Person:Obadiah Edmunds (1)

"Obediah m. Lydia Moore, of Mt. Holly, and settled in Hamburg, N.Y. in 1814. From there he moved to Hanover, and from thence to Ohio, where he lived a few years, and then went to Illinois. He was next heard from in Texas, where he died in 1859 [errata-1853]."

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"Obediah and Lydia lived in Danby for a few years, then moved to Hanover, Chautauqua Co. NY in 1810. They lived here until 1819 when they moved to Butler Co. PA. IN 1825 they moved to Columbiana Co. OH. near Salem. They stayed here sometime until 1835. At this time, Obadiah went to ILL. to locate a homestead. He filed on Government land for $1.25 an acre. He went back to Ohio to get his family in Spring of 1836. They went West with teams of oxen to ILL. Their homestead was in Warren Co., which is now Henderson Co. The Edmunds built another house in what is now Terre Haute Tsp. There were few neighbors. The house was about six miles from the Mississippi River. The first house was built of logs and one room was used for a time as a school.

Obadiah was a Methodist Episcopal, but later changed to Quaker. In politics he was a radical anti-slavery advocate. Sometime in the Spring or Fall of 1853, Obadiah went to Texas to find a place to live for health reasons. He planned to move his family there when he found a place, but died in Texas before he could do this."

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Terre Haute Township, page 1284 Among the first pioneers to locate in this township was the Edmunds family. Oliver Edmunds, the subject of this sketch, was born in Ohio, and emigrated when eight years old to Henderson county with his parents, OBEDIAH and LYDIA (MOORS) EDMUNDS. His father was a native of Rutland county, Vermont, born in 1788. Obediah Edmunds Jr.'s father, Obediah Edmunds Sr. was a native of Rhode Island, but was reared principally in Vermont. He married in Vermont, where he raised a family and died. He married Sarah Williams, a granddaughter of Roger Williams. He was a revolutionary soldier and belonged to the Vermont Minute Men. James Edmunds, father of Obediah Edmunds, Sr., was also engaged in the revolution and was taken prisoner by Burgoyne's scouts. About 1810 Obediah Edmunds Jr. emigrated to New York, where he resided till 1819, when he removed to Columbia county, Pennsylvania. In 1826 he moved to Ohio, where he remained till 1837. He then came to Henderson county with his family, and located in T. 8, R. 5, near the south line of the county, where he resided till his death, which occurred in 1853, in the sixty fifth year of his age. His wife survived him six years, and died in her seventy-third year. They built the second house in the township. They raised a family of ten children, only two of whom are now living. Obediah Jr. was in early life a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, but died a Quaker. In politics he was a radical anti-slavery advocate.

Oliver Edmunds, his son, lives on the old homestead, where he was born in 1825. His early education was limited, because of there being but few schools here during his boyhood. He was reared on the farm where he has since lived. In 1854 he was married to Eliza Spiker, of Ohio, born in 1834, daughter of Henry and Rachel (Hekle) Spiker; the latter of Maryland, the mother of Virginia. In 1839 they came with the early settlers and located in Hancock county, where Henry Spiker died in 1846, at the age of thirty-four years. His wife yet resides in Hancock county, where they first located. Oliver Edmunds has by this marriage four children: Marilda, John A., Charles S. and Bertie H. He has a well improved farm of 555 acres and keeps a good grade of all kinds of farm stock.

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1. ↑ Henderson, Illinois, United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   1850 Henderson Co, IL: Obadiah Edmunds 61 VT; Lydia 62 MA (Twp 8N-5W, p. 79, 9/27/1850)