William Edward EDWARDS ¹

   User ID: P00050806.

  General Notes:

William was Editor of newspapers. Margaret Young Rice, descendant of
Mary, Janetta's sister, corresponded with a descendant of the Edwards at
one time and learned that the Edwards owned a newspaper in Henrietta,
Texas. Margaret found an old 1907 envelope to her ancestor, RL Young,
from "The People's Review", W.E. Edwards, Publisher, Henrietta, Texas.
According to William's daughter, Mable Vaughn, William's middle name was
Edward.

The 1900 Federal Census for Henrietta, Clay County, Texas, Reel T-623,
Roll 1619, Supervisor's District 3, lists Edwards, William E., head of
household, age 51, born in Ohio. His father was born in Pennsylvania and
his mother in Ohio. Mary, his wife, age 40, born in Illinois. Her
father and mother both born in New York. All the children were born in
Texas with their father born in Ohio and mother born in IL. Lou E.,
daughter, 8 years old. William E., son 6 years old. Charles J. son, 5
years old, Alto M. daughter, 3 years old. Jennett C., mother (of head of
household) age 77 born in Ohio. Her father was born in New Jersey and
her mother was born in England.

The 1910 Federal Census for Henrietta, Clay County, Texas, Reel T-624,
Roll 1538, Supervisor's District 13, lists Edwards, William E., head of
household, age 61, born in Ohio. His father was born in New York and his
mother in New Jersey. (New York and New Jersey should be Pennsylvania and
Ohio) Mary J., his wife, age 50, born in Illinois. Her father and mother
both born in New York. All the children were born in Texas with their
father born in Ohio and mother born in IL. Lois E., daughter, 18 years
old. William E., son 16 years old. Charles J. son, 15 years old, Alta
M. daughter, 12 years old. Mabel H. 8 years old. Janetta C. is not
listed.

The 1920 Federal Census for Henrietta, Clay County, Texas, Reel T-625,
Roll 1784, Supervisor's District 13, lists Edwards, William E., head of
household, age 71, born in Ohio. His father was born in Pennsylvania and
his mother in New Jersey. (New Jersey should be Ohio) May J., his wife,
age 59, born in Illinois. Her father born in New York and her mother in
Illinois. (Probably her mother was born in New York also or the 1900 and
1920 census were wrong) . All the children were born in Texas with their
father born in Ohio and mother born in IL. Lois E., daughter, is not
listed nor is William E., son. Charley J. son, 24 years old, Alto May.
daughter, 20 years old. Mabel H. 17 years old.

In a letter from her son William Edward Edwards, Janetta died at 3:15 on
May 12, 1907. She had been failing physically for nearly a year and was
mentally ready to die. She had not gone out to any place except her home
and yard, not even church, since November. She had no disease but just
gradually faded away from physical decay and weakness retaining her
mental faculties to the last even though she did not take much interest
in events or books and papers which she usually enjoyed. On her last
day, she said, "I've lived long enough." For 12 years she had taught the
old ladies Bible class in the Methodist Sunday School and was universally
regarded as exceptionally intelligent and devout. The church was filled
for her funeral with the procession to the cemetery was an immense one
and attended by the best people. District court and county commissioners
court were both in session and both adjourned to attend. This letter was
written to William's cousin Robert Young and signed, " Affectionately
your cousin, W. E. Edwards". The letter is dated May 19, 1907, on
letterhead from "The People's Review" in it's 16th year, W. E. Edwards,
Publisher, in Henrietta, Clay County, Texas.

References: (1) Velta Kunkle, Lucille Miers Webster's aunt and a
great-granddaughter to James Young, brother of Janetta C. Johnston who
married Isaac Edwards. (2) Data received from Margaret Young Rice who
descended from Janetta C. Johnston's sister, Mary Johnston who married
Robert Young. (3) Letter from Mable Vaughn of Wichita Falls, Texas,
dated 1982, found among the papers in the house that Robert and Mary
Young had built and that Margaret (Young) Rice bought. Margaret descends
from Mary Fowler Johnston, sister to Lucille's Great-Great-Grandfather,
James Rusling Johnston. Mable's grandmother, Janetta C. Johnston, is a
sister to Mary and James. Data received by Lucille Miers Webster from
Margaret on January 21, 2002, by Electronic mail, E-mail. (4) 1907
envelope to Robert L. Young from W. E. Edwards, publisher of "The
People's Review" in Henrietta, Texas. This data provided to Lucille
Miers Webster by Margaret Young Rice of Knoxville, Illinois, by
Electronic mail, E-mail, on January 21, 2002. (5) The 1900 Federal
Census for Clay County, Texas, Reel T-623, Roll 1619, Supervisor's
District 3, lists Edwards, William E., head of household, and Jennett C.
Edwards living with him and it lists William's family. Transcribed by and
copied from the Clay County, Texas web site, for Henrietta,Texas, on
January 26, 2003. (6) The 1910 Federal Census for Henrietta, Clay
County, Texas, Reel T-624, Roll 1538, Supervisor's District 13, lists
Edwards, William E., head of household. His family is listed with one
additional daughter. Janetta C. is not listed. Transcribed by and
copied from the Clay County, Texas web site, for Henrietta,Texas, on
January 26, 2003. (7) The 1920 Federal Census for Henrietta, Clay
County, Texas, Reel T-625, Roll 1784, Supervisor's District 13, lists
Edwards, William E., head of household, and his family. Transcribed by
and copied from the Clay County, Texas web site, for Henrietta,Texas, on
January 26, 2003. (8) Letter from William Edward Edwards, Janetta C.
Johnston Edwards' son, to his cousin Robbie, Robert Young, when Janetta
died. The letter is dated May 19, 1907 on letterhead from The People's
Review in it's 16th year, W. E. Edwards, Publisher. (9) Telecon with
Edwards Library in Henrietta, Clay County, TX, on March 12, 2003 in which
the cemetery records were checked for Henrietta Hope Cemetery in
Henrietta, Clay County, Texas.

William married Mary or May. (Mary or May was born about 1860 in Illinois, USA.)