Eliza J. Langton was a younger sister of Jeanette's great-grandfather. She was born 13 August 1845 in Pennsylvania, probably in Mifflin county, where she was enumerated in the 1850 and 1860 censuses along with her parents, Joseph and Catherine Langton. In her later years, she was often referred to as Lyda.
At the end of the Civil War, Eliza moved to Marrowbone township, Moultrie county, Illinois, along with her father and several siblings. She married Captain John Andrew Freeland,1, 2 a veteran of Civil War service with the 21st Illinois infantry regiment. Like Eliza's father, John Freeland owned several hundred acres of farm land, in both Marrowbone and Sullivan townships. He was born in Orange county, North Carolina 31 October 1839 and came to Moultrie county with his father in 1856. He had first married Elvira Roney,1 who died in 1866.
The Moultrie county GenWeb site includes a lengthy biography of John Andrew Freeland which appeared in Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties, 1891, pp. 360-361. This biography includes extensive information on Capt. Freeland's ancestors and Civil War service. The following excerpt is of interest to Langton researchers:
Our subject was again married in Moultrie County, July 4, 1867, to Miss Lyda J. Langton. who was born in Lewiston, Pa., August 13, 1845. They have had eight children:
- William C.,
- John H.,
- Joseph L.,
- Ella B.,
- May,
- Maude,
- Harry L. and
- Homer.
May died when she was fourteen months old. The family resided in Marrowbone Township until 1874, when they removed to Sullivan and here the Captain undertook the study of law, being with Eden & Clark for two years and being admitted to the bar in Kansas in 1877. In the spring of that year he removed to Kinsley, Edwards County, Kan., and practiced law there for two years, during which time he was elected County Judge for one term and in 1879 returned to Illinois and again made his home in Marrowbone Township, since which time he has paid his almost undivided attention to farming and raising fine horses and cattle.
Upon his fine farm of two hundred and sixty acres Capt. Freeland has made valuable improvements and within his hospitable home he and his lovely and intelligent companion are ever ready to extend gracious welcome to every friend who seeks their door. One who visits this household can but feel that he is the guest of a true gentleman and a genuine gentlewoman and those who know the public-spirited course which the Captain always pursues in regard to affairs of public import, are assured that he is a disinterested citizen of his county. He is prominently identified with the Washington Alexander Post, No. 176, G.A.R. and has repeatedly been Commander of the post and has been President of the Regimental Association of Grant's old regiment. He is a Royal Arch Mason and in politics is a Republican and formerly took an active part in political affairs.
Lyda and John were enumerated along with their six surviving children in Marrowbone township in 1880. Of the children listed in the census record, Maude was born in Kansas and the others were all born in Illinois.
Freelands continued to live in Moultrie county well into the 20th century, including some of John and Eliza's descendants. Lyda was listed in the 1910 census there along with John and a granddaughter. According to Moultrie county's Roll of Honor, Captain J. A. Freeland died 25 Jun 1916 and is buried in Marrowbone Cemetery. In 1920, the census taker found Lyda living with her daughter Ella Belle's family. Her son Earl (probably listed as Harry above) was also enumerated in Marrowbone township in the 1920 census, with two other Freeland households listed on the same page.