Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Edwards, Claude J., 1946 

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CLAUDE JOSEPH EDWARDS 

CLAUDE J. EDWARDS FRANKLIN’S FORMER MAYOR, DIES, AGE 70

   Claude J. Edwards, one of the finest gentlemen we have ever known, died 
early last Saturday morning at his home in Clay Street after a brief illness. 
We use the words "fine gentleman" advisedly for he really possessed as much 
of the now old-fashioned culture, courtliness and courtesy as any one of our 
acquaintances, and these traits are all too rare to be passed un-notices or 
not appreciated.

   He was the son of the late Col. Luther R. Edwards and of Mrs. Virginia 
Bourke Edwards, formerly of Portsmouth.  He is survived by his wife, Mrs. 
Marion Lawless Edwards, to whom he was married September 24, 1902.  There are 
two sons, Gordon Edwards of Evanston, Ill., and three children, Patricia Ann, 
Gordon Beamon and Alida Edwards; a second son, Luther Rice Edwards of Falls 
Church, Va., and one daughter, Nancy Tilghman Edwards.  He also leaves one 
sister, Miss Blanche Edwards, a half-brother, Franklin Edwards, and his step-
mother, Mrs. L.R. Edwards, all of Franklin.

   Mr. Edwards studies at Richmond College; was a graduate of Wake Forest 
College and a graduate in law of the University of Virginia where he was a 
member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.  For 16 years he served as Mayor of 
Franklin, and at the time of his death was the town’s Civil and Police Justice 
and Judge of the Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court.  He had been for many 
years Commissioner of Accounts of Southampton County.

   Funeral services were held at the graveside in the family plot in Poplar 
Spring Cemetery Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock, conducted by his pastor, the 
Rev. R.D. Stephenson, the pallbearers being: Dr. Beaman Story, E.N. Wilkinson, 
Jno. C. Parker, Jr., J. Edward Moyler, W.L. Burrow and Harry Steinhardt.


Hon. Claude Joseph EDWARDS, judge, former Mayor of Franklin, 
d. 23 Nov 1946, at home, Franklin, age 70, 
interred in Poplar Spring Cemetery (Section 2, Plot 87A*), Franklin, 
   16 Nov 1945, 
"The Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Nov. 29, 1946, p. 1 

*Southampton County Historical Society, Cemetery Project, Poplar Spring list: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/poplar2.txt 

Additional information: 

A photo was published with this obit- exceptional for the time. 

His father's obit ("Tidewater News," Oct. 4, 1918, p. 1) is posted at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/e363l4ob.txt 

His widow's obit ("Tidewater News," Jan. 23, 1961, p. 1), with their marriage 
   record appended, is posted at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/e363m3ob.txt 

The couple lost an infant son- Clayton- May 11, 1906.  His obit 
   ("Tidewater News," May 14, 1906) is posted at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/e363c5ob.txt 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/e363c4ob.txt