might have a surname at one point of "Petus"
Prince, Sr. lived in Conway, Massachusetts. He and his wife Anna had at least five children. Prince, Jr. was born in 1770, Mary in 1771, Abigail in 1773, Anna in 1775, and Temperance was born and died in 1778 at the age of three months. The 1790 federal census for Conway lists a White Prince Freeman with five people in his household. His name is a common one for an African American man. It might be that the family was light-skinned and the census taker assumed they were White, but information on this family is scarce and without more, it is difficult to know their race.
“Prince Freeman” was a common name among enslaved men who gained their freedom, making it difficult to identify a particular man with this name with certainty. According to Massachusetts Soldiers & Sailors of the Revolutionary War (Vol. 6, pg. 49), a Prince Freeman who lived in Conway, Massachusetts was born circa 1742, possibly in Harwich, Massachusetts. He married Anna Wing there in 1770 and the couple soon moved to Conway where at least six of their eight children were born.
By 1800, the family might have been living in Norwich, New York, as the census report lists a Prince Freeman with six people (including himself) in his household. The 1820 census for nearby Plymouth, New York lists the Freeman family with four members in the household. Prince is recorded as having died in Norwich in 1821.
Beginning in 1776, Prince served in the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). A transcription of his 1780 enlistment form is shown below. He was described as 38 years old, with a light complexion, and standing 5 feet, 6 inches tall.
belonging to militia of Conway who were mustered by Lieut. Col. David Wells for 3 months service at Claverack sworn to in Hampshire Co. August 3, 1780.
Capt. Densmore's co.
Residence- Conway.
Age- 38 years.
Stature- 5 ft. 8 in.
Complexion- light.
A record of Prince Freeman's military service follows: