The 1880 US Census lists Essex Freeman's occupation as laborer, but by 1888 he owned 105 acres in the Flatwoods area of Floyd County, Georgia. Floyd County property tax records show that Essex Freeman was taxed for real estate and personal property, including horses, mules, cattle and other stock. The 1900 and 1910 censuses indicate that Hannah remained on the farm after Essex's death in 1899 -- the 1910 census makes it clear that Hannah owns her own farm, with her son Milton providing labor.
Although there's no information specific to Essex and Hannah Freeman, on land nearby Essex's father and other Black farmers were raising beef cattle, swine and poultry, and growing corn and cotton. Roland Harper's 1922 article "Development of Agriculture in Upper Georgia from 1890 to 1920" from the Georgia Review, cites an increase in the number of Black farmers between 1880 and 1890, and provides detailed analysis of crops, land use and ownership, often broken out by race and sex.
Essex's land was in Lot 20 in Floyd County's 4th District and 4th Section. Awarded to a man named John Peacock, Sr., in the 1832 Georgia land lottery, the 160 acre parcel was sold and mortgaged numerous times between 1832 and 1875, when James S. Griffin, a moderately successful farmer, purchased it from J.I Wright and T.W. Alexander. At some point Griffin began selling off portions of the land, including 25 acres to Essex Freeman in 1881. In 1888 Essex purchased an additional 80 acres from Rome lawyer Robert Fouche, who had obtained the land in a 1887 sheriff's sale. Essex's heirs, Hannah and children Willie Freeman Sledge, Milton Freeman, Thilkel Freeman and 3 minor children, sold the 80 acre parcel to the Berry Schools in 1916 for $1,450. In 1925 they sold the remaining 25 acres, also to the Berry Schools, for $1,650. James Griffin held on to 30 acres, which his heirs sold to the Berry Schools in 1920 for $2,000.