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John Stark Edwards (August 23, 1777 – February 22, 1813) was an attorney, public official,
soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer. Etymology The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...
and landowner in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.


Heritage

John S. Edwards was born in
New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...
, the son of Pierpont and Frances (Ogden) Edwards. His father gave him the name after his old friend General
John Stark Major-General John Stark (August 28, 1728 – May 8, 1822) was an American military officer who served during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. He became known as the "Hero of Bennington" for his exemplary service at the Batt ...
, the hero of the
Battle of Bennington The Battle of Bennington was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, part of the Saratoga campaign, that took place on August 16, 1777, on a farm owned by John Green in Walloomsac, New York, about from its namesake, Bennington, Vermont. A r ...
that occurred shortly before John’s birth.
Pierpont Edwards Pierpont Edwards (April 8, 1750 – April 5, 1826) was a delegate to the Congress of the Confederation and was a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. Educa ...
was born in
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
, son of theologian and
Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine ...
president Jonathan Edwards and Sarah Pierpont, was a distinguished lawyer, a member of the
Congress of the Confederation The Congress of the Confederation, or the Confederation Congress, formally referred to as the United States in Congress Assembled, was the governing body of the United States of America during the Confederation period, March 1, 1781 – Mar ...
, and a founder of the
Toleration Party The Toleration Party, also known as the Toleration-Republican Party and later the American Party or American Toleration and Reform Party, was a political party that dominated the political life of Connecticut from 1817 to 1827. The ''American'' ...
in
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
. He owned a 1/20th share of the
Western Reserve The Connecticut Western Reserve was a portion of land claimed by the Colony of Connecticut and later by the state of Connecticut in what is now mostly the northeastern region of Ohio. The Reserve had been granted to the Colony under the terms o ...
and was a founder of the
Connecticut Land Company The Connecticut Company or Connecticut Land Company (e.-1795) was a post-colonial land speculation company formed in the late eighteenth century to survey and encourage settlement in the eastern parts of the newly chartered Connecticut Western Re ...
. In the division of the Reserve among the members, the township of Mesopotamia in
Trumbull County, Ohio Trumbull County is a county in the far northeast portion of U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 201,977. Its county seat is Warren, which developed industry along the Mahoning River. Trumbull County is part of the You ...
was allotted to him.


Education and early life

John S. Edwards graduated at
Princeton College Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine ...
in 1796, studied law with his father, attended lectures of Judge Tapping Reeve at the
Litchfield Law School The Litchfield Law School of Litchfield, Connecticut, was the first independent law school established in America for reading law. Founded and led by lawyer Tapping Reeve, the proprietary school was unaffiliated with any college or university. (Whi ...
, and was admitted to the bar at New Haven in the spring of 1799. He was described by contemporaries as a man over six feet in height, stoutly built, and muscular with a florid complexion and commanding presence. He left New Haven for the
Northwest Territory The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Established in 1 ...
to take charge as sales agent of his father’s lands in the Reserve, arriving at
Warren, Ohio Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The his ...
in June 1799. John Edwards was accompanied on that journey by John Kinsman (landowner of Kinsman township), Calvin Pease (future judge of the Ohio Supreme Court), Simon Perkins, George Tod (another future Judge of the Ohio Supreme Court), Ebenezer Reeve, Josiah Pelton, Turhand and Jared P. Kirtland (physician, naturalist, malacologist and probate judge), and others. John Edwards was among the first lawyers who settled in the Reserve. He made a clearing and erected a log house to begin a settlement in
Mesopotamia Township, Trumbull County, Ohio Mesopotamia Township is one of the twenty-four townships of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. The 2020 census found 3,404 people in the township. Geography Located in the northwestern corner of the county, it borders the following townships: ...
, also building the first sawmill there in 1803. He resided there until about 1804, although to give attention to his professional business and official duties he passed a good part of his time in Warren. His name appears in the first case on the docket of the court in Trumbull county, in 1800. He was one of the attorneys who defended Joseph McMahon in a notorious trial over the killing of an Indian. In July 1800, John S. Edwards was commissioned Recorder of Trumbull county by territorial governor Arthur St. Clair. Edwards held that office until his death in 1813. A member of the Trumbull bar since 1800, he was admitted to the bar in
Geauga County Geauga County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 95,397. The county seat is Chardon. The county is named for an Onondaga or Seneca language word meaning 'raccoon', originally the name of the ...
in 1810. John S. Edwards was a founder of the Erie Literary Society that established the Burton Academy at
Burton, Ohio Burton is a village in Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,452 at the 2010 census. Burton is the location of Century Village, run by the Geauga Historical Society. The museum village is composed of 19th-century buildings mov ...
in 1805. The successors of Burton Academy eventually became part of
Western Reserve University Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
. He was a member of the Erie Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and later served as its secretary. On February 28, 1807, John Stark Edwards married Louisa Maria Morris (1787–1866) at
Springfield, Vermont Springfield is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,062. History The land currently recognized as Springfield is the traditional land of the Pennacook and Abenaki people. One of the ...
. Miss Morris was a daughter of General
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and Mary (Dwight) Morris. Her father had been a United States congressman from
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
and her maternal grandfather was Timothy Dwight, President of
Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...
. They became the parents of three children; only William J. Edwards grew to adult years. Louisa Edwards was well-educated and a voracious reader who did not stop with history, poetry, and the weekly news. She read her husband's law library, Blackstone and all. Although her husband held the office, it is said that many of the early records of the Trumbull County Recorder are in Mrs. Edwards' handwriting.


