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Title: Frank Freeman Papers
Dates: 1931-1975
Collection Number: 1993-115
Creator/Collector:
Freeman, Frank G.
Extent: 8 linear feet (17 boxes)
Repository:
History San Jose Research Library
San Jose, California 95112
Abstract: Letters from the public, and other reference material collected by Mercury News "Here 'Tis" columnist Frank G. Freeman over
the course of his career.
Language of Material: English
The papers are open to the public by appointment.
Property rights reside with History San Jose. For permission to reproduce or to publish, please contact History San Jose Research
Library.
Frank Freeman Papers. History San Jose Research Library
The papers were donated to the San Jose Historical Museum in 1993 by Russell Freeman.
Biography/Administrative History
Freeman was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and enlisted in the Navy at age 16, serving in the Pacific theater during World
War I. After attending the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Denver, he worked as a newspaper reporter in
Prescott, Arizona, for 12 years before joining the Mercury Herald in 1938. He was a copy editor for nearly three years before
putting himself forward for a local column. The New York Times in 1944 said of Freeman, "He gives interesting comments about
people and daily turns out columns of universal human interest." Freeman retired at age 75, and passed away in 1989 at the
age of 89.
Scope and Content of Collection
Frank Freeman wrote the local news "Here 'Tis" column for the San Jose Mercury from February 22, 1941, to August 31, 1975.
His papers consist predominately of background information supplied to him by way of personal note or letter. Other reference
material includes publications of organizations, invitations, advertisements, bulletins, programs, newsletters and press releases.
His column and the information on which the column was based mirrors life in the Santa Clara Valley between 1941 and 1975.
The collection also contains original manuscripts by Freeman, a small number of photographs, and a collection of local business
cards.
Newspapers--Sections, columns, etc
Journalists
San Jose Mercury-news
San Jose (Calif.)
Prescott (Ariz.)