| Thomas Edwards was born ca 1774 in Virginia. On the 1850 census of Cherokee Co, Alabama, p. 170, 27th District, house #339: Thomas Edwards, age 76, born in Virginia, shoemaker. Living with him was a granddaughter, Mary Edwards. We believe this was a daughter of Thomas’ son, Henley P. Edwards. The parents of Thomas Edwards are not know, but this compiler believes that Thomas Edwards’ father was the Thomas Edwards on the 1790 census of Rutherford Co, NC. There are several deeds in Rutherford Co. for an older Thomas Edwards. Thomas Edwards married in Buncombe Co, NC, ca 1801 to Mary Brittain, born ca 1784 in Burke Co, NC, a daughter of James Brittain Sr. and Delilah (Stringfield) Brittain. (James Brittain is on the 1800 census of Buncombe Co.) Mary (Brittain) Edwards died between 1840 census and 1850 census of Cherokee Co, Alabama. It is not known where she is buried.
Thomas and Mary Edwards lived for a while in Buncombe Co, then moved to Haywood Co, NC, before the 1820 census. Numerous deeds are recorded in Haywood Co. for Thomas and some of the Brittain relatives.
By the mid-1830’s, Thomas Edwards is back in Buncombe, now Henderson Co, NC. He appears on Court Minutes and Quarter Please Sessions, deeds, and was excused from paying taxes in Henderson Co. for the years 1838-1839 for land lying in Henderson Co.
Henderson Co. Court Minutes of November 1840: “land belonging to Thomas Edwards joining lands of Samuel Neely on Clear Creek, containing twenty-five acres, is to be sold for back taxes.”
Thomas and Mary (Brittain) Edwards moved to Cherokee Co, Alabama, before the 1840 census. Several of their children also moved to Alabama at the same time.
Thomas and Mary (Brittain) Edwards had eleven children:
1. Naomi Edwards, b. 29 Nov. 1802, Buncombe Co; m. David Howell; d. 11 Mar 1850, Haywood Co. After the death of Naomi, David Howell married her first cousin, Mary M. Ann Edwards, daughter of Ellis and Amelia (Brittain) Edwards. 2. Brittain Edwards, b. 1804 Buncombe Co.; d. 1888 in Walker Co, Georgia. He married Nancy Johnson (1800-1888); and had 14 children.
3. Nancy Edwards, b. 16 July 1806, Buncombe Co, NC; d. 12 July 1881, Etowah Co, Alabama; m. 1828, Buncombe Co, NC, to Joseph Johnson, son of James and Ann (Cole) Johnson of Buncombe Co. (now Henderson Co.). They were the parents of 9 children.
4. Charlote Edwards, b. 8 November 1810, Buncombe Co, NC; d. 15 Feb. 1892,
Henderson Co, NC; m. Noble Johnson, son of James and Ann (Cole) Johnson of Buncombe. They were the parents of 9 children.
5. Henley P. Edwards, was born ca 1809, Buncombe Co, NC; d. during the Civil War in what is now Faulkner Co, Arkansas. He appears on deeds, jury duty and Court Minutes of both Buncombe and Haywood Counties, NC. It is believed by this compiler that Henry was married twice. He is on the 1840 and 1850 census of Cherokee Co, Alabama, with wife, Lucinda Caroline and children.
6. Narcissa Edwards, b. 11 December 1813 in either Buncombe or Haywood Co, NC; d. 29 August 1888, Etowah Co, Ala. She married John Rees(e). Both are buried at Reece City, Etowah Co. in the Bethany Cemetery. They were the parents of 9 children.
7. Elizabeth Edwards, b. 15 Nov. 1815, in either Buncombe or Haywood Co, NC; d. 26 Jul 1855 in Georgia – possibly Whitfield County; m. in Buncombe Co, NC, John King, son of Benjamin and grandson of Samuel King Sr. and Mrs. Elizabeth (Underwood) Davenport King of what is now Henderson Co, NC. They had ten children.
After Elizabeth’s death, John King married, in Georgia, Mary Ann Strickland and had ten more children.
8. Amelia Edwards, b. 1 Feb. 1817, Haywood Co, NC; d. 19 July 1897, Williamson Co, Texas; m. in Buncombe Co, NC, 4 Sept. 1838 to John Thomas Bryson. Both are buried at Liberty Hill Cemetery, Williamson Co, Tx. They were the parents of 8 children.
9. Celia Edwards, b. 10 Sept. 1819, Haywood Co, NC; d. 18 Feb. 1895, Etowah Co, Alabama; m. Joseph Wilson in Alabama. Both are buried at the Methodist Cemetery, Turkeytown, Ala. They raised 6 children.
10. Thomas T. Edwards, b. 24 Jan. 1818, Haywood Co, NC; d. St. Clair Co,
Alabama; m. Mary R. McBrayer. They had 7 children.
11. Rachel Edwards, b. ca 1827, NC; m. Samuel Rees. They are on the 1850
census of Cherokee Co, Ala. Three known children.
Sources: Deeds, Court Minutes, Census of Buncombe, Haywood, and Henderson
Co., NC. Bible records of the Brittain Edwards family, the Narcissa (Edwards)
Rees family; the John and Elizabeth (Edwards) King family; old family letters;
census of NC, Alabama, and Texas; Bryson records from Mrs. Bill Bryson of
Williamson Co, Texas.
–ALOB, June 1984, Vol. V, #6, p. 84-52
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