Rise to Congress and early death

In March 1811, he was commissioned
colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
of the Second
regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
, Third
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...
, Fourth
division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
, Ohio
militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
. At the news of the surrender of General
William Hull William Hull (June 24, 1753 – November 29, 1825) was an American soldier and politician. He fought in the American Revolutionary War and was appointed as Governor of Michigan Territory (1805–13), gaining large land cessions from several Ame ...
at
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
in August 1812, leading citizens put the area in a state of defense, as great alarm existed that the surrender exposed them to incursions by the British and Indians. Edwards marched with a portion of his regiment to
Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
. After being there for a period, his services as an officer were no longer required and he returned to Warren. In October of the same year he was elected Representative to the
Thirteenth United States Congress The 13th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1813 ...
from
Ohio's 6th congressional district Ohio's 6th congressional district is represented by Representative Bill Johnson (R-OH). This district runs along the eastern side of the state, bordering West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It stretches from Marietta through several Ohio River in ...
. John S. Edwards was the first man elected to the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
who resided on the Western Reserve, but he did not live to take his seat. In January 1813, in company with two others, he left Warren with the intention of going to the Danbury peninsula ( Marblehead Peninsula) of what was then Huron County to look after his property there.John S. Edwards personal-memo; Document Transcriptions of the War of 1812; Knopf When near Lower Sandusky, a thaw coming on, the companions thought best to return for home. John Edwards got wet, was taken ill with
malarial fever Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, fatigue (medical), tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In se ...
on the road, and died in Huron County; his body was brought back to Warren. In 1814, his widow was married a second time to Robert Montgomery, of Youngstown. They were also the parents of three children: Robert Morris, Caroline Sarah who married Dr. M. Hazeltine, and Ellen Louisa, who was married to Samuel Hine. Edwards' home still stands in Warren, albeit not in its original location, and is now a museum.


See also

*
List of members-elect of the United States House of Representatives who never took their seats Some people who were elected to the United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chambe ...


References


Further reading

* History of Trumbull and Mahoning Counties (Ohio), Cleveland: H. Z. Williams & Bro., 1882, 1072 pgs. * Wickham, Gertrude Van Rensallaer, ed. Memorial to the Pioneer Women of The Western Reserve, published monthly under the auspices of the Woman’s Department of the Cleveland Centennial Commission, 1896. * Mathews, Alfred, Ohio and her Western Reserve: with a story of three states, leading to the latter, from Connecticut, by way of Wyoming, its Indian wars and massacre. New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1902, 361 pgs.


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, John Stark 1777 births 1813 deaths 19th-century American lawyers Elected officials who died without taking their seats Lawyers from New Haven, Connecticut Military personnel from New Haven, Connecticut People from Trumbull County, Ohio People from Warren, Ohio Politicians from New Haven, Connecticut Princeton University alumni Deaths from malaria Litchfield Law School alumni