Jonathan M. Edwards (1785 - 1843)

Born 31 Oct 1785 in Amherst County, Virginia, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Shelton (Rucker) Edwards — married 27 Aug 1807 in Amherst County, Virginia, USA

Husband of Nancy (Beauchamp) Edwards — married 20 Jun 1838 in Spencer County, KY

Descendants

Died 21 Jan 1843 at age 57 in Buckingham, Virginia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chris Brady [send private message]

Biography

Marriages

Jonathan M. Edwards married Mary Shelton Rucker on 27 August 1807 in Amherst County, Virginia^[1]
John Rucker listed as father of the bride.

John M. Edwards married Nancy Thomas on 20 June 1838 in Spencer County, Kentucky.^[2]

Family

Marriage of Sarah S Rucker to John Willis
3 February 1812
Amherst, Virginia, United States
Witnesses: Willis Rucker & John M Edwards

Marriage of Susanna Tinsley Rucker to Constantine Brown
7 September 1819
Amherst, Virginia, United States
Bond signed by Nancy Rucker, Witnesses: Jane E Rucker and John M Edwards.

Stephen Gilbert married Anne Eliza Edwards on 11 August 1830 in Lincoln County, Kentucky. John M. Edwards gave consent as the father of the bride. ^[3]

Death

Obituary as it appeared in the Lynchburg Virginian^[4]
Date: 16 Feb 1843
Place: Lynchburg, Campbell, Virginia, United States

Departed this life, on the 21st January, at Thomas
Wright's ESQ., Buckingham county
JOHN M. EDWARDS, Esq., of Taylorsville, Kentucky.
The Louisville Journal will please copy.

Court Cases

Chancery Court - Estate of Thomas Edwards

Thomas Edwards died intestate and his estate was the subject of two separate Chancery Court Cases in Amherst, Virginia. The first was filed by Elizabeth Edwards as the widow of Thomas Edwards against the administrator of the Thomas Edwards estate - Gustavus A. Edwards.
The second case was filed by Gustavus A. Edwards against the other heirs of Thomas Edwards.^[5] That case is:

Gustavus A. Edwards versus
William Jones and Lucy his wife
John M. Edwards
James B. Edwards
William W. Edwards, James B. Edwards, Martha Edwards and Mary Edwards (the last four children and heirs at law of Vincent Edwards deceased)
the children of Elizabeth Walker deceased formerly Elizabeth Edwards
Elizabeth Ann Fretwell an infant under the age of twenty one years by James Fretwell her guardian
Caroline J. Edwards
James Beck & Minerva his wife
Nancy Edwards a person of unsound mind

Assignees of Willis Rucker versus Samuel Garland etc^[6]

Assignees of Willis Rucker versus Samuel Garland etc - Case #1854-004

27 August 1849
John M. Rucker assignee of Willis Rucker. On the 22 January 1822 Willis Rucker bought the interest in the estate of George McDaniel from John M. Edwards (heir to the estate). Willis Rucker paid in full.

1 October 1846
Willis Rucker assigned the interest to John M. Rucker (his son) (on the back of the original deed/assignment). John M. Rucker became aware that on the 25 June 1832, John M. Edwards executed an assignment to William I. Isbell for the same interest without the knowledge or consent of either Willis Rucker or John M. Rucker. Afterwards assigned the same to SMH Garland who now claim to hold the whole interest. He also believes that John M. Edwards was not in his right mind when he executed the assignment to Isbell as his mind was so enfeebled and deranged from hard drink that he was incapable of making a binding contract. In a case also pending in chancery (McDaniel v Dawson) Edwards was awarded in 1840 $786.49 with interest of $754.04. This case is now on appeal. Garland had the trustee Robert Coghill sell property of the estate of George McDaniel to pay his claim. No notice was given to either Willis Rucker or John M. Rucker. John M. Rucker becoming aware of it - on the day of the sale he had notice given to Robert Coghill and and to the Sheriff of Amherst forbidding them from paying Garland. Coghill has retained the full amount from the sale and with consent from both Rucker and Garland, has deposited it in the bank.

has affidavit of gus - assignments witnessed by WP Jones

Journal of Thomas Edwards

Thomas Edwards kept a journal in which he recorded gift of property made to his children. This journal is one of the exhibits in the Chancery court case of Gustavus Edwards versus Jones et al (This is the court case in which Gustavus sued the rest of the heirs to Thomas Edwards claiming he had a deal with Thomas Edwards to inherit the land.)^[7]
Place: Amherst, Virginia

1802-To Lucy Jones - when you married W. Jones

1 Negro girl named Lealy when you married W. Jones - $400
1 Gray Mare - $100
1 Featherbed and furniture - $40
1 Cow - $15

