Contra Costa County CA Archives Biographies.....Edwards, David December 29, 1852 - ?
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Steve Harrison raleighwood@juno.com January 20, 2010, 4:33 am

Source: History of Contra Costa County (1926)
Author: unknown

“DAVID EDWARDS.  The representative of his pioneer father, David Edwards, of 
Crockett, is worthy of the respect and esteem of the citizens of this community 
for the part he has taken since reaching manhood's estate. He is the fifth son 
in the family of Thomas and Mary (Pugh) Edwards, who are mentioned at length on 
another page of this history, and was born at Knight's Ferry, Stanislaus 
County, on December 29, 1852. He received his early education in San Francisco 
and was honor boy in his class of thirty-three, his brother Thomas standing 
second; Alexander Morrison, who later became a leading attorney in San 
Francisco, was third. David also graduated from the Pacific Business College in 
June, 1873. 

After finishing school work, David Edwards came back to the ranch 
operated by his father and which had been leased from Judge Crockett, 
and he remained on the ranch until the town of Crockett was started. His 
first employment was with the Port Costa Lumber Company, their yards 
being located at the place selected for the abutment of the new toll bridge. 
At that time the waters of the bay were clear and fresh and wooden piles 
would last twenty years; now the toreda destroy them in one year as there is 
not enough fresh water to kill them off, for they cannot live in fresh water. 
Mr. Edwards is in favor of the project of building a dam to keep back the 
tidewater so the waters of the rivers can come closer to the bay shores. Upon 
leaving the employ of the lumber company, Mr. Edwards took up work with Wells 
Fargo and Company Express in 1906 and ever since he has been in the express 
service and is now with the American Railway Express. He well remembers when 
the railroad was built through here in 1876, also when Mr. Starr built his 
flouring mill, and knows flourmilling was profitable until the wheat crop ran 
out and George W. McNear bought the mill, which site was later purchased by the 
California and Hawaiian Sugar Refining Company. Many changes have taken place 
since those early days and during these changes Mr. Edwards has watched them 
with a great deal of interest, and has helped all worthy projects for the best 
interests of the people. He has many friends who esteem him for his worth as a 
friend and citizen.
 
David Edwards has been married twice. His first wife was Miss Livia 
Labaree of Danville, Contra Costa County, and they were married at Hollister on 
December 8, 1886, the ceremony being performed by Rev. 
R. L. Symington, who came from Missouri and was preaching at Danville 
and elsewhere. Mrs. Edwards's father was the first doctor to locate in 
this county, having come from Kokomo, Ind., with his family. She was a 
very popular woman and had many friends. She was a sister of Mrs. S. 
D. Bishop and sister-in-law of Mrs. Alice Labaree, teacher in John Swett 
Union High School. The second marriage united Mr. Edwards with Mrs. 
Annie J. Evans, and took place in Porterville in 1912. She came from 
Pittsburgh, Pa. Upon her advice, her niece, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Thomas, 
came to Crockett. She was prominent in fraternal and club life, and died 
in July, 1922. Mr. Edwards was the first deacon of the Congregational 
Church, serving for twenty years, and took an active and sincere interest 
in church work. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, and for many years 
was treasurer of the Crockett Lodge; he is a member of Golden Gate Encampment 
in San Francisco; and belongs to the Franklin Hospital Society, a benefit 
organization in San Francisco.” END

Additional Comments:
History of Contra Costa County, California.  Los Angeles: Historic Record 
Company, 1926.  Pages 426-427.


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