Jesse Edwards (February 18, 1849 – December 16, 1924)) was an American businessman. He is referred to as "the founder of

Newberg, Oregon Newberg is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. Located in the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to George Fox University. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,138 making it the second most populous city in the ...

". Edwards arrived to the area to be later known as Newberg in 1881, and purchased a farm on the Rogers Donation Land Claim, on which he would plat the city of Newberg. He also founded the First U.S. National Bank of Newberg, Newberg's first

university-preparatory school A college-preparatory school (usually shortened to preparatory school or prep school) is a type of secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where t ...

, was one of the founders of

George Fox University George Fox University is a private Christian university in Newberg, Oregon. Founded as a school for Quakers in 1891, it is now the largest private university in Oregon with more than 4,000 students combined between its main campus in Newberg, ...

, acted as the first mayor of Newberg, and was a member of the local school board. He also owned a brick-making company, a sawmill, a drain-tile factory, a mercantile store, and a warehouse for handling wheat. Newberg was incorporated in 1889. The same year, Edwards built

a house A House were an Irish rock band that was active in Dublin from the 1985 to 1997, and recognized for the clever, "often bitter or irony laden lyrics of frontman Dave Couse ... bolstered by the and'sseemingly effortless musicality". The single " ...

for his family. Today it is the second-oldest residence still standing in the city. Later, he was a founder of Friends Pacific Academy (now George Fox University). He died in 1924. In 1998, his family gave his house to George Fox University. Edwards and his wife Mary had three sons: Oren, Walter and Clarence. Clarence went into the brick-making business with Jesse and later established the first electric company in the area. Clarence would become the city major on several occasions in the 1900s.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Jesse 1849 births 1924 deaths Businesspeople from Oregon Mayors of places in Oregon People from Newberg, Oregon School board members in Oregon George Fox University people