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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of Samuel EDWARDS 

Pages 878-880, transcribed in full by Karen CRANE Goggin 

[Surnames: BOYD, BRISTOW, COFFMAN, DODDS, DRUM, EDWARDS, GLADMAN, MITCHELL, MOORE, NEW, NEWMAN, PRATER, SMITH, SULLIVAN, THOMPSON, TUCKER, WEBSTER, WHITE] 

    
SAMUEL EDWARDS. It is always a pleasure to see persevering industry crowned with success and to find those of middle age able to retire from the toils of life and spend their declining years in comfort and repose. A goodly number of the citizens of this county have met with such success in their worldly affairs that they have no fears for the future. Among this number is Samuel Edwards, the largest landowner in Ellisville Township and one of its most prosperous citizens. He is a general favorite, having many fine qualities of character, and his friends will be pleased to read this record of his life. 
    
The grandfather of our subject was Jesse Edwards whose birth took place in Maryland on the south branch of the Potomac River. When seventeen years old he joined the "Old Continentals" serving through the Revolution. He then settled in Kentucky where he combined the occupations of farming and hunting. During the early settlement of Ohio he located in Adams County, buying land which he improved and made his home for some years. He was of large physique and strong constitution and lived to be one hundred and four years old. His death took place in Scioto County. He was an old-line Whig and an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a Squire for years. 
    
The father of our subject was born in Kentucky and likewise bore the name of Jesse. He was reared in Ohio and upon reaching manhood engaged in farming in Adams County. After having improved a tract of land there he sold it and purchased five miles distant, across the line in Scioto County. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church. His death occurred when he was forty years old. His widow, whose maiden name was Sarah Prater, survived him, dying in 1870. She was born in Adams County, Ohio and died at the home of a sister in that State. Her father, Maj. John Prater, a native of Maryland, was an early settler in Adams County, Indians still lingering in that vicinity when he located and wild game was abundant. Bears would come close to the house and carry off pigs, making it necessary for the members of the family to be very watchful. Maj. Prater received his commission during the War of 1812; he died at the age of seventy years. 
    
The parental family included nine sons and daughters, he of whom we write being the fourth in order of birth. The third child, John, died when seventeen years old and the fifth, William, in Western Missouri. The latter was in the Civil War about a year and his brother Allen served two years. Those of the family now living are Mrs. Matilda White in Effingham County; Mrs. Catherine Moore in Ohio; our subject; Mrs. Celia Ann Coffman in Rice County, Kan.; Mrs. Mary Thompson in Ohio; Allen in Ellisville Township; and Mrs. Elizabeth Newman in Oregon. 
    
The natal day of our subject was November 25, 1821, and his birthplace the farm near West Union, Adams County, Ohio. He was reared in Scioto County from the age of seven years and in his boyhood attended subscription and free schools in the old fashioned log schoolhouse with its greased paper windows and home-made furniture. His principal textbook was Webster's Elementary Spelling Book, with which he became so familiar that he can even yet recite many of the lists of words which he studied again and again. He was early set to work on the farm which he helped to improve and of which he took charge when quite young. The father died when our subject was ten years old, and his older brother being a cripple, his own share of the home duties was greater than would otherwise have been the case. 
    
When twenty-one years old Mr. Edwards began farming for himself, renting the homestead until his marriage, which took place about four years later. He remained in the neighborhood of his old home until 1850, when he bought land near Rockville on the Ohio River. The land was improved and Mr. Edwards operated it until the spring of 1855 when, wishing for more land, he sold and came to the newer State of Illinois. His journey was performed on a boat to Liverpool, thence by wagon to Ellisville, which he made his home until 1859. He rented land and continued his farm pursuits and after a time bought a place in town. Avon was the most convenient market at that time and "stump-tail" money was in use. The farmers received fourteen cents per bushel for their corn. 
    
In 1859 Mr. Edwards bought eighty acres on section 18, Ellisville Township, and locating there improved the land, grubbing out stumps and otherwise preparing the soil for cultivation. In 1864 he sold that farm and bought two hundred and forty acres on sections 19 and 20, which was valued at $3,000 and for which he went in debt. To this acreage he has since added, his real estate in the township now amounting to about four hundred acres. It is valuable bottom land, bordering on Spoon River, on which there has never been a failure of crops. It is all improved with two complete sets of farm buildings. Mr. Edwards raises grain and hogs, has some eighteen head of good draft horses on the farm, and feeds cattle and swine quite extensively. In 1886 he gave up farm work and now rents his estate, furnishing stock, etc., and receiving a share of the proceeds. Besides this large estate Mr. Edwards owns other property, all of which has been secured through his own efforts, as he started in life at the bottom of the ladder. 
    
