Roscius S. Freeman was born in Potsdam or Buck Bridge, New York, on 18 May 1844, and began his career in pharmacy in a Madrid, New York, drug store when he was eighteen. On 1 November 1866 he moved to River Falls, and the following August went to work at the Davis Drug Store. In September 1872 he was able to go into business for himself and soon established a reputation for honesty and care in preparing retail drug orders. Freeman ran the store by himself until his son, R.W. Freeman, had completed the course in pharmacy at the University of Illinois, and was admitted into partnership in the firm. By 1902 he was able to retire and leave the business completely to his son's management.
In 1904 R.S. Freeman and Son bought out the Bernard and Clough Company in River Falls and the stock of the Heinzel Drug Store in neighboring Hudson. The Heinzel stock was consolidated with the River Falls stock, and for some time both River Falls stores were open.
In 1920 the company incorporated as the Freeman Drug Company with $20,000 capital; members of the corporation were R.S. Freeman, R.W. Freeman, John A. Knapp, and Robert L. Hurd. The River Falls Journal carried the story of the incorporation in its 8 April 1920 issue and noted seventeen prominent doctors and pharmacists who had at one time learned about health services while working for the firm.
R.S. Freeman died in late October 1933, and the remaining members of the corporation continued the drug store until the mid 1940s. At that time Gerald Belisle bought an interest in the corporation and gradually took over full responsibility for what had become one of the oldest drug firms still operating in the River Falls area.
