Edwin Eugene Pickard was born December 30, 1821, in Cayuga County, New York, the son of Rev. Smith Wix and Affa (Skeel) Pickard. He married Jennie M. Allen on November 1, 1847, in Utica, Oneida County, New York. Jennie was born August 12, 1830, in North Bay, Oneida County, New York. They had the following known children:

1. Edwin Eugene Pickard (1851-1915)
2. Ia Madora (Pickard) Wilkinson (1857-1918)
3. Charles Augustine Pickard (1865-1941)
4. Orlow B. Pickard (1867-1928)
5. Hattie Pickard (1860-?)

Following is a transcription of Edwin's obituary from the Richland Rustic, October 18, 1907. It is title OBITUARY, but this really a biography as it doesn't discuss his death at all.

Edwin Pickard the subject of this sketch was born in the town of Sterling, Cayuga County, New York, December 30, 1821, and remained on the home farm until seven years of age, when the family moved to Onandaga Count, where they remained seven years, when they moved to Lindon, Orleans County, and in 1836 Edwin left the home and went to New York City and entered the Methodist Book Concern to learn the printing business and in 1837 entered the Music Academy of Professor Seeley, which was a branch of the apprentices library of which he had become a member. His graduation took place in May 1840, and June of the same year finished his work on the Book Concern, when he left it and went to Central New York and took charge of a temperance paper called the "Washingtonian," which had been recently started at Utica by Squire Baker, who was a reformed drunkard but discarded his peldge and was removed from them the press. That same year, 1840, the exciting election of "Tippecanoe," a time known as "Log Cabin and Hard Cider," and he joined the Glee Club which canvassed the state three times its length with a four-horse team and driver, while the Glee Club were both vocalists and instrument players and well did they do their part in the campaign as well as Harry Bushnell, the speaker of the crowd.
In November 1847, he was married to Jennie M. Allen of Utica. In 1852 he published a campaign paper in Rome, N. Y, during the election of Winfield Scott or Franklin Pierce. In 1853 he came west to Chicago where he was immediately employed on the Chicago Journal with Horace T. White, now editor of the New York Express, and Benjamin F. Taylor, author of "The World on Wheels," and "January and June," and many other literary works of wide reputation. The lake winds of that city not being in keeping with good health, he removed to Freeport, and from thence to the lead mines in Shullsburg where he established the "South Western Local," with the press which was thrown in the Mississippi River from Owen Lovejoy's office at Nauvoo during the reign of slavery in the early days of abolitionism.
Having spent forty years in the editorial chair he has seen many changes in politics, and great changes in trades and advancement in the world's progress, and in the great untried future he hoped to take by the hand, somewhere, as sometime, his friends and say "goodmorning." Friends he says to you - Hurry past the slough of despondence, over the bogs and morasses of morbid thought, and scale the side of the mountain of hope whose side is lighted with perpetual sunshine and whose coffer is lighted with glory from the eternal city of our God, who rays are to light on till we reach the pearly gate where is the home of every true believer who loves the Savior, remember too that the greatest height of exaltation is gained only thriugh the lowest valley of humiliation.