Person:Henry Edwards (1)

Biography

The following biography of Isaac Edwards is from: Carroll 1765-1815: The Settlements, By John Perry Alderman; Published by Alderman Books, 1985, p. 158-159 Henry Edwards Henry was born May 6, 1772 in North Carolina to Isaac and Catherine Edwards and came to Little Reed as a child. He was dismissed from the Quaker church in 1793 for having married outside the church (1 Hinshaw 962). Henry’s wife was Letitia Richardson, daughter of John Richardson Jr. and his wife Mary. Henry had only a couple of miles to travel downstream on Little Reed to go courting. He bought 191 acres of the old Redus property from German Ballard in 1811 (Grayson, D. B. 2-606), and eleven years later he deeded it to his sons John and Isaac (Grayson, D. B. 4-326). His other land consisted of three tracts which he acquired by gran (Grans. 62- 264, 64-354, and 85-270); he owned these when he died. They adjoined on Little Reed and together exceeded 400 acres. Henry operated a mill on Little Reed; the stream which served his mill is referred to in the old records as Edwards Mill Creek (Grayson, Orders 1806-811; July 1807). In 1815 he was taxed with a mill and fifteen cattle; the tax assessments on his homeplace that year described his home as being a log dwelling house, together with a kitchen and stable. Henry served as constable, commencing in June 1807 (Grayson, Orders 1806-1811), and while he was helpful in his own community, appraising estates and witnessing documents, he took very little part in the county’s government. His marker in the Worrell/Edwards Cemetery seems to indicate that he died in February 1848, aged 75 years and three months. If so, it is in error for his estate was appraised in March 1847 (Carroll, W. B. 1-130). It is likely that he died in February 1847, aged 74. Letitia’s monument indicates that she died in Aril 1835, aged 62 years and 11 months; the old writers could never decide how to spell her name so versions such as Lettuce also appear. When Henry died, he had a pending application for another land grant; it was issued in 1854 in the name of his heirs (Grants 109-409) and that document provides the only record known to the writer of Henry’s children. It is the source for the list of nine which follows. It will be noted that Jane Edwards Cooley, wife of Abraham Cooley Jr., is not listed in the posthumous land grant; the Cox historians had thought that she was one of the children (Cox, Solomon Cox, p. 42). The nine known children: (1) Isaac Edwards, birth uncertain, had been given land in 1822. He moved to Stark County, Illinois, and was death at the time his father’s estate was settled (Carroll D. B. 3-351). (2) Sarah Edwards, birth date uncertain, married James Hill in 1821; they moved to Hamilton County, Indiana (Carroll, D. B. 3-352). (3) John Edwards, born May 12, 1799 and died Feb. 28, 1879, is often confused with his uncle John who was only eight years older. This John married Edith Worrell in 1820 and following her death, he remarried Sarah Newman in 1864. (4) Mary Edwards, born in 1805, died in 1868, married Silas Ward in 1832. (5) Martin Edwards, born in 1806, died in 1900, married Mary Ward in 1832. (6) Catherine Edwards, born March 5, 1812, died Jan. 11, 1888, married Joseph Cox in 1839; they also went to Stark County, Illinois (Carroll, D. B. 3-350). (7) William Edwards, birth uncertain, may be the William who married Martha Cooley in 1835. (8) Letitia Edwards, born about 1815, married Hance H. Kenny in 1840. (9) Elizabeth Edwards, born about 181, married Joel Ashworth in 1836.

1. ↑ John Perry Alderman. Carroll 1765-1815: The Settlements. (Alderman Books, Second Printing, Copyrighted 1985)
   158, 12/28/06.
2. ↑ John Perry Alderman. Carroll 1765-1815: The Settlements. (Alderman Books, Second Printing, Copyrighted 1985)
   158, 12/28/06.
3. ↑ Notes