Biographical Sketch of Amos Edwards, Laclede County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, 
Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing
Company, 1889.
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Amos Edwards, ex-county judge, and farmer of Hooker township, was born
in Brown county, Ohio, June 5, 1842, being the son of Darius and Jane
(Geeslin) Edwards, and grandson of Col. George Edwards, who was born in
Pennsylvania in 1781, and came to Ohio in 1806.  He located on 2,000
acres of land, where he remained until the breaking out of the War of
1812, and then served as colonel of his regiment.  He was in a number
of leading battles, and was a brave and gallant officer.  He took an
active part in all political, national and public matters, and was a
very prominent man in his day, being one of the leading men of the
State, as well as one of the early settlers.  After the War of 1812 he
returned to the home place and resumed farming, but after the country
had become somewhat settled he engaged in general merchandising, which
he followed for many years.  He was elected as representative to the
Legislature for many terms, and was also a prominent member of the
Christian Church.  He made many public speeches, and when he got too
old to stand up and talk he would sit in a chair.  When the Civil War
broke out he made one of the leading speeches of his life, directing
the people to enlist as soldiers to protect the Union, put down slav-
ery, etc.  He died in 1880, at the age of ninety-eight years and eight 
months.  His wife was also a native of Pennsylvania, and died when Amos
Edwards was a small boy.  She was the mother of ten children, six sons
and four daughters, all of whom lived to be grown, but only two of whom
are now living, Sandy and Orange; Sandy lives in Kansas; and Orange 
lives in Ripley, Ohio.  Darius Edwards was born in Brown county in 1804,
and was reared in that county.  He followed farming, etc., all his life
and took an active part in church matters, being a member of the Chris-
tian Church.  He died in 1879.  His wife, Jane Geeslin, was born in
1805, in Brown county, and is now living on the old home place, where
their son, Amos was born.  She has good health, is a member of the 
Christian church, and is the mother of fifteen children, twelve of whom
lived to be grown, and ten are now living: Josiah, Cinderella, George
W., Alexander C., Darius (deceased), John B., Mary, Mandania, William 
H. H., Amos, Martha, and Nancy (deceased).  Sarah Ellen was one of the
three that died when a child; the others died in infancy.  Amos Edwards
grew to maturity in Brown county, where he received his education in
the common schools.  October 3, 1862 he enlisted in Company E, Seventh
Ohio Cavalry, and served three years.  In 1865 he was transferred to
the invalid corps.  At the cessation of hostilities he came to Missouri
in Audrain county, where he remained six months.  He then moved to Polk
county, thence to Laclede, where he has since resided.  July 14, 1867
he married Miss Sarah E. Freeze, a native of Tennessee, born May 21,
1845, and the daughter of Martin and Dorcas Freeze, who were old sett-
lers of Laclede county.  To Mr. and Mrs. Edwards were born eight 
children, six now living: Rosa M., Cora B., Charley D., Lula G.,
Lillie and Nettie (twins); and those deceased were named Ally D. and
Floyd.  In 1882 Mr. Edwards was elected county judge for a term of two
years on the Greenback ticket.  He takes an active part in politics,
and affiliates with the Greenback party.  He is a member of the Masonic
fraternity, and he and wife are members of the Christian church.

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