Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-02
THE EDWARDS ESTA1E.
Some Facts in Connection With the Same Not
 Heretofore Made Known.


 Heretofore Made Known.
 Correspondence OpelilSa News.
 AS there is a great deal being said at present in the newspapers concerning the Edwards estate, and many wild and ex- travagant statements are being made, and as these statements are misleading and tend to confuse rather than inform, the public, l feel called upon to give ~ what l believe to be a correct, though brief, statement of the matter.
 From a large correspondence, extend ing over several years, and from infor- mation gained by visiting and consulting the older members of the Edwards con nection, I am able to make the following statement:
 Along about 175O three Edwards broth CTS, Thomas, Henry and Edward, came to this country from England In 1771 Thomas Edwards bought from the h. dians an unsettled claim on 50,000 acres of land lying along the Hudson river in the state of New York, and in payment for services rendered the English gov- ernment during the French and Indian wars, the crown acknowledged the claim and made to Thomas Edwards absolute title. At the beginning of the revolution ary war Thomas Edwards, although very old, was active in supporting the Eng fish government, and became personally responsible for a large amount of wheat bought in New York for the British army.
 About this time he died and Robert Ed wards his oldest son, administered on the estate. After the close of the war, order having been restored, Robert leased certain property in New York city for ninety-nine years to settle claims against the estate. The lease was made to Aaron Burr and was dated in 17S9. After holding the property thirty-three years, Burr sub-leased it to New York nif for civ -cix he ar1e show that the conditions of the lease were that at the expiration of the ninety-nine years the property. with all improve ments, was to revert to the decendants of Thomas Edwards.
 The property so leased is described as follows:
 Beginning at a point on Hudson river, then down the river, taking in part of Long Island. then to the Bowery, then up Canal street to Broad street, taking in Trinity and St. Peters churches, then to point of beginning. This tract is said to contain somewhere between seventy-five and 100 acres and its assessed valuation at the expiration of the lease in 1888 was, as I am told by a prominent real estate agent in New York. $312.000000.
 Since the lease expired the descendants of Thomas Edwards have been trying to come together and collect the necessary proof to establish their right and recover the property.
 I am told that the New York city au- thorities have acknowledged the claim and parties in position to know the present status of the matter, are quite confident of a favorable settlement in deed, so strong is confidence in recovering this property. that brokers and specula- tors are offering to buy the interest of any of the heirs who are willing to sell.
 A great deal more might be said were l attempting to write complete history of this property, especially concerning the English law of Primogeniture and other colonial customs which obtained many years ago, but are now obsolete.
 I think what I have said is sufficient to place the matter plainly before any one interested.
 I will now give brief statement of Thomas Edwards children and grand children
 Thomas Edwards had five sons and one daughter; they were Robert. John, Will liam. Solomon. Thomas and Frankie.
 It has been said that Robert never married This is a mistake: he married late in life, and had three children; they were Reuben Nathaniel, John Crawford and Rebecca, a daughter Robert and his wife both died, leaving these children in minority, and their uncle William Ed wards became their guardian. The de- scendants of these children are scat tered over Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio. and there is one In Canada.
 John Edwards settled in Virginia, Gull pepper county. and died there. His will is recorded at Culpepper court house I have in my possession a copy of his family record. His children were Betty, Joseph, John, Mary, Thomas. Sarah and William. Some of the descendants of these children are now in Virginia, some in Kentucky and some in South Carolina.
 William Edwards settled in Virginia, but some time after the revolutionary war moved to North Carolina and died there. He had seven children, John. Jo- seph, Sally, Jarrott, Stratton, Jesse and Ambrose. Some of these married in Vir- ginia, but later on moved west. Their descendants are mostly in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee Sally married Ambrose Daniel and settled in Fairfield county, South Carolina. have not been able to gather any reliable information concern ing Solomon Edwards. I think howev- CT, that he went to Kentucky, and from there his descendants scattered over Ohio, Indiana and the west Thomas Edwards, Jr., settled in South Carolina On South Tiger river; some of his de- scendants reside in the same locality, others went west before the civil war. Miss Frankie Edwards married Isiah Wickliffo and settled in Greenville, s. C., on a lot where the United States court house now stands. Frankie had only two children, William and Lucy. Miss Lucy married John J. Stokes
 Later generations might be mentioned. but the bounds assigned this statement, is already reached, and I will only say further that my mother Mrs. Sarah Sad Ter. is great granddaughter of Thomas Edwards, granddaughter of William Ed wards and daughter of Jarrott Edwards.
 The foregoing statements are made