1805 To John M. Edwards - when you left me

1 Negro girl named Fellis when you left me - $400
1 Sorril Horse - $100

1805 - To Dr. William Edwards - when you became of age

1 Negro named Stephany(?) when you became of age - $400
1 Horse - $100

1807 - To James B. Edwards - when you left me

1 Sorrel Horse when you left me - $100

1812 - To Vincent A. Edwards - when you went to S Carolina

1 Negro Named George when you went to S Carolina - $400 / one horse - $100

1812 - To Elizabeth Walker - when you married James S. Walker

1 Negro Girl Named Jude when you married James S. Walker
$400
1 featherbed and furniture - $40
1 Sorril mare - $100
1 Milk cow - $15

1816 - To Gustavus A. Edwards

1 Horse: bay- $100

1819 - To Barnett Edwards - when you left me

1 Negro Named Parkes when you left me - $400
1 Sorrel Horse - $100
1 featherbed and furniture - $40
300# Pork when you left me - $15

1829 - To Caroline J. Edwards

one horse given to you - $100

1832 - To Minerva R. Beck

One Negro Boy Stephen given to you - $400

Letters/Bible Records from Edwards Heirs

The Edwards Heirs was an organization of Edwards who all tried to prove descendancy from the Robert Edwards who held the land where Trinity Church in New York is now located. Many families sent copies of letters and bible records to support their claim. There were three separate published claims from the family of Thomas Edwards.

Published in Volume 1, #10 issue (October 1925) as sent by Nola P. Cooke^[8]

......Thomas Edwards was the son of Joseph Edwards, and Thomas Edwards settled and married three times in Amherst County, Virginia, eight miles from the city of Lynchburg, Va., and raised six sons and six daughters, of whom all are dead but two, Caroline and Minerva.
The sons of Thomas Edwards were:
Dr. William Edwards, who died without issue
John M. Edwards, married Mary S. Rucker, of whom Elizabeth Burnet is a granddaughter.
James B. Edwards went to St. Louis, from where we had no tidings.
Barnette Edwards died without issue.
Dr. Vincent A. Edwards died in South Carolina leaving four children, one of whom is James B. Edwards, of Lynchburg (now deceased).
Dr. Gustavus A. Edwards resided in Lynchburg, Va., and died in 1865, leaving four boys and four girls, all of who lived in Lynchburg, Va., except John Edwards, who lived in Tennessee, now dead, and his brother Joseph Edwards, who died in St. Louis.
The names of the daughters of Thomas Edwards are:
Lucy, who married a Jones and moved to Ohio;
Rhodea married and lived in Lynchburg, Va., and died leaving one daughter.
Caroline married and lived in Lynchburg;
Elizabeth married James Smith Walker, died and left eight living children. James B. Edwards married one of them, Elizabeth, her daughter. Vincent Barnette Walker is a son of Elizabeth and James Smith Walker, and married Louisa J. Kendall, of Paris, Tenn.

Property

Deed
17 Jan 1818
Amherst County, Virginia, United States
Dabney Ware and wife Elizabeth sold (20 acres) on Graham Creek to Jonathan M. Edwards for $400.
Original sent to Jonathan M. Edwards on 29 Dec 1818
Wife of Dabney Ware, Elizabeth acknowledged on 13 Feb 1819
Book N Page 451^[9]

Deed
17 Jan 1818
Amherst County, Virginia, USA
Nelson C. Dawson and wife Nancy sold (84 acres) to Jonathan M. Edwards for $1300.
Lines: Jonathan Shelton, Jonathan Rucker, deceased.
Original sent to Jonathan M. Edwards on 29 Jan 1818
Book N Page 449^[9]

Deed
15 Dec 1818
Amherst County, Virginia, United States
Jonathan M. Edwards and wife Polly sold to (100 acres) where JM. EdwardsJ lives to Willis Rucker for $2000
Signed by Mary L. Edwards
Acknowledged by Mary Edwards on 13 Feb 1819
Book O Page 74^[9]

Power of Attorney
4 Sep 1825
Amherst County, Virginia, United States
Jonathan Edwards (living in Lincoln County, Kentucky) gave Willis Rucker POA to act in his behalf for his share in the estate of George McDaniel^[9]

Chancery Court Cases - Rucker
20 Aug 1832
Amherst County, Virginia, United States
Rucker heirs suing each other. Jonathan M. Edwards and wife Mary L. were defendants.
Land divided and sold on 14 May 1833 (Book U Page 193)

