The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1870-12-01
"Reminiscences of an Ohio PiO-
neeP-COI. George Edwards,


neeP-COI. George Edwards.
The following particulars concerning the
history of Col. George Edwards, who died
at the residence of his son, o. Edwards,
Esq, some four miles from Ripley, on the
28th ult., were furnished the Bee, for pub
lication; ~ -
Col. Edwards was born on the third day
of January, 1872, in Fairfax county, Va,
and therefore would have been nj1lety-1u1le
gears Of age had he lived until the third
day Of January next. He was four years
older than the government, and living
near, well recollected the laying off of the
Capital of the United States and the re-
movsl of the Congress from Philadelphia
to Washington, as well as the laying off of
Alexandria. He was old enough, at the
time Of the Revolution, to 90 to the seat of
war and bring back the horses that bis
two elder brothers rode when they volun-
| teered. During the period of our revolu-
/ tionary struggle be frequently saw our
half clad and half starved soldiers fed by
the women and boys who were alone left
to produce while the men were out fight
ling, and well remembered that when
peace was declared it produced a COM
motion beyond descriplion-the stout
est hearts giving way and weeping like
children, while the whole land rang with.
the glad word. PEACE! He, with his faith
er's family, emigrated to the wilderness
! l(now the State of kentucky in 1885, at
which time there were only two settle
ments, one station erected by Daniel
/ Boone, and the other by Simon Kenton,
where Washington, Mason county, is now
situated. Entering that fort at fourteen
years of age, and shortly after 1t was
erected, Col. Edwards, with others, re-
mained there for years, during which time
there was a settlement commenced by the
inhabitants of the fort, some of them
standing guard with their rifles whilst
others felled the trees Ofthe forest When
ever attacked by the Indians, which was
almost daily, they sought the fort for safe
! ty. In this way be assisted in making one
of the first settlements Of Kentucky, and
when emigration began pouring in, was
one among their protectors, under Capt.
KentoH, in driving Off the savages. He
lost many of his comrades in the frequent
deadly struggles with the Indians. He
married Miss Downing, in Mason county,
| KY, in 1894 and moved with his father to
the Northwestern Territory, purchased
one thousand acres of land and laid out
the town of Aberdeen, on the same, and
named it for his fathers birth place.
Aberdeen, Scotland. He was appointed
and commissioned Captain by the first
Governor Of Ohio, Tifin, and was shortly
afterward promoted to Major, which title
be held until the war of 1912 was declare
and be was made Colonel and commanded
the Second Ohio Regiment during the war.
Their march from where Columbus now
stands to Sandusky City, was through a
wilderness, there being no settlements be-
tween the two places, and most of the time
the men were without food. His regiment
was honOrab1 discharged at Upper San
dusky in 1914. In 1920 he was elected a
Representative in the State Legislature for
the county of Brown, then newly formed,
and appointed a commissioner, with two
others, to locate the county seat. This
was done, and for the active part taken by
! him in its selection, it WAS called after his
name. He continued in the Legislature
from 1920 to 1880, with the exception OF
the years 1926 and 1927, during which
years he was absent, taking a very active
part in all the general business of the
State. While n member of the Begisla-
ture he became very forcibly imprc ssed
with the writing and teaching of AleXan-
der Campbell, and he with others invited
| MI OdLLl pDell 70 uel4N6E series Oh us
courses at Columbus. This invitation was
accepted with The most gratifying results.
Col. Edwards united himself with that or
ganizatiOn and remained a consistent
member, attending church as long as be
was able. He died without doubt as to
his future salvation.
Col. Edwards's married life extended
through a period of fifty-eight years, and
be was the father of fifteen children, four
teen of whom lived to be grown, and
thirteen heads of families. He saw the
fifth generation, numbering over fouI
hundred.