Mary Emma "Emmie" Castellow Freeman (1878-1964) was born in Georgetown, Quitman County, Georgia, to William Franklin Castellow (1847-1890) and Mary Eugenia Gay Castellow (1853-1928). Emmie's only sibling, Bryant Thomas Castellow (1876-1962), was a lawyer, judge, and United States Representative of Georgia. Emmie Castellow graduated from Southern Female College (later Cox College) in College Park, Georgia, in 1897, where she studied painting and performance arts. In 1899 she married educator and school superintendent Loomin Oscar Freeman (1868-1958). The couple lived in College Park where they raised their two children, Loomin Oscar Freeman, Jr. (1901-1980) and Mary Emmie Freeman Curtis (1905-1981). Emmie served as president of the College Park Woman's Club, founded as a study club of the Southern Female College in 1896. In 1929 Emmie was elected president of the fifth district of the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs. She was also involved with the Woman's Missionary Union of Georgia and wrote monthly programs for the Missionary Messenger.