Crawford Co., AR - Biographies - T. W. Edmondson

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SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed 
Publishing Co., 1889.
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T. W. Edmondson, of the firm of Wood, Edmondson & Britt, Star Grocery 
House, was born in Fort Smith in 1857, and is a son of Samuel and Ann 
(Manning), Edmondson. The father was of Scotch-Irish descent, born in 
Tennessee in 1803, and when small went with his father, Thomas, to 
Macon, Ga. He was a lawyer, and when a young man located in Crawford 
County, at old Crawford Court House, but later moved to Fort Smith, 
where he was one of the first settlers. He devoted his attention to 
his profession and political affairs, and represented Sebastian County 
in the State Legislature two terms. He was one of the leading lights 
of the Fort Smith bar for a number of years. His death occurred in 
1866. The mother of T. W. was Mr. Edmondson's second wife, who was 
born in Ireland in 1819. She came to the United States when about 
twelve, and is now a resident of Fort Smith. Two of her children are 
living: Samuel M., born in Fort Smith in 1853, and now justice of the 
peace, and our subject. His early education was received at the last 
named place, and when thirteen he clerked in a restaurant one year, 
and afterward in a bakery. In 1876 he came to Van Buren, and 
established a bakery and restaurant. In 1882 W. O. Girard became his 
partner, and in 1884 Mr. Edmondson sold his interest. In 1885 he 
worked for Shibley & Wood, and the following year Harry Wood and 
himself established a grocery, which they ran a year. He then sold out 
to Mr. Wood and started for himself, and in 1887 sold out to James 
Wood and Frederick Britt, but in March, 1888, bought a third interest 
in the firm. They have one of the finest and best stocks in Van Buren, 
and enjoy a large patronage. In 1879 Mr. Edmondson married Annie Wood, 
daughter of James M. and Sophronia Wood, and a native of this town, 
born in 1860. She is a member of the Christian Church, but he is a 
Catholic. He is a director and stockholder in the Van Buren Ice and 
Coal Company, and is treasurer of the same. Politically he is a 
Democrat. and his first presidential vote was cast for Hancock in 
1880.