Chancery Court Case - George McDaniel Estate
9 September 1839
Amherst, Virginia, United States
Affidavit of Gustavus A. Edwards, who stated that the children of Winifred McDaniel Edwards were William, John & Lucy. That William died in 1812 in SC, leaving one brother John Edwards and one sister Lucy Edwards, who married William P. Jones

Deed
28 April 1840
Spencer, Kentucky, United States
Jonathan M. Edwards sold 56 acres of land to John P. Kester (this land had been owned by Nancy Thomas prior to her marriage to John Edwards)

Bill of Sale^[10]
18 Nov 1842
Lynchburg, Campbell, Virginia, United States

Isabell, Campbell County, to Jonathan M. Edwards, Amherst County. but late of Kentucky... $150; interest in estate of Thomas Edwards, Amherst County 1/9th.
Michael Hart and T.A. Bransford, Lynchburg Justices of the Peace as to Jonathan M. Edwards

Census

Date: 1810^[11]
Place: Bedford County, Virginia
Head of Household: John M Edwards

Date: 7 Aug 1820^[12]
Place: Crab Orchard, Lincoln, Kentucky, United States
Head of Household: Jno M Edwards

Residence
Between 1820 and 1840
Taylorsville, Spencer, Kentucky, United States
the deed to Isbell states that John M. Edwards was "formerly of Kentucky" and his obituary states he was of "Taylorsville, KY"

1830 Census^[13]
Place: Lincoln, Kentucky, USA

1840 Tax Book
Spencer County, Kentucky
John M. Edwards assessed for 140 acres on Salt River.^[14]

Probate

Administrators Bond - Estate of Jonathan M. Edwards
18 March 1845
Amherst, Virginia, United States
Granted to Frederick W. Isbell and W.I. Isbell
Will Book 11, Page 310

Sources

1. ↑ "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRQ2-PW5 : 11 February 2018), John M. Edwards and Mary S. Rucker, 20 Aug 1807; citing Amherst, Virginia, reference 204; FHL microfilm 30,273.
2. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKJ9-TLFB : 17 May 2018), John M Edwards and Nancy Thomas, 20 Jun 1838; citing Marriage, Spencer, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 482,501.
3. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG1D-2RKS : 29 November 2018), John M Edwards in entry for Stephen Gilbert and Anne Elisa Edwards, 11 Aug 1830; citing Marriage, Lincoln, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 192,264.
4. ↑ Lynchburg Daily Virginian Title: Lynchburg Daily Virginian Publication: Location: Lynchburg, VA; Page: Page 3, Column 2
5. ↑ Amherst County (Va.) Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery Records, Edwards v. Jones et.al., File Box 22
6. ↑ Amherst County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1779-1912. Assignees of Willis Rucker versus Samuel Garland etc, 1854-004. Local Government Records Collection, Amherst Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
7. ↑ Amherst County (Va.) Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery Records, Edwards v. Jones et.al., File Box 22
8. ↑ Leonard, F. Elwood. 1982. Edwards heirs. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3} Davis, Bailey Fulton. 1985. The deeds of Amherst County, Virginia, 1807-1827: Books L-R. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press.
10. ↑ Davis, Bailey Fulton. 1985. The deeds of Amherst County, Virginia, 1827-1852: Books S-Z. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press.
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XH2Q-Q8V), John M Edwards, Bedford, Virginia, United States; citing p. 8, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 67; FHL microfilm 181,427.
12. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XHGX-THJ), Jno M Edwards, Crab Orchard, Lincoln, Kentucky, United States; citing p. 7, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 25; FHL microfilm 186,185.
13. ↑ "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XHP1-3BV), John M Edwards, Lincoln, Kentucky, United States; citing 341, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 38; FHL microfilm 7,817.
14. ↑ Tax books, 1824-1875 Authors: Spencer County (Kentucky). Tax Assessor (Main Author) (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS3J-6QD6-M)

• Source: S593 Abbreviation: Edwards Family Bible Records Title: Edwards Family Bible Records. 1879. Privately held by Elizabeth Edwards Masden Martin, TN. Author: Edwards, Adolphus Read Note: The records were written  in response to John William Edwards (brother of AR Edwards) asking for the  bible of Thomas Edwards. The bible of Thomas Edwards was bought at Thomas Edwards estate sale by his son Gustavus Edwards and passed on to his son, AR Edwards. AR Edwards did not send the bible to his brother, but wote a transcription of the records in the bible; a photocopy is in possession of Chris Brady, Whitestown, Indiana 1988. Quality or Certainty of Data: 3 Note: Edwards Family Bible Records External File: Format: jpg File: Edwards Family Bible Records_Deaths_Marriages.jpg Title: Edwards Family Bible Records_Deaths_Marriages.jpg Scrapbook: Y Primary or Preferred: Y Type: PHOTO