Young Edwards, Sr.
of Ashe County, NC

Young Edwards, Sr., son of John EDWARDS, Jr., & Lucy CATE, was born between 1750-1760 in Orange Co., NC, or possibly Virginia, and died before Oct. 1843 in Ashe Co., NC. The name of his wife is unknown; she apparently predeceased him.

Children of Young Edwards, Sr.:

1. +Young Edwards, Jr., b. Jan. 28, 1781, Orange or Wilkes (Ashe) Co., NC; d. Jan. 22, 1864, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Catherine COX, daughter of James COX & Elizabeth Unk., abt. 1811 (b. June 2, 1792; d. Jan. 20, 1864); bur. Isom Edwards Cemetery, Hooker, Alleghany Co., NC.
2. Edward Edwards, b. abt. 1780-1790, Orange or Wilkes (Ashe) Co., NC; d. Sept. 1838, Lawrence Co., IN; m. Mary Elizabeth COX, daughter of James COX & Elizabeth Unk., abt. 1812 (b. July 10, 1789; d. Dec. 1853).  They moved from Ashe Co., NC, to Lawrence Co., IN, prior to 1820 where Edward died in 1838.  His widow, Mary (Polly) Edwards is listed in the 1840 and 1850 census of Lawrence Co., IN.  Children: Jesse Edwards (c.1813), Tilford Edwards (c.1815), Grace Edwards (c. 1817), Allen Edwards (c.1825), Elizabeth Edwards (c. 1826), Mary Edwards (c.1828), Henderson Edwards (c.1830), Serena (Irene) Edwards (1833).
3. Nancy Edwards, b. abt. 1788, Orange or Wilkes (Ashe) Co., NC; d. Aug. 9, 1872, Lawrence Co., IN; m. Richard BURTON (b. abt. 1774; d. Sept. 4, 1872).
4. +Allen Edwards, b. Apr. 13, 1796, Wilkes (Ashe) Co., NC; d. June 4, 1880, Alleghany Co., NC; m. (1) Sarah (b. abt. 1804; d. 1864); m. (2) Martha ANDREWS, Apr. 9, 1865, Alleghany Co., NC (b. abt. 1825-1838; d. aft. 1880).
5. +Richard "Dickie" Edwards, b. Oct. 20, 1798, probably Wilkes (Ashe) Co., NC; d. 1890, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Edith BARTON (BURTON), abt. 1819 (b. 1799; d. 1881); probably bur. at the Mustering Ground Cemetery, Rd. 1422 near Glade Creek Church, Alleghany Co., NC.
6. John Edwards, b. unk.; d. bef. Oct. 1843, maybe in Lawrence Co., IN.
7. Unknown daughter who m. Samuel SCOTT. "Heirs of Samuel SCAT" are mentioned as heirs of Young EDWARDS, Sr., in an 1843 deed. This may be Samuel SCOTT who is listed immediately next to Young EDWARDS in the 1810 census of Ashe Co., NC. Samuel SCOTT also appears on the 1815 tax list of Ashe Co., then no further records.

Notes

oung Edwards, Sr., was a first cousin of David Edwards, Sr. (1774-1828), who also had many descendants in Alleghany County, NC.  Young Edwards was born between 1750 and 1760, according to age ranges in census records. He may have been born in Orange County, NC, or wherever his family originally lived: perhaps Granville Co., NC, or somewhere in Virginia. His father, John Edwards, Jr., was a Revolutionary War soldier from Orange County, NC. Young Edwards appears on a tax list in Orange County in 1779.

Young Edwards obtained a land grant on "Glady Creek" and the Little River in Wilkes County, NC, in 1785. Glade Creek and the Little River were located in the part of Wilkes County west of the Blue Ridge which became Ashe County 1799 and Alleghany County in 1859. The region had been sparsely settled prior to the Revolutionary War, but a rush of settlers arrived soon afterward to take advantage of low-cost land grants offered by the government.

Young Edwards died prior to Oct. 1843, based on a deed involving his heirs (Alleghany DB 1, p.380).  The deed provides the names of his children: Young Edwards (Jr.), Allen Edwards, Richard Edwards, Edward Edwards (deceased), John Edwards (deceased), a daughter who married Samuel "Scat" (probably Scott) (deceased), and a daughter who married Richard Burton.

Young Edwards is said to be buried at the Mustering Ground Cemetery in Alleghany County, which is located on Road 1422 near the Glade Creek Church. This site reportedly has few legible gravestones. For further information, see also Alleghany County Heritage (Alleghany Co. Hist.-Gen. Soc., 1983) p.178.

Records

1766 Tax List, Orange Co., NC: Young Edwards

1779 Tax List, Orange Co., NC: Young Edwards.

Sept. 22, 1785. Wilkes Co., NC. Young EDWARDS received a land grant for 100 acres in Wilkes Co., NC, on "Glady" Creek and the Little River. (Wilkes Co., NC, DB C, p.106; Wilkes Land Entry Book, No. 850.) This land was located in the Bullhead Mountain area, which became part of Ashe County in 1799 and Alleghany County in 1859. A claim was originally entered by James FRANKLIN on Feb. 16, 1779. FRANKLIN's name was crossed out in the Land Entry Book and Young EDWARDS's name written in, which indicates that Young EDWARDS either purchased the property, or took over the claim after FRANKLIN abandoned it.

Sept. 22, 1785. Wilkes Co., NC. State of NC to Dabney HARRIS, 150 acres in Wilkes County "on Gladdy of Little River," adj. Young EDWARDS. Recorded in Alleghany Co., NC, May 7, 1914. (Land Grant No. 724; Alleghany DB 28:54.)

