TALIAFERRO COUNTY, GA - BIOS  Edwards, George "Bob"

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This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:
Terri Saturday tlsaturday@nu-z.net


George “Bob” Thomas Edwards, son of Thomas
Jefferson and Mary Portwood Edwards was born
February 11, 1859.  He married December 03, 1882
to Martha “Mattie” Lyle, daughter of the Civil War
hero James Lyle.  Mattie was born August 22, 1863.
They lived at several locations in Taliaferro
County while raising there family.  Their last
location was found in Downtown Crawfordville on
Reynolds St.

During his life in Crawfordville, George Thomas
Edwards’ signature is found upon many wedding
license and documents that have been located in
the Crawfordville Court House.  He preformed many
marriages as justice of the peace for our family
members, Lucius Standifer Edwards and Mary Alice
Portwood, and their first cousins Thomas Henry
Edwards and Stella Portwood. Just to name a few.
Thomas Henry and Stella Portwood Edwards were my
great grand parents.

Bob was a prominent citizen. Before relocating to
the city of Crawfordville, and after he had lost
his arm in a freak accident in the cotton gin
owned by his first wife on November 3rd, 1891, Bob
worked as a Tax collector between the years of
February 06, 1893 - January 09, 1895.

George Thomas Edwards was paying the taxes on his
mother’s property, during the later years and he
was the person who assisted his mother with her
applications for a Confederate pension.


After many visits to the Court house I have not
found the business opening of George Thomas
Edwards but some time in the early 1900 George
opened the business of Edwards and Sons and
commenced to run the establishment with his sons.
Bob which was known to be a merchant at a locale
grocery store, named Edwards and Sons.  This store
was located directly across from our Crawfordville
Hotel, named The Tavern.  He and sons Dewitt,
Roger and Rem operated the store located across
the street from the Tavern and after his sons
died, he seems to have gone into business with a
Mr. Parks.  Mr. Park's wife ran the Park's House
for many of the teachers.  (The Taliaferro County
Historical Society has a sign that once stood in
their busines, so neat)


Mattie died July 25, 1909 of a sudden heart
attack, Bob died October 19,1937 The first Burial
of Martha was originally beside her father James
Lyle in the Saggus Lyle Cemetery, in the Edgewood
Community.  After the death of George Thomas “Bob”
Edwards, Martha’s body was moved and placed next
to Bob in the Crawfordville Cemetery. Her original
tombstone is still in the Saggus/Lyle Cemetery,
and she has another one in Crawfordville.


The Saggus/Lyle cemetery is located just across
the road from the James Lyles home place, though
no building exists there today.


Their children are George Albertus, Dewitte
Talmage, William Roger, James Thomas, Rem
Blanchard, Janie Beatrice, and Mattie Vasti. 


I take this time to thank my Edwards cousins that
descend from George Thomas Edwards and Martha
Lyle. They were the Grandparents of Rem Blanchard
Edwards Jr.  Who has been chatting with lately and
I have corresponded with for some time.  He has
encouraged my writings found within the Advocate
Democrat and this board. But a special thank you
goes out to him for making my Christmas very
special this year. (Happy New Year too, lets make
the new year even more special.) Do you happen to
know where George's house was in Sandy Cross?  I
found a few land documents in the Court house but
didn't copy due to the short time I had.  It was
neat though I found where Etheldred Edwards, our
ancestor bought land from James Lyle in there.
Proves my grandpa's land was James Lyle's from the
beginning We still own 43 acres of the family land
owned for over 200 years in the county.


Thanks Taliaferro County for being my favorite
home town.