Mr. Edwards has been twice married. His first union was solemnized March 3, 1846, his bride being Miss Sarah Dodds. This good woman was a daughter of John B. and Ann (Tucker) Dodds, of whom an account is given in the sketch of John W. Dodds on another page in this Album. Mrs. Sarah Edwards was born in the Buckeye State and died in this county in 1877. She was the mother of six children of whom we note the following: J. Q., owns and operates one hundred and sixty acres of land in Howard County, Neb.; A. G., a graduate of Hedding College, at Abingdon, is now engaged in the real estate and insurance business at Omaha, Neb.; Winfield S., a graduate of the commercial college at Quincy and a student of Hedding College, studied law with Thomas Boyd, of Lewistown and is now practicing his profession there and discharging the duties of County Judge; Martha died when sixteen years old; William, after having taught school for a time, is now engaged in the real estate and insurance business with his brother, A. G.; Mary was formerly a school teacher but is now the wife of Andrew Sullivan, a barber in Ellisville. 
    
The second marriage of our subject was celebrated in Chester Township, Knox County, January 10, 1878. The lady who then became his wife was Mrs. Lydia Webster, nee Gladman. She was born at Gray Shot, Muskingum County, Ohio, February 23, 1839. She came to Illinois with her parents in her infancy, and in 1854 the family removed to Iowa, where she remained until 1859, then returned to this county. On February 12, 1861, she married Martin Webster. That gentleman was born in Chautauqua, N. Y., came to this county with the pioneer settlers and after his marriage bought a farm on section 8 and established his home there. This tract of one hundred and forty acres of improved land is still owned by Mrs. Edwards. Mr. Webster was Justice of the Peace and gave his political support to the Democratic party. 
    
The father of Mrs. Lydia Edwards was W. B. Gladman, a native of Gray Shot, Ohio and her grandfather, Thomas Gladman, a Revolutionary soldier and early settler on the Muskingum River. The former followed farming in his native State until 1839, when he came West with his family, settling near Middle Grove, this county. He bought a tract of raw land which he reclaimed, residing upon it until 1854, when he removed to Henry County, Iowa. There he embarked in hotel-keeping, but died in the spring of 1855. His wife, formerly Catherine Drum, was born in Virginia and was four years old when her parents removed to Ohio with pack horses. After the death of Mr. Gladman she bought property in New London, Iowa, continuing to make her home there and finally marrying Thomas H. Bristow, a wagon and carriage-maker. She breathed her last in 1877. She belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church in which her first husband had been a Class-Leader. 
    
The living brothers and sisters of Mrs. Edwards are Thomas, who now lives in Hopkins, MO.; John W., in Kansas; William H., in Mercer County, this State; Mary C., widow of Phillip Smith who was five years in the army; Milton H., who lives in Hopkins, Mo.; and Mahlon, who resides in new London, Iowa. The deceased are Asbury, whose death occurred in Iowa, and Alzina, who died when a year old. Four of the fraternal band were in the Union Army. Thomas served in the One Hundred and Third Illinois Infantry from August, 1862, until the close of the war. John W. enlisted in the Sixteenth Illinois Infantry in 1861 and Asbury in the Seventeenth Illinois Infantry, both veteranizing. William H. entered the Twenty-fifth Iowa Infantry when but eighteen years old; and escaped unhurt, although he participated in twenty-six hard-fought battles. 
    
The children of Mr. Edwards and his present wife are Frankie, now deceased; W. B., an attorney at Ft. Scott, Kan., who studied in Hedding and Abingdon Colleges; Hattie, who married L. G. New, a carpenter at St. Joe; Celia, who is at home; Estella, who died when four months old; M. Asa, a farmer in Union Township; and Lois, who married H. Mitchell, likewise a farmer in Union Township. 
    
Mr. Edwards has been Pathmaster for years, was Commissioner of Highways ten years and has also served as School Director. He is a Republican and one of the first men who voted the Abolition ticket. Mrs. Edwards is a consistent member of the United Brethren Church.