In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1914) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1843
From History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships (1882), Past and present of Randolph County, Indiana : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1914)
GEORGE W. EDWARDS is a farmer, and his post office address is Trenton, He was born December 29, 1843, in Rivndolph County. He is a son of Zebulon Edwards, who was a son of Henry Edwards: hia father and grandfather were natives of North Carolina. His mother's maiden name Wiis Sallie McNeal. George W. was educated in the common schools; he w.as married, July 20, 1875, to Matilda Victoria Harris, who is a daughter of William P. Harris, and who w.as born in this county November 22, 1848. These parents have three children, namely: Ida 0., born September 12, 1876;.James A., April 6, 1879, and William Zehulon, June 19, 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Edwards enlisted twice during the late unpleasantness, for military duty; first, in Company D, Si-tty-ninth Indiana Vnlunlcer Infantry, and subsequently in Company F, One Hundred and Fortieth Volunteer Infantry. He is now located upon his farm of ninety-five acres of land, and is prosperous in his vocation. He and his worthy wife are hospitable and model society people.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
As printed in History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
GEORGE W. EDWARDS.
Formerly, nearly all the people of the earth were in direct contact with the soil, but the past three-quarters of a century has been one of city building, with the population gravitating toward the centers of population, leaving the small number remaining on the farm to provide the food necessary to preserve the lives of the city dwellers. Very often the dependent ones have looked down on or treated with indifference the man who stayed on the job of producing things to eat. Agriculture has too long been considered a less desirable, a less honorable, a less remunerative vocation than a business carried on in the city. One of our citizens who has taken a delight in farming and has always found it profitable is George W. Edwards, of West River township, Randolph county.
Mr. Edwards was born in Randolph county, December 29, 1843, " is a schon of one of our oldest families, a son of Zebulon and Sarah (McNeil) Edwards, and was one of eight children, namely: Florin T. is deceased; George W. of this sketch; James lives at Modoc; Andrew lives in Winchester; Francina lives in Atlanta, Iowa; Ely lives in Randolph county; Alva is deceased; Jason lives in Randolph county. The father of these children was born in Guilford county, North Carolina, October 23, 1818, and his parents' brought him to Ohio when he was a child, but not long thereafter they removed to Randolph county, Indiana and the grandfather of our subject took up land from the government here where he established the future home of the family. Here Zebulon devoted his life successfully to farming and his death occurred September 15, 1890. The mother of our subject was born in Wayne county, Indiana, January 25, 1820, and died July 26, 1897. Her people were from Virginia.
George W. Edwards grew to manhood on the home farm and he received his education in the local schools. On July 20, 1865 he married Victoria Harris, a daughter of William P. Harris, a farmer, whose family consisted of six children. To our subject and wife three children were born, a daughter and two sons, namely: Ida Olinda, born September 12, 1866, married Cliff Gordon, a farmer of West River township, and they have two children, Willia O. and George W.; Alden J., born April 5, 1869, married Carrie
Adamson, is farming in this county, and they have one son, Garver Hobart; William Zebulon, born June 19, 1880, married L. Olive Sharp, and they have one child, Idris Irene. The last named son seems to be a natural born horseman, is a good trainer and he now has five valuable stock horses.
George W. Edwards was a soldier in the Civil war, having enlisted in the Sixty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, from which he was discharged on account of sickness, but after he recovered he re-enlisted in "the One Hundred and Fortieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry in which he served faithfully until the close of the war. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, but was soon paroled. He was in all the important engagements of his regiment.
Mr. Edwards has devoted his life successfully to general farming, and is now owner of a finely improved farm of one hundred and fifty acres, on which stands a modernly appointed dwelling and good outbuildings. He is well fixed to enjoy life in every respect, owning an automobile, good horses, the latest patterns in farming machinery and everything about his place denotes thrift and good taste. He and his wife are members of the Methodist church, and politically he is a Republican.
As printed in Past and present of Randolph County, Indiana : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1882. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.