in for the night. The group, including Freeman, spent a sleepless night and all the next day moving their boats ever farther up the bank at the foot of the rapid. They were ten days late into Diamond Creek, but were otherwise fine. On 13 October 1923, the surveyors connected their level line. In recounting the event, Colorado River historian Otis R. Marston noted the boats were beached and the recorder worked on Burchard's readings, as all hands gathered around. The compilation showed the elevations checked within four feet at the end of their 251-mile survey, and there was general relief and rejoicing. Freeman made much of the ceremony of the event and shook Burchard's hand commenting, "this is a real triumph." An arch in the wall of the canyon was given the name Triumphal Arch and the rapid named Triumphal Arch Rapid.[6][7]

In 1930–31, Freeman was part of an airplane and motorboat expedition to Central and South America, and in 1933 he embarked on a series of airplane flights exploring the coasts and interior of South America. In 1935 Freeman rode coast to coast on a bicycle, starting from Los Angeles to Vancouver, then from Vancouver to Montreal, and ending riding from Montreal to New York city. A total of more than 3500 miles.[8] In 1936 he took part in cruises to the Juan Fernández Islands and Tierra del Fuego, as well as an expedition to the headwaters of the Amazon and Ecuador. In 1938 he undertook an expedition to the highlands of southern Mexico and Guatemala. In 1939 he took part in a cruise to the Galápagos Islands and the west coast of Colombia, and in 1941 he explored Bolivia, Peru and Brazil.

Freeman was a member of the Explorers Club in New York City, but also regularly traveled to his family home in Pasadena. He retired to Pasadena in 1955, and died there at age 82.

Books edit

  • Many Fronts (1918)
  • Stories of the Ships (1919)
  • Sea Hounds (1919)
  • To Kiel in the Hercules (1919)
  • In the Tracks of the Trades: The Account of a Fourteen Thousand Mile Yachting Cruise to the Hawaiis, Marquesas, Societies, Samoas and Fijis (1920)
  • Hell's Hatches (1921)
  • Down the Columbia (1921)
  • Down the Yellowstone (1922)
  • When Cassi Blooms (1922)
  • The Colorado River – Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (1923)
  • Down the Grand Canyon (1924)
  • On the Roof of the Rockies (1925)
  • By Water Ways to Gotham (1926)
  • Waterways of Westward Wandering (1927)
  • The Nearing North (1928)
  • Afloat and Aflight in the Caribbean (1932)
  • South America – Airwise and Otherwise (1933)
  • Marquesan Nocturne (1936)
  • Discovering South America (1937)
  • Many Rivers (1937)
  • Brazil, Land of Tomorrow (1942)

References edit

  1. ^ Marston, Otis R., (2014). "From Powell To Power; A Recounting of the First One Hundred River Runners Through the Grand Canyon. Flagstaff, Arizona: Vishnu Temple Press, pp. 281–300 ISBN 978-0990527022
  2. ^ "Lewis R. Freeman", Tennis Archives, Retrieved on 27 January 2015.
  3. ^ [1] L.A. Times, Retrieved on 27 January 2015.
  4. ^ http://ojaitourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Past_Champions-UPDATED-5-9-14.pdf The Ojai Tennis Tournament, Retrieved on 27 January 2015.
  5. ^ http://ojaitourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Past_Champions-UPDATED-5-9-14.pdf The Ojai Tennis Tournament, Retrieved on 27 January 2015.
  6. ^ Martin, Thomas C., (2012). "Big Water Little Boats: Moulty Fulmer and the First Grand Canyon Dory on the Last of the Wild Colorado River". Flagstaff, Arizona: Vishnu Temple Press, pg. 146, ISBN 978-0-9795055-6-0
  7. ^ Marston, Otis R., (2014). "From Powell To Power; A Recounting of the First One Hundred River Runners Through the Grand Canyon. Flagstaff, Arizona: Vishnu Temple Press, pp. 295–298 ISBN 978-0990527022
  8. ^ "Bike Camping Trip From Pacific to Atlantic" Popular Mechanics, April 1935
  • Fletcher, Russell Holmes, ed. (1941). Who's Who in California 1942–43: A Biographical Reference Work of Notable Living Men and Women of California. Los Angeles: Who's Who, p. 317.
  • "Lewis Ransom Freeman, Explorer, Author, Dies." Los Angeles Times, 8 November 1960. p. IV-7.
  • (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2007. Retrieved 23 October 2006. (1.85 MiB)
  • Marston, Otis R., (2014). From Powell To Power; A Recounting of the First One Hundred River Runners Through the Grand Canyon. Flagstaff, Arizona: Vishnu Temple Press. ISBN 978-0990527022
  • Martin, Thomas C., (2012). Big Water Little Boats: Moulty Fulmer and the First Grand Canyon Dory on the Last of the Wild Colorado River. Flagstaff, Arizona: Vishnu Temple Press, ISBN 978-0-9795055-6-0

