Freelan O. Stanley and his twin brother Francis E. Stanley were born on 1 June 1849 in Kingsfield, Maine. Their parents were Solomon and Apphia (French) Stanley. Solomon Stanley was both a farmer and a teacher. Freelan and his brother Francis graduated from Farmington State Normal School in Farmington, Maine. The school is now the University of Maine at Farmington. Freelan became a teacher and taught at Andover, Lisbon and Farmington, Maine. He later became principal of the high school at Mechanic Falls, Maine. In 1876 he met and married Flora Tileston.