Ernest Freeman, who was born in 1896, was raised on Beck’s Creek. He worked in the commissary at Bon, from where he left for the army in World War I. When he returned from the army, he married Hester Lovitt. Ernest and Hester had two boys: Charles Edwin, an optometrist in Williamsburg and Billy Floyd, a professor in the Cumberland College English department.

    Ernest worked as a clerk in the commissary at Bon under Mr. George Tye. When Mr. Tye left in 1921, Ernest became the store manager until about 1925. Then he took a job as a traveling salesman and moved to Middlesboro.

    The family lived there only a short time and returned to Williamsburg where he worked at the Bank of Williamsburg and at Mart West clothing store located at the corner of Main and Fourth Streets.

    Ernest and Hester lived on North 10th Street in Williamsburg for many years. He later bought the John Taylor farm on Beck’s Creek Road adjoining the Click farm. Ernest died in 1949; Hester died in 1983.

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