Freeman Cutting, a prosperous farmer of Newport, was born in Croydon, N.H., July 19, 1821, son of Francis and Keziah (Hudson) Cutting. His grandfather, Benjamin Cutting, one of the first settlers of Croydon, was an energetic and successful farmer; and he served his country in the Revolutionary War. Benjamin and his wife, Anna Bemas Cutting, died at the respective ages of eighty-eight and ninety years. Of their thirteen children none are now living. Francis Cutting, who was next to the youngest, followed his father’s occupation, that of farming. He was also an extensive stock dealer, in fact, doing, it is claimed, the largest business in that line in Sullivan County. Shepherd Cutting, of Newport; Addison Cutting, of Croydon; Mrs. Diantha Young, the wife of Israel Young, of Newport; and Mrs. Philinda Pike. The others were: Alfred, Irena, Morrill, and Elan.
Freeman Cutting grew up on the old farm in Croydon, receiving his education in the town schools. At the age of twenty-one he purchased one hundred and twenty-one acres of land adjoining his father’s property in Newport. After living on this estate for eleven years, he sold it and bought another in Claremont, on which he resided for eight years. At the end of that time he moved back to Newport, and in 1871 he bought the property on which he now resides. It contains four hundred acres, which, taken with what he owns elsewhere, makes about nine hundred acres belonging to him. He has one of the best sets of farm buildings in the town, and the appearance of thrift and progress is visible everywhere. He has worked with untiring energy, made a great many improvements, and keeps up well with the times. In this lies the secret of his success. He deals extensively in cattle, and is a leading stock-raiser. At present he has seventy-five head of cattle on his farm, and he makes a specialty of the milk industry. Giving his personal attention to all the details of the farm management, the best results are in this way secured.
Mr. Cutting was married in 1843 to Emily A. Hubbard, who, born in Charlestown, N.H., in 1823, daughter of Oliver Hubbard, died April 17, 1894. Their ten children are all living; namely, Dennison, Emily, John, Belah, Louis, Achar, Zilpha, Sarah, Abbie, and Viola.
Mr. Cutting takes an interest in the welfare of the community. He was First Selectman of Newport for several terms, Overseer of the Poor for the same length of time, and he served acceptably in the capacity of Tax Collector.