~1729 - 1791
Virginia
~1729 born - Henrico Co, Va
(as a child) - moved to Goochland Co, then Albemarle Co, then to Lunenburg Co VA
(now Halifax Co)
~1752 married Lucy Wade - Lunenburg Co, Va
Lucy b.~1734 - d.~1792
Children: Edmund ~1754 Halifax Co - ~1826 Robertson Co, TN
m (~1776 - Henry Co) Elizabeth
Elizabeth ~1756 Halifax co - d aft 1819 Oglethorpe Co, Ga
m (~1754 Pittsylvania Co, Va) Henry Lansford ~1750 -
~1819 - father Henry
James ~ 1758 Halifax - d 1829 Robertson Co, TN
m Elizabeth
Hannah ~1760 Halifax - ? Oglethorpe Co, Ga
m (~1782 Henry Co) Thomas Scoggins b ~1761
Martha ~1762 Halifax - 19 Jul 1824 Union Co, Il
m (~1779 Henry Co) William Sams 1755 - 1825
John ~ 1763 Halifax
m (23 Jul 1782 - Henry Co) Jean Morris
according to son Pryor Edwards's Bible, John was b. 1760
information from Marilyn Wetherington, private e-mail, 15 Jan 2007
and if you are descended from this John, you should try to get in touch with Marilyn - she has done a LOT of research and has both proven and disproven much of the available info about him.
Thomas ~1765 Halifax - ~1792 Wilkes Co, Ga
m (~1783) Mary
Nathan ~1767 Pittsylvania Co - ~1819 Oglethorpe Co, Ga
m Cinthia (~1788 Henry Co) b.~1770 - ~1818
Mary ~1769 Pittsylvania Co -
m Henry Brittain
William ~1771 Pittsylvania Co - 1818 Oglethorpe Co, Ga
m (2 Aug 1791 - Henry Co) Elizabeth Brittain b~1772 -
father George
1753 - purchased land in (now) Henry Co, VA
1791 - died
--After Thomas's death, widow Lucy moved to Wilkes/Oglethorpe, Georgia. She is on the 1793 tax list living next to her son, John Edwards (who married Jane/Jean Morris d/o Nimrod). She (Lucy) probably died there 1794/5. - this information from Marilyn Wetherington, private e-mail, 15 Jan 2007
Thomas Edwards was a private in the Virginia State Line and was granted bounty land for
three years' actual service. He was born in Virginia; died, 1791, in Pittsylvania County,
Va."
The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Volume
126, page 311
Will of Thomas Edwards (D&W 11, p202), Pittsylvania Co. Abstract of Wills
1768-1800 compiled by Thomas P. Hughes, Jr & Jewel B. Standefer
Names: Son: Edmund Edwards - 5 shillings
Son: James Edwards - land whereon I now live containing 150 ac.
Son: John Edwards - 5 shillings
Son: Thomas Edwards - 50 lbs in property
Son: Nathan Edwards - 50 lbs in property
Son: William Edwards - 50 lbs in property and 1 bay mare now in his
possession, named Easley.
Dau: Martha Sams - negro girl Jane
Dau: Elizabeth Lansford - 5 shillings
Dau: Hannah Scoggins - negro girl Hannah
Wife: Lucy - all the rest of my estate during life or widowhood. At her death or marriage
all the estate due from John Marr (for land sold him on Smith River, where Marr now lives)
to be equally divided between sons above named and Elizabeth Lansford; all the balance of
estate to be divided between my other three daughters
Executors: Wife, Lucy Edwards, son James Edwards and Henry Lansford
Witnesses: Clement Nance, Mary (x) Nance, Ann (x) Durham, Isham Lansford, Thomas
Harris 2/ Thos. Edwards
Will presented by James Edwards and Henry Lansford, Ex'rs Proved and O.R.
Sec: Silvanus Stokes and Joel Clark
(Jeanne Horton's message #11965 - 31 Mar 2002)
As a child he moved with his father, a farmer, and mother to Goochland County, then
Albemarle County, both now in present-day Buckingham County, then to Lunenburg
County, now Halifax County where they farmed a quitclaim land entry on Buffalo Creek, a
tributary of the Roanoke River. After the death of his father in 1751, he remained in
Lunenburg County, but farmed land other than that was to be his inheritance, because his
older brother, William, did not execute Thomas's will until 1771.
