The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-02-03
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KsitlisIs .aEsmoads -
/ The late RosERr EDxoHpgwas daring the
greater part of his life so promincntiy con-
nected with the business o. ersnsrortinS pas
seusers and mails In sorao way, md was so
we'll known to the travelling pUblte, that .
brief notice Of some Of tbe-Eemiaiscences OF
his career will be generally interesting. ne
was 4 man IF uncommon energy aud tact;
and Ia perseverance,, irrepressibie spirit. and
Idauntless courage, 20 man could be better
lifted for the trials Of his career In life.
Mr.. Epxokp was the SON OF ROBERT Ed
;xokp, who wasa at one time Attorney Gene.
Irai OF Vermont. He was an intrepid youth,
and boldly went forth to the struggles of life
lin the world as early as eighteen years OF.
age. He had acquired by early habits a
knowledge OF the sea, aud enlisted IN
the United States service. Young as be
was, he was made captain Of the
foretop'' ou board the United States frigate
Fulton: a very responsible position. de
had served only short time when the ship
was sold 10 the Brazilian Government. The
Brazilian officers endesyored to get as many OF
her crew as possible into the Brazilian service.
Young EpxoND, under cover of the night, es'
capped by stealthily getting overheard ana
swimming ashore. The barber Of Brazil Is
| shoal, and vessels have to lie at anchor q long
way from shore. The fugitive, to elude the
observation of the sentry on the deck OF the
| ship, swan mainly under water, raising bis
| head to the surface occasionally for BREATH
| He encountered the body OF a drowned ne
gro in bis diviDg-swim an incident not
/ calculated to add to the felicity of bis situa'
ton. He reached the shore, and In no very
presentable plight soon found refuge In
boarding. house. Protected by the Amerl'
can consul he made good bis escape.
He remained in Rio for awhile before 70
/ entered the .merchant.nlarine service, In
| which be continued for a few years, always
commanding the high respect and confidence
Of bis superiors. Quitting the life Of the
sailor, he had his adventures on shore In
looking out for settled pursuit: Finally,
taking a liking to the staging business, ne
procured situation in that employment.
BE was both Judge and lover OF the
horse, and thorough whip. he rose In the
estimation of employers at time when the
business of staging was gay aud game
! when the fine teams and elegant coaches on
the principal thoroughfares were the admi'
ration of the country aud the delight OF
travellers.
He found himself in Richmond about the
days of BEI1zoovER, and REEs1DE, and BEL
DEN, and K. PORTER. Hero bis activity and
excellent Judgment elevated him rapidly,
aud he became q partner in the business
founded by the veteran PORTER. He became
partner OF Mr.. BOYD, whom our old ctti.
zsns remember as most excellent gentle
man, who died by casualty in Lynchburg
before the war.
The period between '32 and '45 was one
of remarkable activity In mail. and passenger
carrying by stages. The firm of BOYD &
EDMOND became famous for Its bold enter
! prise. The long lines of stages which then
travelled between Richmond and Washing.
ton, and between Richmond and the Gulf
cities, were gay sights to look upon. They
stopped at the famous old Eagle Hotel, and
from that house set out on their
journeys North and South. Dir. EDMOND
was the active outdoor man, and bis
bold and manly figure was always
about at the times of the arrivals and
departures of the stages. He was indomita.
bly, vigilant, and bis bright eyes were In.
cessantly active, and enabled him to detect
the slightest fault in hitching of horses and
the slightest sign of unftness for service
shown by any animal in the teams. He was
so quick to detect these things that the
drivers were ever on the watch to muster In
proper order, and believed that he was en-.
dowed with miraculous powers. Indeed,
there seemed to be sort Of spirit of COM
munion and sympathy between him and the
horse. ....
At that time railroads had made no serious
inroad upon the stage-coach. The Frede.
ricksburg road was built to Fredericksburg
and opened, we believe, about '35, and the
road from Petersburg to Weldon was In
operation. Except these and the road from
Charleston, S. c., to Augusta, Ga, there was
no interruption in staging from Washington
to the Gulf The stage company had its trials
in contracting with the Fredericksburg COM
pany, and became connected with disagree
ments between CAVE JOHNSON (then Post
master.GeneraD and Mr.. M. ROBINSON, presi.
dent of the road. BOYD & EDMOND had az.
ranged with Mr.. JOHNSON to run mail.carts
carrying the mail from Washington to Rich
mond, and were just getting under way when
the difficulty was settled and the mails
thrown back upon the railroad.
Prior to that tine the famous AMOS KENDALL,
Postmaster. General under President JACK-
SON, established "pony express" from New