External links edit

April 13, 2024
lewis, freeman, lewis, ransome, freeman, october, 1878, genoa, junction, wisconsin, november, 1960, pasadena, california, american, explorer, journalist, correspondent, wrote, over, twenty, books, chronicling, many, travels, well, numerous, articles, lewis, fr. Lewis Ransome Freeman 4 October 1878 Genoa Junction Wisconsin 6 November 1960 Pasadena California was an American explorer journalist and war correspondent who wrote over twenty books chronicling his many travels as well as numerous articles 1 2 Lewis Freeman at Lees Ferry Arizona 1923 Contents 1 Biography 2 Books 3 References 4 External linksBiography editFreeman was born in Genoa Junction Wisconsin the son of Otto Freeman and Maria Clary Freeman and moved with his family to Pasadena California as a boy He attended Stanford University where he earned letters in football baseball tennis and track and graduated in 1898 While a student at Stanford he also served as coach of the University of Southern California s football team in 1897 The team s schedule included games on Thanksgiving Christmas and New Year s Day compiling a record of 5 1 and outscoring opponents 100 18 the only blemish was an 18 0 road loss on Christmas to a San Diego YMCA team USC s second game ever outside of Los Angeles County USC teams were called the Methodists before becoming the Trojans in 1912 Freeman was the team s first coach since its initial season in 1888 and brought the players new standard uniforms with USC on the front and all the other elements common for the period Afterward USC football teams again played without a coach until 1901 3 After graduating from Stanford Freeman spent the years 1899 to 1912 traveling throughout the Americas Asia Africa and the Pacific Islands although in his various returns to Pasadena he continued his athletic endeavours winning the 1903 Ojai Tennis Tournament in both men s singles 4 and doubles also finishing as doubles runnerup in 1908 5 In 1905 he served as a war correspondent in the Russo Japanese War and in 1910 he was a member of a commission of Pacific Coast chambers of commerce which traveled to China During World War I he was a correspondent with the British French and Italian armies from 1915 to 1917 and he became a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1917 18 He was a correspondent attached to the Grand Fleet late in the war and was a staff member for the Inter Allied Naval Armistice Commission which traveled to Germany in 1918 After World War I Freeman focused on writing turning out nine books between 1918 and 1922 and another each year through 1928 In 1925 he was a special correspondent with the U S Navy Pacific Fleet on its cruise to Australasia he again served as a special naval correspondent covering Fleet maneuvers in 1929 1932 and 1935 In 1923 he was boatman and photographer for a U S Geological Survey expedition through the Grand Canyon and the same year he illustrated with photographs a special edition of Rudyard Kipling s poem The Feet of the Young Men nbsp Calamity Jane in her kitchen in Livingston Montana when she met Louis R Freeman in 1901 the meeting described in Down the Yellowstone Freeman was invited to participate in the 1923 United States Geological Survey USGS of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon by E C LaRue He had piloted a boat for the 1922 USGS survey of Glen Canyon Freeman s flamboyant articles about the 1922 trip were a contributing factor to his being invited to participate in the 1923 trip On the Grand Canyon cruise Freeman s nickname was The Gorilla While portaging their boats at Lava Falls the trip experienced a stunning up and down rise in river flow The Colorado river was a mild 9 380 cubic feet per second by 17 September 1923 On 19 September the river had risen to 98 500 cfs and by 24 September the river was back down to 14 200 cfs The water began rising after the men had all just turned in for the night The group including Freeman spent a sleepless night and all the next day moving their boats ever farther up the bank at the foot of the rapid They were ten days late into Diamond Creek but were otherwise fine On 13 October 1923 the surveyors connected their level line In recounting the event Colorado River historian Otis R Marston noted the boats were beached and