In the 1749 List of Tithes in Lunenburg County, THOMAS, JR. is listed under his father, THOMAS, owing 2 tithes. There is evidence that James, Thomas and William were in the Henry County area, then Lunenburg, as early as 1753, the first transaction I have found for any of these brothers is for THOMAS, SR. on 7 July 1753 where he purchased a 400 acre tract adjoining John Stubblefield on Marrowbone Creek. The he accumulated 800 more acres prior to WILLIAM executing his father's Will whereby THOMAS, SR. was deeded 91 acres on the south side of the Smith River
THOMAS, JR. was a large landowner with property being east of James' and on the south, north and west sides of the Smith River and on Home Creek. He and his wife, LUCY WADE raised ten children on their farm or plantation. Until just before his death he owned 3.73 square miles in this area or almost 2400 acres.
Thomas was a member of A Board of Inquirers for the State of Virginia held January 18, 1783, Henry Co., Pg. 304. The text of this Inquisition is as follows:
Inquisition for the Commonwealth of Virginia indented and taken 18 January 1783 before John Fontaine, John Sanford, George Sanford, William More, William Swanson, Jr., Jared Burch, John Alexander, George Reynolds, Robert Pedigrue, Rueben Nance, John Acuff, John Conaway, John Minter, William Tackett, Joseph Gravely, Thomas Willson, Philip Bushears, James Melton. Daneil Wilson, Francis Cox, Sampson Maxley and THOMAS EDWARDS. William Rice of the county of Henry was lawfully seized in his messuage on Smith River which land said Rice leased in 1775-76 for ten years in succession to Humphrey Scoggins and in 1781 said Scoggins leased the remainder of the ten years lease to Major John Hampton of whom said William Rice as the Jury determined by lawful contract purchased three years being the remainder of the said lease which expired 1 January last and therefore possession of land should be the privilege of the said William Rice, but a certain Nimrod Morris with strong hands hold possession from the first of January and continues to hold same and doth keep out said William Rice to a great disturbance of the peace of the Commonwealth.
THOMAS, JR. and LUCY lived on the west side of the Smith River on Home Creek and its tributaries, on land which actually reached from the Smith River over into Pittsylvania County. He actually lived in Pittsylvania County rather than Henry, but owned large portions of adjoining land in Henry. He died testate in Pittsylvania County, Virginia in 1791.
DEED & OTHER LEGAL TRANSACTIONS
July 7, 1753
THOMAS EDWARDS 400 acres adjoining John Stubblefield on Marrowbone Creek, the
up and down both sides. [1]
August 12, 1766
THOMAS EDWARDS 400 acres on Toeclout Creek beginning at the mouth of the south
branch the up and down of both sides. [1]
May 20, 1767
THOMAS EDWARDS 400 acres beginning at a Pine in Henry Rice's Line on the Smith
River and adjacent to William Rice's line and off. [1]
Pittsylvania Co., Land Entry, January 30, 1771
WILLIAM EDWARDS to THOMAS EDWARDS, for 400 Pounds, 91 acres on the
southside of Smith River. (William acting as executor of his father, Thomas's will, sells to
THOMAS EDWARDS ½ of the Crown Patent purchased by their father, Thomas
EDWARDS, SR. in July 12, 1750, then in Lunenburg Co., but at this time in Pittsylvania
County and in 1777, Henry County, VA.)
Henry Co. DB 1, Pg. 56, 14 Jan 1777
Henry Rice of Watauga Settlement to THOMAS EDWARDS of the county of Pittsylvania
for the sum of five hundred pounds a tract of land lying in said Pittsylvania County and
being on the IRVIN (Smith) River and Home Creek, it being 200 acres more or less.
WIT: WILLIAM EDWARDS, SR. (older brother of Thomas)
Henry Rice
Samuel Sweet
JAMES (X) EDWARDS (younger brother of Thomas)
HENRY COUNTY Deed of Trust, Pgs. 254-255, 6 April 1786
THOMAS EDWARDS, SENR of Henry County to James Tarrant of the same;
EDWARDS being indebted to Tarrant in the amount of forty four pounds 3 shillings 9
pence, sells him a negro boy named Andrew about 10 years old and a bed.
