John Edwards (aft. 1758 - 1819)

Born after 1758 in Staffordshire, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Ruth (Turbyfill) Edwards — married 27 Feb 1800 in Lincoln, North Carolina, United States

Husband of Lucy B Curtis — married 1802 in VA

Descendants

Died 1819 before age 61 in Lincoln, North Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Erinne Kennedy-Dock [send private message] and Lynda Titterington [send private message]

Biography

1727-1819 Located among ancestry of Flora Edwards, daughter of Moses Pinkney Edwards.

Son of Thomas Nathathaniel Edwards and Sarah Elizabeth Downing.

John Edwards may have been the John Edwards of Northampton County who had a Granville Grant of 1920 acres of land in what is now Iredell County.

John Edwards came to Beaverdam Branch in the early 1780's as a school teacher. He came from New York, by way of the Valley of Virginia. ^[1]

As written by Howard Edwards ^[2] "The Edwards family lived in Wales originally and, becoming dissatisfied with the Church of England, they went to Holland and came to New York with the Dutch. Apparently they became prosperous in New York. I remember my grandmother telling of an Edwards Estate in New York in which the North Carolina family did not share.

"About 1770-1780 on John Edward with two young sons rode horseback through the Shenandoah Valley to North Carolina where they made headquarters with the Hughie Brotherton family near the Catawba River at Sherrill's Ford.

"The Earl of Granville (Lord Cartaret) had agreed to sell 100,000 acres of land in this area and it had been surveyed by a Mr. Ghurston (not clear) and Bishop A.G. Spangenburg of the Moravian Brethren of Bethlehem, Pa. The northern boundary of the Howard Edwards property is said to be one of the original survey lines run from Catawba River to Burke County. "Gentleman John" Perkins is said to have been hired as a guide on this survey. This was the dividing line between the two tracts purchased by John Edwards and his sons.

"John and his sons rode through the Mt. Creek and Ball's Creek areas carrying a small pickaxe with which they used to test the soil. They were offered a 1000 acre tract lying on the east side of Ball's Creek for two shillings (about 50 cents) per acre; however the soil was sandy and they did not think it would be good farmland. They returned to the Mt. Creek area and purchased the two tracts. One contained about 1000 acres and the adjoining tract, which was to the south, contained 800 acres. They paid 12 shillings (about $3.00) per acre. These tracts contained red clay soil and numerous springs and branches in addition to abundant forests. This land was bounded on the north by Shuford lands and on the south by Gabriel lands. It extended northeastward to the old Sherrill's Ford Road where Smyrna Church now stands, down the road to Hughie Brotherton's lands, then south to the Gabriel lands. "

This area was part of Lincoln County from 1779 to 1842 when Catawba County was formed from part of Lincoln.

John Edwards was married to Ruth Turbyfill. From his will in the Lincoln Country Register of Deeds Office, his heirs included: 1. son John Edwards John Edwards, Jr. Later family documentation indicated that John E. Edwards was not the son of John Edwards, but of his brother Nathaniel. 2. son Nathaniel Edwards (need to gather data on him Edwards-6352; married Martha Asbury, sister of Daniel Asbury)) 3. son-in-law Leonard Long (husband of daughter Sarah Edwards) 4. son-in-law James Litton (husband of Nancy Edwards) 5. Benjamin Edwards - married Sali Williams in 1809; property owned in 1980 by Eli Edwards 6. Charles Edwards - married Ruth Litton in 1812. Property located between the north and south forks of Mt. Creek 7. Stephen Edwards - married Mititia Shelton in 1811; Perry Edwards had property in 1980 8. Obed Edwards  ??? 9. Polly Edwards ???

???Family document do not include Obed and Polly, but list two more sons: William (married to Mary ? in ??) and Wheeler Edward (marriage data unknown).

