John. J. Freedley was born around 1825 in Norristown where he continued to reside through adulthood. Sometime in the 1840’s he married Emeline Freedley and they had six children together. By 1850, he had established himself as a successful liquor merchant, amassing an estate of approximately $9,000 and was an owner of Hurst & Freedley located in Norristown on Airy Street between Dekalb Pike and Swede Street. Despite his success, John enlisted with the Union Army as a 1st Lieutenant with the 51st PA Infantry Regiment when the Civil War began.

John served in the army for nearly two years before mustering out in May 1863, earning a promotion as a quartermaster. Although he survived the war, his wife passed away in 1865. By 1870, John moved to Maryland where he became a farmer, still owning a large estate. It is not currently known when John Freedley passed away, but in 1880 he continued to reside in Maryland and at the age of 55 had retired. Following his death, he was interred in the Montgomery Cemetery with his wife.