Thomas Edwards, Father of Samuel Murray Edwards

Thomas Edwards (1760- 1823) married Francis Ventus (1772 - 1810), who had a son named Samuel Murray Edwards (1789 – 1863).

Samuel Murray Edwards is the father of Charles E. Edwards (1834-1917), who married Alice Compton (1844 – 1934).

Charles and Alice Edwards are the parents of Arthur Lapsley Edwards (1870 - 1948) who married Jessie S Poore (1878 – 1938).

Arthur and Jessie Edwards daughter, Alice L Edwards (1902 - 1992) married Chester Lancaster (1896 – 1982).

Chester and Alice Lancaster's daughter is Betty Jean Shimer, my grandmother.

This is from Vol 5, No 3, Sept 1987, p. 67----

THE THOMAS EDWARDS FAMILY, 

Contributed by Mrs. John Edwards

Thomas Edwards

Thomas Edwards was probably born in St. Mary's Co, MD or VA on 6 Feb 1760. All records of St. Mary's Co. were burned or destroyed. It is not known who his father was. Thomas may have been the grandson of Robert Edwards who reached St. Mary's Co. in 1634 in the "Ark & Dove", which sailed from Gravesend on Oct 18 and from Cowes on the "Isle of Wright". They reached Point Comfort, VA, on 27 Feb 1634. Thomas Edwards marr. Francis Ventus on 24 July 1788. She was b. 1772. Thomas was involved in land deals with his son, Samuel Murray Edwards. He was in Loudon Co, VA, in 1833 and in Fauquier Co. in 1834. Thomas d. 22 May 1823 (?) and is buried at Leesburg, VA. His only known child: (2) Samuel Murray Edwards, born 13 Apr 1789.
 

Samuel Murray Edwards
 

Samuel was b. 13 Apr 1789 in VA. He married Nancy Ann Saunders, dau. of John Saunders and Mary Oxley. They were marr. 29 July 1809 (Saunders family Bible). The IGI marriage records show they married 10 Apr 1811. Samuel died at Richmond, VA, on 28 Dec 1863 and was buried at Hollywood Cemetery, but later removed to Oak Hill Cemetery (Georgetown), Washington, D.C. General Samuel Murray Edwards was commissioned in the VA Militia U.S. Navy. He was affiliated with the M.E. Church in Leesburg. He was a Trustee in 1816, a Stewart in 1843. In 1843, Samuel removed from the Church in Leesburg when he relocated residence in Washington, D.C. where he was a clerk at the Post Office. The city directory of Washington, D.C. clearly shows he was there from 1846 to 1860. His family lived just a few blocks from the Capitol Building, which is today the park in front of the Capitol and the Railroad Station. Samuel's first land transaction in Washington, D.C. was in 1819, when he purchased land in Georgetown. His last transactions were in 1855 and consisted of about 20 transactions. His wife signed on many of the trans. and sometimes a Thomas Jefferson Edwards, who may be a brother or a son.

In Loudon Co, VA, his earliest transaction was in 1808 and his last was in 1855 in Washington, D.C. Samuel had a remarkable number of transactions, around 200. From some it appears he was a County Commissioner for Loudon County. Children of Samuel and Nancy Ann (Saunders):

John Saunders Edwards, b. 12 Feb 1812. 

Richard Henderson Edwards, b. 6 Sept 1813, d. 31 Aug 1898, bur. in Union Cem., Leesburg, VA. He married Mar 1840, Ann Elizabeth Edwards (not related). She was b. 18 Mar 1815 and d. 5 Feb 1898. 

Thomas Washington Edwards, b. 3 Jan 1817 and d. 16 Feb 1891. He marr. 2 Nov 1843 Sarah E. Chichester. 

Mary Francis Edwards, b. 15 Jan 1823, d. 18 Jul 1896, and bur. in Union Cem, Leesburg, VA. She married 1867 to Armistead T. Monroe. 

Alpheus L. Edwards, d. 1898 and buried in Oak Hill Cem., Washington DC. He married Mary S. Washington. 

Samuel M. Edwards, Jr. d. 1860 and bur. in Oak Hill Cem. Washington DC. 

Charles E. Edwards; b. 24 Sept 1917, bur. in Oak Hill Cem, Washington, DC. He married Alice M. Compton. 

Jane E. Edwards.