John Edwards came to Beaverdam Branch in the early 1780's as a school teacher. According to Howard Edwards (1980), John Edwards came from New York by way of the Valley of Virginia. John was Howard's great, great grandfather)

From the 1790 Census of Lower Mountain Creek, John Edwards' household comprised 2 males over the age of 16, six males under the age of 16, three females and no slaves.

Land Acquisitions (Lincoln County Register of Deeds Office) In 1791 (Book 18, p. 355) John Ed wards buys from Matthew Hawkins, for forty pounds - hard money- 125 acres, beginning at Rocky Ford of Beaverdam Branch and North 24 chains--lines of Turbyfill and Long. Witnessed by Jonathon Long and Jonathon Long and John Turbyfill. (This tract lies below Rehobeth Church and on Beavercreek Branch, where Carl McGee formerly lived, now Asbury Park).

In 1792, John Edwards was among the trustees of a tract of land for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church. ^[3]

1798 (book20, pg. 173): John Edwards sells 65 acres to Nathaniel Edwards for 25 pounds, it being a part of a tract granted to John Hawkins and given to his son Matthew Hawkins and sold to said Edwards by Hawkins. (Witness: Frances Harwell and John Turbyfill)

1801(book 21, pg. 186) Leonard Long (husband of Sarah Edwards) buys 150 acres from Thomas Stone on the East side of Big Branch. This is the tract on which Howard Edwards was living as of 1980.

1805 (book 23, pg. 52) John Edwards buys from James Edwards - for thirty pounds and five shillings-- a tract on the west side of the Catawba River-- on Beaverdam Branch-- joining Harbert Harwell and McCorkle -- 30 acres. Witness: John Turbyfill.

1811 (book 24, p. 94) John Edwards buys from Abraham Gabriel - for 157 pounds - a tract on a branch of Mountain Creek -- lines of John Perkins, John Adams, and Lydia Alexander -- containing 150 acres. (in 1980, this was the Charles Lowrance property) Witness: Nathaniel Edwards, Zechariah Stacy, Leonard Long

Hopewell Methodist Church was organized in 1811. Dempsey and Susianne Perkins sold a tract of land situated near a spring on Haydens Branch and joining Nathaniel Edwards and William Edwards to Harbert Harwell, Joshua Sherrill, John Edwards, Robert Abernathy, James Lee, Nathaniel Edwards and John Allen, Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church. ^[4]

1819 - John Edwards dies.

1821 - book 30, pg. 155 John Edwards, Jr. buys his father's homeplace.

John Edwards was on the board of trustees of the Rehobeth Methodist Church - the first Methodist Church west of the Catawba River and the mother of all churches in the area. In 1792 Frances and Elizabeth Harwell conveyed to a board of trustees composed of Daniel Asbury, Samuel Harwell, William Mays, Harbert Harwell, John Edwards, Rawley Harwell and John Turbyfill a tract of land for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church. (Early Settlement of the Sherrill's Ford-Terrill Area. 1980. Compiled by Howard Edwards)

The Edwards family was active in founding Hopewell United Methodist Church and Smyrna Reformed Church. According to Howard Edwards, "Hopewell Methodist Church was organized in 1811. Dempsey and Susianne Perkins sold a tract of land situated near a spring on Haydens Branch and joining Nathaniel Edwards and William Edwards to Harbert Harwell, Joshua Sherrill, John Edwards, Robert Abernathy, James Lee, Nathaniel Edwards and John Allen, Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church."

"Smyrna Reformed Church was first organized in 1832 with Jacob Lantz, John Shuford and Nathaniel Edwards being elected first officers. "

This biography was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import.^[5] It's a rough draft and needs to be edited.

Name

Name: John c /Edwards/^[6][7]

Name: J Crawford /Edwards/

Found multiple versions of NAME. Using John c /Edwards/.

