Edwards, Milton Medford

BROWN, EDWARDS, HENDERSON, RAMBO, SKINNER

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 9/24/2022 at 14:14:36

Milton Medford Edwards
It is said that Milton Medford Edwards was the first white man to walk up the South Sioux and Indian Creek. He was born October 19, 1820 in Pike Co., Missouri. The family moved to Adams Co., Illinois in 1827.
Milton was married in 1841 to Ann Henderson, daughter of Jonathan Henderson. Ann was born in Trenton, New Jersey on Feb. 18, 1821. The Henderson family had moved to Adams Co. also.
The Edwards family came to Jasper Co. in 1847, settling just north of Greencastle. Their first years in Iowa were undoubtedly hard. There were very few people in the area.
A great-granddaughter is compiling a family history of the Edwards family to be published this year. It will be of interest to many in Jasper County, as Milton and Ann continued to live in Jasper County for the rest of their lives. Milton passed away May 11, 1886 and was laid to rest in the beautiful Sam’s Cemetery in Poweshiek Township, high on a hill overlooking the countryside he loved so well. Ann continued a busy life until April 30, 1897, when she was buried by his side.
Milton and Ann were the parents of 10 children, most of whom remained in Jasper County. George moved to the state of Washington. Charles moved to Shelby County. Several of his uncles lived in Shelby Co. (Ann’s brothers) as did their old neighbors, the Albert Shipp family.
Their daughter, Mary Ann, married Herbert K. Skinner. They continued to make Jasper Co. their home and raised a family of 8 children.
Helen Elizabeth became the wife of Hamilton Brown. She and her infant were soon laid to rest in Sam’s Cemetery, near her parents; she was only 23 years old. Another daughter, Armilda, died at the age of 31. She was the wife of Andrew A. Rambo. She was the mother of 7 children. This family became scattered at her death, since the father had died in Missouri the previous December.
Milton and Ann had several children who died in infancy. James died in 1906. Jonathan and Albert lived in Jasper Co.
During his lifetime, Milton was a highly respected citizen, always ready to help a neighbor. In 1853 he was a member of the Grand Jury of District Court. He held all offices at one time or another in the school. When it was necessary to make long trips to Oskaloosa, Lynn Grove, or Apple Grove to the mill or do trading. Add carried on in his absence, as all the other wives of those early settlers had to do.
After a winter such as we have just had, we can realize what those early settlers had to live through. They had no such modern conveniences such as we have, but I suspect they did not do all the complaining that is done now.
Source: the Jasper County Tribune (Colfax, IA); Thursday, May 3, 1979, page 6; extracted from Gleanings From The Past by Catharine Henderson