Edwards Family History
Giving recent events that have been brought to the forefront of headline news recently, I decided that I needed to shed some light on what our present day family perhaps may not be aware of. I am in no way condoning what happened or stating that I agree or disagree with where our family stood on matters during that time in history. I'm just here to report the facts and make you all aware of our family history during that time. I hope you all enjoy reading this and passing this link along to your parents, children and other family members.
Civil War Hero
Before the civil war started our many times great grandparents, Micajah and Matilda Edwards, lived on a rural farm near Morgan, Missouri during the mid 1800's. Times were tough and they depended on the land to feed their families. They had 10 children in 21 years time. During that time they owned BLACK SLAVES to help plant and harvest the fields and also to help with the daily chores around the house. At the time this was looked upon as being an acceptable living arrangement in the mid 1800's on farms of this size. And the Edwards Farm was a huge one at that. Micajah had purchased it after his marriage to Matilda sometime after 1835. So they had been farming the land there for over 20 years before the civil war broke out.
There were lots of issues and different view points on slavery during that time and the Edwards' children were divided about which side their loyalties should reside upon. So, a few of them joined the Union Army and a few joined the Confederate Army. Since Missouri was a split state at that time it wasn't uncommon for this to happen.
On our side of the family, William Poor Edwards, their son, joined the Union Army. He served as a private for all of his service in Co. D, 8th Regiment, of Missouri State Militia Cavalry. I've included a few of his most prominent muster rolls for you to view below. He fought on and off again during the many years the civil war raged on. Sometimes taking leave for a family illness or whatever else may have happened during that time.
His older brother, Daniel Webster Edwards, took another stance and joined the Confederate Army. Which brought him to Texas where he met a recently widowed woman whom he later married after the war.
During the time of the civil war the land owned by the Edwards family in Missouri was procured by the U.S. Military and the Edwards family had to end up leaving Missouri at the end of the civil war. Some of their adult children decided to remain in Missouri while others came to Texas with them and settled in Ireland, Hamilton County, Texas to begin a new life and chapter.
There were lots of issues and different view points on slavery during that time and the Edwards' children were divided about which side their loyalties should reside upon. So, a few of them joined the Union Army and a few joined the Confederate Army. Since Missouri was a split state at that time it wasn't uncommon for this to happen.
On our side of the family, William Poor Edwards, their son, joined the Union Army. He served as a private for all of his service in Co. D, 8th Regiment, of Missouri State Militia Cavalry. I've included a few of his most prominent muster rolls for you to view below. He fought on and off again during the many years the civil war raged on. Sometimes taking leave for a family illness or whatever else may have happened during that time.
His older brother, Daniel Webster Edwards, took another stance and joined the Confederate Army. Which brought him to Texas where he met a recently widowed woman whom he later married after the war.
During the time of the civil war the land owned by the Edwards family in Missouri was procured by the U.S. Military and the Edwards family had to end up leaving Missouri at the end of the civil war. Some of their adult children decided to remain in Missouri while others came to Texas with them and settled in Ireland, Hamilton County, Texas to begin a new life and chapter.
Micajah and Matilda Edwards
William Poor Edwards
Civil War Muster Rolls for William P. Edwards
Revolutionary War Hero
William Poor Edwards
(1846-1916)
(1846-1916)
William Edwards, Sr.
(1741-1833)
(1741-1833)
War Department Pay Accounts for William Edwards
The Revolutionary War was an insurrection by American Patriots in the 13 colonies to British rule, resulting in American independence. (Apr 19, 1775 – Sep 3, 1783)
In October 1781, the war virtually came to an end when General Cornwallis was surrounded and forced to surrender the British position at Yorktown, Virginia. Two years later, the Treaty of Paris made it official: America was independent.
William Edwards, Sr. enlisted as a Patriot in 1775 and served as a Private during the Revolutionary War. He served in Captain Elliot's company, Colonel Charles Pinckney South Carolina Regiment. He also served in Colonel William Caldwell's Regiment.
In 1827 William drew land as a Revolutionary War Soldier in the Cherokee Land Lottery. This lottery dispersed the former Cherokee property among the white settlers in Georgia at the time.
In October 1781, the war virtually came to an end when General Cornwallis was surrounded and forced to surrender the British position at Yorktown, Virginia. Two years later, the Treaty of Paris made it official: America was independent.
William Edwards, Sr. enlisted as a Patriot in 1775 and served as a Private during the Revolutionary War. He served in Captain Elliot's company, Colonel Charles Pinckney South Carolina Regiment. He also served in Colonel William Caldwell's Regiment.
In 1827 William drew land as a Revolutionary War Soldier in the Cherokee Land Lottery. This lottery dispersed the former Cherokee property among the white settlers in Georgia at the time.
