John E. Edwards &
Delilah Jane Higgins

John E. Edwards, son of Richard "Dickie" EDWARDS & Edith BARTON (BURTON), was born Apr. 24, 1824, in Ashe Co., NC, and died Dec. 1, 1865. He married Delilah Jane Higgins, daughter of John HIGGINS & Susan EDWARDS, abt. 1847. She was born Oct. 14, 1828, in Ashe Co., NC, and died Sept. 11, 1916, in Alleghany Co., NC. She married (2) Thomas EDWARDS in 1869. John Edwards is buried at the John Higgins Cemetery, Road 1453, Alleghany Co., NC. Delilah is buried at the Mountain View Baptist Church, Road 1463, in Alleghany Co., NC.

Children of John E. Edwards & Delilah Jane Higgins:

1. Nancy Edwards, b. abt. 1848, Ashe Co., NC.
2. Gilbert Edwards, b. Aug. 28, 1850, Ashe Co., NC; d. Apr. 21, 1920, Alleghany Co., NC; m. (1) Senia WOLFE, daughter of Frederick L. WOLFE & Elizabeth CROUSE, Apr. 13, 1867, Alleghany Co., NC (b. abt. 1846; d. Oct. 10, 1893); m. (2) Martha Jane BROOKS WOLFE, widow of Lemuel WOLFE, daughter of William Alfred BROOKS & Sarah Mahala EDWARDS, Jan. 12, 1894, Alleghany Co., NC (b. May 1852; d. aft. 1930); bur. John Higgins Cemetery, Rd. 1453, Alleghany Co., NC. Children: Susan Edwards (c.1868), John H. Edwards (1870), Elizabeth J. "Bettie" Edwards (c.1873), Emory Thomas Edwards (1873), Gilbert M. Edwards (1881), Felix M. Edwards (1888), Isaac Glen Edwards (1889).
3. Celia Jane Edwards, b. Mar. 31, 1853, Ashe Co., NC; d. Aug. 31, 1932, Alleghany Co., NC; m. William W. ANDREWS, son of Lorenzo D. ANDREWS & Margaret CROUSE, Sept. 18, 1874, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Nov. 27, 1851; d. June 18, 1907); bur. Mountain View Baptist Church, Rd. 1463, Alleghany Co., NC. Children: John Robert Edwards (1872), Phillip M. Andrews (c.1877), Gilbert H. Andrews (c.1878).
4. Felix Edwards, b. Mar. 1856, Ashe Co., NC; d. aft. 1920, Spokane, WA; m. Sarah Jane JENNINGS, daughter of Martin JENNINGS & Frances TOLIVER, Sept. 9, 1875, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Dec. 1859; d. aft. 1920) Living in Pipers Gap, Carroll Co., VA, in 1880. Living in Daviess Co., MO, in 1900. Living in Spokane, WA, in 1910 and 1920. Children: Laura J. Edwards (c.1877), Forence Edwards (c.1879), Delia M. Edwards (1884), Tyre G. Edwards (1887), Marilda V. Edwards (1889), William Virgil Edwards (1893), Roy Edwards (1896), John R. Edwards (1899).
5. Rosamond "Rosey" Edwards, b. Sept. 25, 1858, Ashe Co., NC; d. Apr. 17, 1942, Alleghany Co., NC; m. William RICHARDSON, son of Isom RICHARDSON & Jane CROUSE, Oct. 28, 1877, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Dec. 18, 1859; d. Nov. 20, 1939); bur. Sparta Memorial Park, Alleghany Co., NC. Children: Coy Richardson (1878), Tyre Glenn Richardson (1880), Nicia Richardson (1882), Robert H. Richardson (1883), Verdia "Vertie" Richardson (1886), Garfield Richardson (1888), John Richardson (1890), Rufus D. Richardson (1893), Levi Thomas Richardson (1895), Clennel Gilbert Richardson (1901).
6. Emaline Edwards, b. Aug. 1861, Alleghany Co., NC; d. aft. 1920; m. Allen IRWIN, son of Thomas IRWIN & Sina CAUDILL, Aug. 7, 1880, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Nov. 27 1858; d. Apr. 2, 1947; bur. Antioch Primitive Baptist Church, Alleghany Co., NC). They divorced before 1920. Children: John R. Irwin (1881), Felix M. Irwin (1884), Laura E. Irwin (1887), Hiram D. Irwin (1889), Flora E. Irwin (1890), Lucy D. Irwin (1893), Ellison L. Irwin (1895), Coy G. Irwin (1898), Elden Irwin (c.1905), Eldis Irwin (c.1908), Ward Irwin (c.1911).
7. Mary Ellen Edwards, b. Mar. 26, 1864, Alleghany Co., NC; d. Sept. 3, 1932; m. Allen REYNOLDS, son of William REYNOLDS(?) & Martha J. FENDER, Nov. 17, 1881, Alleghany Co., NC (b. 1861; d. Feb. 13, 1938). Child: John M. Reynolds (1882) m. Sarah H. RICHARDSON.

Notes

ohn E. Edwards was born in 1824 and died in 1865 at the age of only 41. He married his first cousin (once removed), Delilah Jane Higgins, in about 1847, and they had seven children. They lived on Brushy Fork (Brush Creek) of the Little River near both of their large extended families. After John's death, Delilah remarried to another cousin, Thomas Edwards, and had two more children. (See Alleghany County Cemeteries Through 1986, published by the Alleghany Co. Hist.-Gen. Society; see also Alleghany County Heritage (1983), pp.181, 254, 426.)

1850 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.245:
JOHN EDWARDS, age 26, farmer, 150, NC

-- Delia, age 22, NC

-- Nancy, 2, NC

Dec. 15, 1856. State of NC to John EDWARDS, 100 acres in Ashe County on Brushy Fork of Little River. Entered Apr. 9, 1844. (Ashe Land Grant No. 4282; Alleghany DB 1:26.) This part of Ashe County became Alleghany County in 1859.

Oct. 24, 1859. John E. EDWARDS to Richard EDWARDS, 100 acres on Brushy Fork of Little River, for $50. Signed: John E. EDWARDS. Wit: John HIGGINS, Creed EDWARDS. (Alleghany DB 1:26.)

1860 Census: not listed.

1866. The estate of John EDWARDS was probated in Alleghany Co., NC, in 1866. (NC Archives Box No. CR.004.508.9.)

June 11, 1881. Thomas EDWARDS, Comm'r, to Thomas BAUGUS, 45 ½ acres on Brush Creek adj. HOLBROOK, being the lands of John E. EDWARDS, dec'd, for $125. Signed: Thomas EDWARDS. Wits: Huston BLEVINS, M.T. NORMAN. Proved Jan. 6, 1890, by M.T. NORMAN. Reg. Jan. 10, 1890. (Alleghany DB 8:146.)

Subsequent census listings for Delilah:

1870 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, Gap Civil Twp. (Thomas Edwards, HH#65): Delilah, 49

1880 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, Gap Civil Twp. (Thomas Edwards, HH#145): Delila, 57

1900 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, Gap Civil Twp. (Hiram Edwards, HH#134):
Delila EDWARDS, mother, Oct. 1828, age 71, widowed, 9 children born, 8 living, NC NC NC

1910 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, Glade Creek Twp., p.47 (HH#129):
CELIA JANE ANDREWS, 59, wd, 4 children/3 living, NC NC NC, farmer - general farm

-- Delina EDWARDS, mother, 83, wd, 9 children/7 living, NC NC NC