Birth

Birth:

Date: AFT 1758

Place: Habbersham county, Virginia, United States^[8][9]

Birth:

Date: AFT 1758

Found multiple copies of BIRT DATE. Using AFT 1758

Death

Death:

Date: 1819

Place: Lincoln, North Carolina, United States^[10]

Death:

Date: UNKNOWN

Found multiple copies of DEAT DATE. Using 1819Array

Military Service

Military Service: Served in Lytels company, 10th regiment

Date: BET 12 APR 1778 AND 1782

Place: NC troups, American Revolution

Note

Note: #N16

Notes

Note N16Fought in the American Revolution. He was discharge after a year and then married and moved west to settle over the Appalachia. Sometime later he received notification of his fathers death and moved back with his family in tow. Found out his fathers belongings were scattered lost or destroyed. At this time he learned of a pension for veterans and so applied for it. It was denied stating he was a deserter. He didnt have his discharge papers ashe had left them with hs father. He went to court to fight for his pension and proved the court with testimony of his being discharged and having served honorably plus further character witnesses and affidavits from others. After about 10+ years of fighting for his pension it was finally granted to him. The courier arrived with the awards letter only to arrive at his funeral. The children all began fighting over the money. Court had to decide to give it to the mother instead of dividing it up amongst the children.

Sources

1. ↑ Early Settlement of the Sherrill's Ford-Terrell Area
2. ↑ Pioneer Edwards Family in North Carolina
3. ↑ Early Settlement of the Sherrill's Ford-Terrell Area.
4. ↑ Early Settlement of the Sherrill's Ford-Terrell Area.
5. ↑ Edwards-11158 was created by Erinne Kennedy-Dock through the import of Maternal line export for wiki.ged on Oct 8, 2015. This comment and citation can be deleted after the biography has been edited and primary sources are included.
6. ↑ Source: #S26 Data: Text: Birth date: 1734 CONT Birth place: Massachusetts, Virginia Link: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=agbi&h=2649087&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt
7. ↑ Source: #S46 Data: Text: Birth date: 1740 CONT Birth place: Northumberland, Virginia CONT Death date: Jan 1818 CONT Death place: Orange, North Carolina External File: @M1041@ Link: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=sarmemberapps&h=928931&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt
8. ↑ Source: #S26 Data: Text: Birth date: 1734 CONT Birth place: Massachusetts, Virginia Link: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=agbi&h=2649087&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt
9. ↑ Source: #S46 Data: Text: Birth date: 1740 CONT Birth place: Northumberland, Virginia CONT Death date: Jan 1818 CONT Death place: Orange, North Carolina External File: @M1041@ Link: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=sarmemberapps&h=928931&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt
10. ↑ Source: #S46 Data: Text: Birth date: 1740 CONT Birth place: Northumberland, Virginia CONT Death date: Jan 1818 CONT Death place: Orange, North Carolina External File: @M1041@ Link: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=sarmemberapps&h=928931&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

• Edwards Genealogy Line [1]

Edwards, Howard. (1980). Early Settlement of the Sherrill's Ford-Terrell Area. Compiled with data from the County Libraries of Lincoln, Catawba, and Iredell Cty. Courthouse records from Rowan and Lincoln Counties, State Land Grant Office, the North Carolina Department of Archives and the Harwell and Edwards family histories.

Edwards, Howard. (1980). Pioneer Edwards Family in North Carolina. (As told to Howard Edwards by Benjamin Louis Edwards, McKinley Hildebrand, Bob C. Gabriel, and others).

Marriage record for Nathaniel Edwards "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XFSW-P97 : accessed 28 December 2015), Nathaniel Edwards and Martha Asbury, 25 Jul 1794; citing Lincoln, North Carolina, United States, county courthouses, North Carolina; FHL microfilm 1,760,463.

Acknowledgement

GEDCOM Import by Ted Clark, Monday, January 19, 2015.

• Source: S26 Author: Godfrey Memorial Library, comp. Title: American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.Original data - Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT, USA: Godfrey Memorial Library.Original data: Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genea; Repository: #R1
• Repository: R1 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com E-Mail Address: Phone Number:
• Source: S46 Author: Ancestry.com Title: U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data - Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls; Repository: #R1