THOMAS EDWARDS
WIT: John Tarrant
Thomas Chowing
Jacob Dillender (X)
Proved and recorded 26 September 1786 Henry Co. VA
STATE OF VIRGINIA GB 3, Pg, 168, 5 June 1786
Granted to THOMAS EDWARDS, SR. OF Henry County, 550 acres on N/S of Smith
River, along Home Creek.
STATE OF VIRGINIA GB 20, Pg, 346, 5 April 1789
Granted to THOMAS EDWARDS, SR. of Henry County, 343 acres on N/S of Smith
River, adjoining his own land on Home Creek.
HENRY CO. DB 4, Pg, 275, 18 Oct 1790
THOMAS EDWARDS, SR. to Caleb May, for 50 Pounds, 275 acres on Home Creek
where Caleb May now lives, adjoining Daniel Wilson.
WIT: George Brittain
THOMAS EDWARDS, SR.
David Hiler
Henry Lansford
Benjamin Lloyd
JOHN EDWARDS (probably oldest son of WILLIAM, SR.)
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY WILL BOOK 11, Pg. 17, NOV 1790
Will of THOMAS EDWARDS, SR. Bequeathed to son, JAMES EDWARDS, 140 acres
on Home Creek where JAMES now lives.
HENRY CO. DB 5, Pgs 78-80 14 Feb 1793
Edmund Edwards heir at law of THOMAS EDWARDS, deceased and James Edwards
and Henry Lansford, executor for the said THOMAS EDWARDS, deceased, convey unto
John Marr for the sum of Four hundred pounds all the lands of THOMAS EDWARDS,
dec'd being in the county of Henry on both sides of Smith River contains by estimate 894
acres more or less…joins Caleb May a line on Home Creek.
EDMUND EDWARDS
WIT: Richard Worsham
JAMES EDWARDS
George Swain
Henry Lansford
John Pryor
Caleb May
James (X) May
…State of Georgia county of Wilkes, Richard Worsham and George Wain Justices of the
Peace for Wilkes Co., State of Georgia before whom this deed was acknowledged.
[10] EARLY RECORD BOOK, 1737-1770 VIRGINIA COUNTIES OF HALIFAX,
PITTSYLVANIA, HENRY, FRANKLIN & PATRICK, BY M. Chiarito, pp. 147, 296,
327.
[7] SUNLIGHT ON THE SOUTHSIDE, LUNENBURG CO. VIRGINIA, Pg, 89.
(Diana Roy's message #11956 - 30 Mar 2002)
Thomas Edwards 315 acres
Thomas Jefferson Esquire governor of the Examined Commonwealth of Virginia to all
whom Their presents shall come greeting: Know Ye that in consideration of the ancient
Compensation of Thirty five Shillings Sterling paid by Thomas Edwards into the Treasury of
this Commonwealth I have granted by the said Commonwealth unto the said Thomas
Edwards a certain Tract or parcel of Land containing Three hundred and fifteen acres by
Survey bearing date the thirty first day of January One thousand Seven hundred and sixty
nine lying and being in the County of Henry on the draught of Toulout Creek and bounded
as followeth to wit, Beginning at William Edwards corner Hickory thence along his line
North sixty four degrees West fifteen poles to a red oak thence new lines north thirty three
degrees East one hundred and eighty four poles to a chestnut tree south Seventy three
degrees East one hundred and twenty six poles to a red oak South thirty three degrees
West two hundred and forty two poles to a red oak South forty seven degrees West One
hundred and eighty five poles to a red Oak Bush on a Branch North forty degrees West
sixty six poles to a white oak in James line thence along the James North twenty three
degrees East Sis poles to Pointers north Seventy three degrees West thirty six poles to
Edwards Corner Pointers in the said James's line thence along Edwards Line North twenty
eight degrees East One Hundred and twenty two poles to pointers North forty seven
degrees East eighty poles to the Beginning with its appurtenances to have and to hold the
said Tract or parcel of Land with its appurtenances, to the Said Thomas Edwards and his
Heirs forever In witness where of the said Thomas Jefferson Governor of the
Commonwealth of Virginia, hath here unto set his hand and caused the Lesser Seal of the
said Commonwealth to be affixed at Richmond on the first day of September in the year of
our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and eighty and of the Commonwealth the fifth. Thomas Jefferson Appurtenances-(as a right-of-way) Lesser Seal (a smaller version of the
obverse side of the Great Seal) Toulout (name of a Creek)
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page last updated 15 Jan 2007