Father: Aaron Edwards
Mother: Elizabeth Hackney
First wife: Nancy Edwards, daughter of Robert Edwards
Second wife: Jane Edwards, daughter of Hiram Edwards
Henry gave his full name William Henry Edwards in his marriage to his first wife, Nancy Edwards, in 1835. Nancy was the daughter of Robert Edwards and Nancy Quesenbury, and was his first cousin. The bondsman for that marriage was William Fields, of Statesville.
Henry was a bondsman for the marriage of Robert Edwards' son Henry Edwards to Milly Sparks in 1835. In order to avoid confusion, clerk Josiah McClain recorded them as "big Henry Edwards" and "little Henry Edwards", little Henry being the subject of this memorial.
Henry's first wife Nancy Edwards died following the birth of their first child, Hannah Elizabeth Edwards, in 1837. Nancy's sister Hannah cared for the baby until Henry remarried in 1839. When Aunt Hannah died in 1850, she willed her estate to her niece Hannah Elizabeth.
Henry's second marriage in 1839 was to Jane Edwards, the daughter of Hiram Edwards and Sally Bond. The marriage was performed by Jane's uncle, Rev. James Bond, pastor of the Fall Creek Baptist Church. Jane's first husband John Edwards had recently died.
In the 1840 census, Henry was listed by his first name William, and had the correct enumeration for Jane and their two little girls, Hannah and Nancy.
In 1850, Henry bought 125 acres on Hurricane Creek from his sister-in-law, Hannah Edwards, on property adjoining his friend "big Henry" Edwards. Then Henry abruptly sold the property he had just bought, and moved his family to Illinois. It is speculated that the sudden change was caused by the death of his wife Jane. The Lebanon newspaper was reporting a second cholera epidemic.
Both Henrys moved to Illinois and were neighbors again. In September 1853, Little Henry bought 40 acres of public land in Williamson County, Illinois, north of the community of Corinth (37.8388, -88.77974). His Daughter Hannah Elizabeth was married in Williamson County, Illinois in 1853, an indication that they had been residing there for a while.
There is no evidence that Jane made it to Illinois. Her last child was born in Tennessee in 1849. There is also no record of her oldest child Nancy after the 1850 census in Tennessee. All of Henry's children except Nancy have been traced in Illinois.
Henry returned to Wilson County in 1857, to sell his last 95 acres of land. He was back in Illinois in time for the 1860 census, which is the last known record in his life. It is not known where he is buried. His Memorial was placed close to home and with his descendants.
There are several DNA matches that identify Henry's ancestors to be of . Chatham County, NC origin (Edward Edwards family and Joseph Hackney family). Those DNA matches led to the identification of his father and mother, Aaron Edwards and Elizabeth hackney. The Aaron Edwards family was not identified by wills or probate records, and the identification of all of his children continues..
bio by Jerry Edwards
rev. 4/18/19
Mother: Elizabeth Hackney
First wife: Nancy Edwards, daughter of Robert Edwards
Second wife: Jane Edwards, daughter of Hiram Edwards
Henry gave his full name William Henry Edwards in his marriage to his first wife, Nancy Edwards, in 1835. Nancy was the daughter of Robert Edwards and Nancy Quesenbury, and was his first cousin. The bondsman for that marriage was William Fields, of Statesville.
Henry was a bondsman for the marriage of Robert Edwards' son Henry Edwards to Milly Sparks in 1835. In order to avoid confusion, clerk Josiah McClain recorded them as "big Henry Edwards" and "little Henry Edwards", little Henry being the subject of this memorial.
Henry's first wife Nancy Edwards died following the birth of their first child, Hannah Elizabeth Edwards, in 1837. Nancy's sister Hannah cared for the baby until Henry remarried in 1839. When Aunt Hannah died in 1850, she willed her estate to her niece Hannah Elizabeth.
Henry's second marriage in 1839 was to Jane Edwards, the daughter of Hiram Edwards and Sally Bond. The marriage was performed by Jane's uncle, Rev. James Bond, pastor of the Fall Creek Baptist Church. Jane's first husband John Edwards had recently died.
In the 1840 census, Henry was listed by his first name William, and had the correct enumeration for Jane and their two little girls, Hannah and Nancy.
In 1850, Henry bought 125 acres on Hurricane Creek from his sister-in-law, Hannah Edwards, on property adjoining his friend "big Henry" Edwards. Then Henry abruptly sold the property he had just bought, and moved his family to Illinois. It is speculated that the sudden change was caused by the death of his wife Jane. The Lebanon newspaper was reporting a second cholera epidemic.
Both Henrys moved to Illinois and were neighbors again. In September 1853, Little Henry bought 40 acres of public land in Williamson County, Illinois, north of the community of Corinth (37.8388, -88.77974). His Daughter Hannah Elizabeth was married in Williamson County, Illinois in 1853, an indication that they had been residing there for a while.
There is no evidence that Jane made it to Illinois. Her last child was born in Tennessee in 1849. There is also no record of her oldest child Nancy after the 1850 census in Tennessee. All of Henry's children except Nancy have been traced in Illinois.
Henry returned to Wilson County in 1857, to sell his last 95 acres of land. He was back in Illinois in time for the 1860 census, which is the last known record in his life. It is not known where he is buried. His Memorial was placed close to home and with his descendants.
