Paul B. Freeland
Encyclopedia
Paul Butterfield Freeland (September 15, 1904 – November 1, 1976) was a Presbyterian minister, historian
, philanthropist
, and genealogist from Crowley
, the seat of Acadia Parish in south Louisiana
, United States
.
Freeland was born in Crowley to Charles J. Freeland, Sr., and the former Almyra Butterfield. He graduated from Crowley High School in 1921. He then attended the Presbyterian-affiliated Davidson College
in Davidson, North Carolina
, from which he received his bachelor of arts
degree in 1925. He thereafter obtained a bachelor of divinity
degree from Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education
in Richmond, Virginia
, in 1928. He did postgraduate study at New College in Edinburgh
, Scotland
.
He pastored Presbyterian churches in Opelousas
, the seat of St. Landry Parish; Covington
, the seat of St. Tammany Parish; and Duncan, Oklahoma
, the seat of Stephens County
near Lawton
.
Freeland was also the secretary of Overseas Relief for the Presbyterian Church. In 1951, he wrote a letter to Time
magazine
in which he decried "the forgotten Arab
refugee
s." In remarks some might consider still relevant in the 21st century, Freeland referred to a "neglected" situation which has led to "deterioration not only in the physical and [the] moral condition of the Arab refugees but also of our international relations . . . "
Freeland wrote The First Presbyterian Church of Crowley, Louisiana, 1890-1965 and coauthored Acadia Parish, Louisiana: A History
to 1900. His collection of photograph
s and memorabilia of the Crowley area is located in the archives of the Acadia Parish Library in Crowley. He also donated a collection to the Confederate
Stamp Alliance.
At his death, Freeland left a stamp collection which sold for $2 million to four Presbyterian churches. A fourth of that amount, or $500,000, was used to build a library
annex at the Presbyterian Historical Foundation at Montreat, North Carolina
. The annex was dedicated on August 15, 1982, and named the "Paul B. Freeland Hall". Freeland served on the foundation board. The "Paul B. Freeland Professorship" is given in his honor at Davidson College, in biology
, philosophy
, and religion
. He grave is in the Crowley Protestant Cemetery.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, and genealogist from Crowley
Crowley, Louisiana
Crowley is a city in and the parish seat of Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 14,225 at the 2000 census. The city is noted for its annual International Rice Festival. Crowley has the nickname of "Rice Capital of America", because at one time it was a major center for...
, the seat of Acadia Parish in south Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Freeland was born in Crowley to Charles J. Freeland, Sr., and the former Almyra Butterfield. He graduated from Crowley High School in 1921. He then attended the Presbyterian-affiliated Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
in Davidson, North Carolina
Davidson, North Carolina
Davidson is a town in Mecklenburg County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 7,139 at the 2000 census. It is home to Davidson College...
, from which he received his bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1925. He thereafter obtained a bachelor of divinity
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
degree from Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education
Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education
Union Presbyterian Seminary, located on the near north side of the city of Richmond, Virginia, is a theological seminary of the Presbyterian Church...
in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, in 1928. He did postgraduate study at New College in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
He pastored Presbyterian churches in Opelousas
Opelousas, Louisiana
Opelousas is a city in and the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies at the junction of Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 190. The population was 22,860 at the 2000 census. Although the 2006 population estimate was 23,222, a 2004 annexation should put the city's...
, the seat of St. Landry Parish; Covington
Covington, Louisiana
Covington is a city in and the parish seat of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,483 at the 2000 census. It is located at a fork of the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte River....
, the seat of St. Tammany Parish; and Duncan, Oklahoma
Duncan, Oklahoma
Duncan is a city in Stephens County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 23,431 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stephens County.The official birthdate of the town is considered to be when the first train arrived there on June 27, 1892...
, the seat of Stephens County
Stephens County, Oklahoma
Stephens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 43,182. Its county seat is Duncan.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,308 km²...
near Lawton
Lawton, Oklahoma
The city of Lawton is the county seat of Comanche County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located in the southwestern region of Oklahoma approximately southwest of Oklahoma City, it is the principal city of the Lawton Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Freeland was also the secretary of Overseas Relief for the Presbyterian Church. In 1951, he wrote a letter to Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
in which he decried "the forgotten Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s." In remarks some might consider still relevant in the 21st century, Freeland referred to a "neglected" situation which has led to "deterioration not only in the physical and [the] moral condition of the Arab refugees but also of our international relations . . . "
Freeland wrote The First Presbyterian Church of Crowley, Louisiana, 1890-1965 and coauthored Acadia Parish, Louisiana: A History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
to 1900. His collection of photograph
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
s and memorabilia of the Crowley area is located in the archives of the Acadia Parish Library in Crowley. He also donated a collection to the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Stamp Alliance.
At his death, Freeland left a stamp collection which sold for $2 million to four Presbyterian churches. A fourth of that amount, or $500,000, was used to build a library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
annex at the Presbyterian Historical Foundation at Montreat, North Carolina
Montreat, North Carolina
Montreat is a town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 696 in 2008. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The annex was dedicated on August 15, 1982, and named the "Paul B. Freeland Hall". Freeland served on the foundation board. The "Paul B. Freeland Professorship" is given in his honor at Davidson College, in biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
. He grave is in the Crowley Protestant Cemetery.
External links
- http://www2.davidson.edu/academics/acad_depts/premed/contact.asp
- http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/oso/public/content/philosophy/9780199259748/toc.html
- http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,815576,00.html
- http://www.csalliance.org/csa-1.htm