the recorder worked on Burchard s readings as all hands gathered around The compilation showed the elevations checked within four feet at the end of their 251 mile survey and there was general relief and rejoicing Freeman made much of the ceremony of the event and shook Burchard s hand commenting this is a real triumph An arch in the wall of the canyon was given the name Triumphal Arch and the rapid named Triumphal Arch Rapid 6 7 In 1930 31 Freeman was part of an airplane and motorboat expedition to Central and South America and in 1933 he embarked on a series of airplane flights exploring the coasts and interior of South America In 1935 Freeman rode coast to coast on a bicycle starting from Los Angeles to Vancouver then from Vancouver to Montreal and ending riding from Montreal to New York city A total of more than 3500 miles 8 In 1936 he took part in cruises to the Juan Fernandez Islands and Tierra del Fuego as well as an expedition to the headwaters of the Amazon and Ecuador In 1938 he undertook an expedition to the highlands of southern Mexico and Guatemala In 1939 he took part in a cruise to the Galapagos Islands and the west coast of Colombia and in 1941 he explored Bolivia Peru and Brazil Freeman was a member of the Explorers Club in New York City but also regularly traveled to his family home in Pasadena He retired to Pasadena in 1955 and died there at age 82 Books editMany Fronts 1918 Stories of the Ships 1919 Sea Hounds 1919 To Kiel in the Hercules 1919 In the Tracks of the Trades The Account of a Fourteen Thousand Mile Yachting Cruise to the Hawaiis Marquesas Societies Samoas and Fijis 1920 Hell s Hatches 1921 Down the Columbia 1921 Down the Yellowstone 1922 When Cassi Blooms 1922 The Colorado River Yesterday Today and Tomorrow 1923 Down the Grand Canyon 1924 On the Roof of the Rockies 1925 By Water Ways to Gotham 1926 Waterways of Westward Wandering 1927 The Nearing North 1928 Afloat and Aflight in the Caribbean 1932 South America Airwise and Otherwise 1933 Marquesan Nocturne 1936 Discovering South America 1937 Many Rivers 1937 Brazil Land of Tomorrow 1942 References edit Marston Otis R 2014 From Powell To Power A Recounting of the First One Hundred River Runners Through the Grand Canyon Flagstaff Arizona Vishnu Temple Press pp 281 300 ISBN 978 0990527022 Lewis R Freeman Tennis Archives Retrieved on 27 January 2015 1 L A Times Retrieved on 27 January 2015 http ojaitourney org wp content uploads 2014 05 Past Champions UPDATED 5 9 14 pdf The Ojai Tennis Tournament Retrieved on 27 January 2015 http ojaitourney org wp content uploads 2014 05 Past Champions UPDATED 5 9 14 pdf The Ojai Tennis Tournament Retrieved on 27 January 2015 Martin Thomas C 2012 Big Water Little Boats Moulty Fulmer and the First Grand Canyon Dory on the Last of the Wild Colorado River Flagstaff Arizona Vishnu Temple Press pg 146 ISBN 978 0 9795055 6 0 Marston Otis R 2014 From Powell To Power A Recounting of the First One Hundred River Runners Through the Grand Canyon Flagstaff Arizona Vishnu Temple Press pp 295 298 ISBN 978 0990527022 Bike Camping Trip From Pacific to Atlantic Popular Mechanics April 1935 Fletcher Russell Holmes ed 1941 Who s Who in California 1942 43 A Biographical Reference Work of Notable Living Men and Women of California Los Angeles Who s Who p 317 Lewis Ransom Freeman Explorer Author Dies Los Angeles Times 8 November 1960 p IV 7 2004 USC Trojans Football Media Guide PDF Archived from the original PDF on 16 March 2007 Retrieved 23 October 2006 1 85 MiB Marston Otis R 2014 From Powell To Power A Recounting of the First One Hundred River Runners Through the Grand Canyon Flagstaff Arizona Vishnu Temple Press ISBN 978 0990527022 Martin Thomas C 2012 Big Water Little Boats Moulty Fulmer and the First Grand Canyon Dory on the Last of the Wild Colorado River Flagstaff Arizona Vishnu Temple Press ISBN 978 0 9795055 6 0External links editWorks by Lewis Ransome Freeman at Project Gutenberg Works by Lewis R Freeman at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Works by or about Lewis R Freeman at Internet Archive Works by Lewis Ransome Freeman at Google Books Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lewis R Freeman amp oldid 1182747690, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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