Person:John Edwards (43)

MYTH's BUSTED:

01 - Multiple Ancestry DNA tests by descendants of Andrew Edwards show he is genetically related to descendants of William and Grizzle (Coleman) Edwards son William Edwards who married Grizzle Ghee, all of Cumberland Co., VA. However the 1774 Cumberland County, VA will of Andrew Edwards 1727-1775 shows Andrew Edwards was his son. His probable brother William Edwards 1722-1784 sold 200 acres of land on Grooms Quarter Creek in Cumberland Co., VA. for 5 shillings in 1765, 1/2 of the same land that William Edwards 1722-1784 had in 1764 paid 40 shillings for 400 acres as part of a Virginia Land Grant to Andrew Edwards 1727-1775.

Andrew Edwards 1727-1775 Cumberland Co., VA. will probated on the 27 Feb 1775 references his son Andrew Edwards. Elizabeth Edwards his relict refused administration of his estate. In a 16 April 1778 Cumberland Co., VA. land indenture Elizabeth Edwards gave to her 'son' Andrew Edwards the land & dwellings upon which she dwelled with the proviso that he furnish her with good sufficient maintenance for the rest of her life. And a 1 March 1790 Cumberland Co, VA. land indenture wherein Andrews Edwards and Phebe his wife sold 50 acres of land on the Grooms Quarter Creek to Wright Bond. Andrew Edwards 1752-1819 was a son of Andrew Edwards 1727-1775 and his wife Elizabeth. The father of William Edwards 1721-1784 & Andrew Edwards 1727-1775 remains unknown.

02 - All of the historical documents list him as just 'Andrew Edwards'. Very few people before the mid 1800's had a middle name; so did he really have a given name of John? See 'Use of Middle Names'.

03 - The Revolutionary War pension application filed by his son Thomas Edwards in Laurens, South Carolina states 'he was of Cumberland County, State of Virginia'; NOT Hampshire County, VA.

04 -This profile had' Andrew Edwards' as a son of 'Thomas Nathaniel Edwards' BUT no documentary proof of same. Throughout the 1800's to early 1900's there were law suits filed trying to link Edwards descendants to Thomas Nathaniel Edwards I whose son Robert had a lease for 77 acres of land in Manhattan Island, N.Y. See Who was Thomas Nathaniel Edwards?

Thomas Edwards 1780-1786, son of Andrew Edwards & Phebe Meador, in a July 1851 Laurens S.C. Revolutionary War pension affidavit for his mother stated his parents married in 1778. Phobe Meador’s sister Nancy (Meador) Bradley in a 10th June 1851 affidavit stated her sister & Andrew Edwards were married in Cumberland Co. VA. in the year 1778. Edward Scruggs Senior age 81 gave an affidavit on the 10 June 1851 that he knew Andrew Edwards a citizen of Cumberland Co. VA. who married Phebe Meador about 1778. So three separate affidavits state Andrew Edwards & his wife Phebe married in 1778 Cumberland Co. VA.

The April 1774 will of Andrew Edwards 1727-1775 probated at the 27 February 1775 Cumberland Co. VA court names his wife Elizabeth Edwards, and Andrew Edwards as one of his sons. In a 16 April 1778 Cumberland Co., VA. land indenture, Elizabeth Edwards gave to Andrew Edwards the land on Crooms Quarter Creek upon which she then lived with the proviso that he should furnish her with good sufficient maintenance during the rest of her life. It was witnessed by William Edwards on 22 Feb 1779 when it was entered into court records.

Andrew Edwards 1753-1819 appears on the Cumberland Co. VA personal property tax lists from 1782 through 1803.

Any of Andrew and Phebe (Meadors) Edwards children born between 1778 and 1803 were born in Cumberland Co. VA. Any child born before 1778 was either by a previous wife, or not his child.

He then appears in the 1810 Laurens Co. S.C. U.S. census.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Andrew Edwards birth year.

   The will of his father Andrew Edwards 1727-1775 was written in April 1774 Cumberland Co. VA and his son Andrew was not of age. 1774 minus 21 years of age places his birth by/after 1753.

2.   Pension Application, in Transcript of widow of Andrew Edwards Revolutionary War Pension Application.

   Transcription by the widow of Andrew Edwards for a Revolutionary War Pension Application.

3.   Minute Men belonging to Capt. Joseph Carrington of Cumberland Co., VA., in 1775 list of Minute Men in Cumberland Co., VA.

   List includes Andrew Edwards as a Minute Man.

4.   1782 Cumberland Co., VA. tax list, in 1782 Cumberland Co., VA. tax roll includes Andrew Edwards.

   Includes Andrew Edwards, William Edwards, Flemstead Edwards, and based upon Ancestry Shared DNA matches their father William Edwards.

5.   1790 Edwards, Andrew of Cumberland Co., VA, in 1790 Cumberland Co., VA. tax roll includes Andrew Edwards.

   List includes Andrew Edwards of Cumberland Co., VA.

6.   1784 Cumberland Co., VA. tax list, in 1784 Cumberland Co., VA. tax roll includes Andrew Edwards.

   List includes Andrew Edwards

7.   Revolutionary War Pension application for Andrew Edwards widow.