Biography of Aungier Edwards

	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1898. Pages 384-385

	Scan and OCR by Joy Fisher, 1997. This file may be copied for non-profit 
	purposes. All other rights reserved. 


AUNGIER EDWARDS, who resides on section 24, Clearwater township, Miner 
county, is one of the oldest settlers in that part of the state and a 
very popular and highly esteemed citizen. Mr. Edwards was born in the 
village of Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England, on the 14th of March, 
1841, and is the son of Edward and Sarah (Raymond) Edwards, both of whom 
were also English. They died in their native land. Aungier had no 
educational opportunities when a boy, being compelled to help support 
himself at an early age. When eighteen he enlisted in the British army - 
Thirty-seventh Regiment Foot - serving two years, four months of which 
was passed in the Colchester camp. He then went to India in a sailing 
vessel, the trip from Gravesend to Calcutta consuming one hundred and 
thirty-seven days. They then proceeded to Dum-Dum and remained in the 
barracks there for some time, after which they went to Azawah Bay, in 
the Black Forest of India. Mr. Edwards was detailed on camp duty until 
the early part of 1861, when the regiment disbanded. He volunteered to 
remain at Azawah Bay, and joined the Fifty-fourth Regiment Foot, at 
Cawnpore. He did duty there for a short time and then marched with his 
company to Rukee, near the Himalaya mountains. The troops soon returned 
to Cawnpore, and, after another march to Calcutta, disbanded there. Mr. 
Edwards, who still exhibited a fondness for military life, again 
volunteered and this time became a private in the One Hundred and First 
Bengal Fusileers. The Fusileers left Calcutta shortly afterward, going 
to Duckshi, in the Himalayas. Upon their return to Durbah and Agra they 
also disbanded. Mr. Edwards went home with his regiment, by the Red Sea 
route, landing at Portsmouth, England, on the 3d of February, 1869, 
after a continuous service of nine years. He bought his discharge, and 
in the same year came to this country, settling in Wisconsin. He worked 
among the farmers of Rock county for the next ten years, and in 1880 
went to Dakota locating in Miner county, where he secured his present 
farm. There was not another white person in Clearwater township at the 
time, and the place presented a singularly wild and solitary appearance, 
which, but for the absence of the tropical vegetation and an occasional 
elephant or jaguar, might have brought back the Indian jungle to Mr. 
Edwards' mind. He set to work resolutely, however, put up a sod shanty 
and began the cultivation of his farm. He endured many privations during 
those days, and has been through quite as much as any of the pioneers. 
His subsequent success only proves that the indomitable spirit and the 
bravery which made the good soldier were equally present in the 
husbandman of a later date. Mr. Edwards now owns two hundred acres of 
land, one hundred and fifty of which are under the plow. The 
improvements upon the farm are excellent, the residence, barns, 
outbuildings and granaries being well constructed and of modern 
appearance. Politically Mr. Edwards is independent of the various 
parties, and always votes for those whom he considers the fittest 
candidates for office. He has never sought nor held public positions of 
any kind, his business interests requiring all of his time and 
attention.

	In 1876  Mr. Edwards married Miss Helen Freeman, a native of 
Wisconsin, and a daughter of James and Sarah Freeman, both of whom were 
born in England. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards are the parents of five children: 
Florence, Sadie, Ida, Effie and Jessie. The family are communicants of 
the Episcopal church.