Editing Freetown, Massachusetts (section)

==History==
Freetown was first settled by the English on April 2, 1659, on the banks of the [[Assonet River]], when the areas of [[Assonet, Massachusetts|Assonet]] and [[Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River]] were purchased for 20 coats, two rugs, two iron pots, two kettles, one little kettle, eight pairs of shoes, six pairs of stockings, one dozen hoes, one dozen hatchets, and two yards of broadcloth from the [[Wampanoag people|Wampanoag Indians]] in an exchange known as [[Freemans Purchase|Ye Freemen's Purchase]]. Its population slowly grew, and it existed as a [[Proprietary colony|Proprietary]] settlement of the [[Plymouth Colony]] until it was officially incorporated in July 1683. It remained a part of Plymouth Colony until that colony merged with the [[Massachusetts Bay Colony]] in 1692.  The town was the fifth [[municipal corporation]] established in [[Bristol County, Massachusetts|Bristol County]].<ref name="AVIS">''A History of the Town of Freetown, Massachusetts with an Account of the Old Home Festival, July 30, 1902''. Assonet Village Improvement Society (1902).</ref>

Throughout the 18th century, the town continued to grow and prosper. In 1747, through the [[Pocasset Purchase]], the village of [[East Freetown, Massachusetts|East Freetown]] (at the time called "New Freetown") was acquired from [[Tiverton, Rhode Island|Tiverton]], [[Rhode Island]] (which was being transferred from [[Massachusetts]] to Rhode Island). The townspeople fought against the Native Americans in [[King Philip's War]] and other local skirmishes. On May 28, 1775, during the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]], the [[Battle of Freetown]] was fought in a part of the town that is now part of the city of [[Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River]].<ref name="AVIS"/>

In 1803, [[Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River]] separated from the town, and incorporated as Troy. In 1815, a portion of the town was annexed by [[Fairhaven, Massachusetts|Fairhaven]], which at the time controlled [[Acushnet, Massachusetts|Acushnet]], [[Massachusetts]]. That part of [[East Freetown, Massachusetts|East Freetown]] remains part of Acushnet to this day.

Throughout the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, Freetown served as a very industrious area. Blast furnaces, fishing, textiles, and manufacturing all came to and left Freetown over time.

The population of Freetown remained around or under 2000 residents from the 1700s until 1950, and has expanded nearly fivefold since that time

One of the more well-known industries was N. R. Davis & Sons, a gun manufactory that provided many weapons for the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].