There are several DNA matches that identify Henry's ancestors to be of . Chatham County, NC origin (Edward Edwards family and Joseph Hackney family). Those DNA matches led to the identification of his father and mother, Aaron Edwards and Elizabeth hackney. The Aaron Edwards family was not identified by wills or probate records, and the identification of all of his children continues..
bio by Jerry Edwards
rev. 4/18/19
Father: Aaron Edwards
Mother: Elizabeth Hackney
First wife: Nancy Edwards, daughter of Robert Edwards
Second wife: Jane Edwards, daughter of Hiram Edwards
Henry gave his full name William Henry Edwards in his marriage to his first wife, Nancy Edwards, in 1835. Nancy was the daughter of Robert Edwards and Nancy Quesenbury, and was his first cousin. The bondsman for that marriage was William Fields, of Statesville.
Henry was a bondsman for the marriage of Robert Edwards' son Henry Edwards to Milly Sparks in 1835. In order to avoid confusion, clerk Josiah McClain recorded them as "big Henry Edwards" and "little Henry Edwards", little Henry being the subject of this memorial.
Henry's first wife Nancy Edwards died following the birth of their first child, Hannah Elizabeth Edwards, in 1837. Nancy's sister Hannah cared for the baby until Henry remarried in 1839. When Aunt Hannah died in 1850, she willed her estate to her niece Hannah Elizabeth.
Henry's second marriage in 1839 was to Jane Edwards, the daughter of Hiram Edwards and Sally Bond. The marriage was performed by Jane's uncle, Rev. James Bond, pastor of the Fall Creek Baptist Church. Jane's first husband John Edwards had recently died.
In the 1840 census, Henry was listed by his first name William, and had the correct enumeration for Jane and their two little girls, Hannah and Nancy.
In 1850, Henry bought 125 acres on Hurricane Creek from his sister-in-law, Hannah Edwards, on property adjoining his friend "big Henry" Edwards. Then Henry abruptly sold the property he had just bought, and moved his family to Illinois. It is speculated that the sudden change was caused by the death of his wife Jane. The Lebanon newspaper was reporting a second cholera epidemic.
Both Henrys moved to Illinois and were neighbors again. In September 1853, Little Henry bought 40 acres of public land in Williamson County, Illinois, north of the community of Corinth (37.8388, -88.77974). His Daughter Hannah Elizabeth was married in Williamson County, Illinois in 1853, an indication that they had been residing there for a while.
There is no evidence that Jane made it to Illinois. Her last child was born in Tennessee in 1849. There is also no record of her oldest child Nancy after the 1850 census in Tennessee. All of Henry's children except Nancy have been traced in Illinois.
Henry returned to Wilson County in 1857, to sell his last 95 acres of land. He was back in Illinois in time for the 1860 census, which is the last known record in his life. It is not known where he is buried. His Memorial was placed close to home and with his descendants.
There are several DNA matches that identify Henry's ancestors to be of . Chatham County, NC origin (Edward Edwards family and Joseph Hackney family). Those DNA matches led to the identification of his father and mother, Aaron Edwards and Elizabeth hackney. The Aaron Edwards family was not identified by wills or probate records, and the identification of all of his children continues..
bio by Jerry Edwards
rev. 4/18/19
Mother: Elizabeth Hackney
First wife: Nancy Edwards, daughter of Robert Edwards
Second wife: Jane Edwards, daughter of Hiram Edwards
Henry gave his full name William Henry Edwards in his marriage to his first wife, Nancy Edwards, in 1835. Nancy was the daughter of Robert Edwards and Nancy Quesenbury, and was his first cousin. The bondsman for that marriage was William Fields, of Statesville.
Henry was a bondsman for the marriage of Robert Edwards' son Henry Edwards to Milly Sparks in 1835. In order to avoid confusion, clerk Josiah McClain recorded them as "big Henry Edwards" and "little Henry Edwards", little Henry being the subject of this memorial.
Henry's first wife Nancy Edwards died following the birth of their first child, Hannah Elizabeth Edwards, in 1837. Nancy's sister Hannah cared for the baby until Henry remarried in 1839. When Aunt Hannah died in 1850, she willed her estate to her niece Hannah Elizabeth.
Henry's second marriage in 1839 was to Jane Edwards, the daughter of Hiram Edwards and Sally Bond. The marriage was performed by Jane's uncle, Rev. James Bond, pastor of the Fall Creek Baptist Church. Jane's first husband John Edwards had recently died.
In the 1840 census, Henry was listed by his first name William, and had the correct enumeration for Jane and their two little girls, Hannah and Nancy.
In 1850, Henry bought 125 acres on Hurricane Creek from his sister-in-law, Hannah Edwards, on property adjoining his friend "big Henry" Edwards. Then Henry abruptly sold the property he had just bought, and moved his family to Illinois. It is speculated that the sudden change was caused by the death of his wife Jane. The Lebanon newspaper was reporting a second cholera epidemic.
Both Henrys moved to Illinois and were neighbors again. In September 1853, Little Henry bought 40 acres of public land in Williamson County, Illinois, north of the community of Corinth (37.8388, -88.77974). His Daughter Hannah Elizabeth was married in Williamson County, Illinois in 1853, an indication that they had been residing there for a while.
There is no evidence that Jane made it to Illinois. Her last child was born in Tennessee in 1849. There is also no record of her oldest child Nancy after the 1850 census in Tennessee. All of Henry's children except Nancy have been traced in Illinois.
Henry returned to Wilson County in 1857, to sell his last 95 acres of land. He was back in Illinois in time for the 1860 census, which is the last known record in his life. It is not known where he is buried. His Memorial was placed close to home and with his descendants.
There are several DNA matches that identify Henry's ancestors to be of . Chatham County, NC origin (Edward Edwards family and Joseph Hackney family). Those DNA matches led to the identification of his father and mother, Aaron Edwards and Elizabeth hackney. The Aaron Edwards family was not identified by wills or probate records, and the identification of all of his children continues..
bio by Jerry Edwards
rev. 4/18/19
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