July 10, 1788. Wilkes Co., NC. State of NC to John EDWARDS, 60 acres on Glady Fork of Little River adj. Young EDWARDS. (Wilkes DB C, p.109.)

Note: Young Edwards inherited these 60 acres from his John Edwards in 1817. (Orange Co., NC, Will Book D, p.520.)

1790 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, 10th Company: YOUNG EDWARDS

1 white male over 16
4 white males under 16
3 white females
no slaves

May 8, 1795. Wilkes Co., NC. Young EDWARDS, Jacob STAMPER, & Charles TOLIVER appointed patrollers in Capt. TOLIVER's Dist. (Wilkes Court Minutes.)

Feb. 4, 1796. Wilkes Co., NC, Court Minutes. Young EDWARDS, Sterling EDWARDS, and others ordered to view a road from Glade Creek to Daniel HOPERS [HOPPERS].

1800 Census, Ashe Co., NC, Morgan Dist., p.77: YOUNG EDWARDS

1 w/m under 10	1 w/f 10-16
1 w/m 10-15	1 w/f 16-25
2 w/m 16-25	1 w/f over 45
1 w/m over 45

Nov. 26, 1802. State of NC to Young EDWARDS, 100 acres in Ashe County on Glade Creek adj. his old line, mouth of the creek, & Jacob CROUSE. Entered May 13, 1800. Reg. May 6, 1914. (Alleghany DB 28:47; NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 304, Folder No. 12.14.28.304, Grant No. 289, Book 116:288.)

Nov. 26, 1802. State of NC to Young EDWARDS, SR., 100 acres beg. in his old line between Brushy Fork & Glady Creek. Entered Apr. 2, 1799. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 305, Folder No. 12.14.28.305, Grant No. 290, Book 116:288.)

Nov. 26, 1802. State of NC to Young EDWARDS, 100 acres in Ashe County beg. on a ridge, adj. his old line. Entered Apr. 2, 1799. Reg. May 6, 1914. (Alleghany DB 28:47; NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 310, Folder No. 12.14.28.310, Grant No. 300, Book 116:290.)

May 1807. Young EDWARDS and others ordered to view and lay off a road from Richard WILLIAMS to Joseph DAMSONS. (Ashe Co., NC, Court Minutes.)

May 1809. Alen WOODROUGH [WOODRUFF], Frank BRYAN, James TOMSON, Henry JOHNSON, Young EDWARDS, Edward EDWARDS, Young EDWARDS, Sr., Matthew MASSINGALL, David EDWARDS, Wm. EDWARDS, Jno. WILLIAMS, Jacob CROWS [CROUSE], Thos. DOUGLAS, Jno. DOUGLAS, and Daniel MOXLEY ordered to view and lay off a road from the Elk Spur Road to the North Carolina line in a direction to Point Hope Furnace to turn off at Frank BRYANS then the nearest and best way to the Virginia line to go to the furnis on Peach Bottom. (Ashe Co., NC, Court Minutes.)

March 1809. Young EDWARDS and eleven other men from Ashe County served as jurors in the case of State v. Carter Whittington. The unfortunate Whittington was charged with perjury, though the circumstances of his crime are not described. The clerk did dutifully record that the defendant was found guilty, and the following gruesome punishment imposed by the court: "Fined £10, and the said Carter Whittington stand in the pillory for one hour, at the expiration of which time, both his ears to be cut off and entirely severed from his head, and that his ears so cut off be nailed to the pillory by the officers and there remain till the setting of the sun, and that the sheriff of this county carry this judgment immediately into execution, and that the said Carter Whittington be confined until the fine and fees are paid."  John Preston Arthur, Western North Carolina: A History (1914), Chapter XV, p.376.

May 1810. Young EDWARDS served on a jury. (Ashe Co., NC, Court Minutes.)

1810 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.13: Y. EDWARDS

2 w/m 10-15	1 w/f over 45
1 w/m over 45

1815 Tax List. Ashe Co., NC: YOUNG EDWARDS, 300 acres, 1 poll

Dec. 1, 1817. Orange Co., NC. Young EDWARDS is named in the will of his father John EDWARDS, dated Dec. 1, 1817, proven Feb. term, 1818. Young received John Edwards' 60 acres in Ashe County. (Orange Co., NC, Will Book D, p.520.)

1820 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.30: YOUNG EDWARDS (also listed on p.30: Wm. Edwards, Selena Edwards, & Richard Edwards)

1 w/m under 10	1 w/f under 10
1 w/m 10-16	1 w/f age 26-45
1 w/m 16-18
1 w/m 18-26
1 w/m over 45

Nov. 21, 1820. State of NC to Young EDWARDS, 50 acres in Ashe County on Brushy Fork of Little River adj. Andrew SEBOLTZ [SEBOLTS]. Entered Mar. 16, 1818. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 1152, Folder No. 12.14.28.1150, Grant No. 1038, Book 135:61.)

Nov. 21, 1820. State of NC to Young EDWARDS, 100 acres in Ashe County beg. in his old line, adj. __ EDWARDS Sr. & Peter DELPH. Entered Feb. 8, 1802. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 1159, Folder No. 12.14.28.1157, Grant No. 1045, Book 135:63.)

Nov. 21, 1820. State of NC to Young EDWARDS, 100 acres in Ashe County on waters of Little River near his own corner, adj. John EDWARDS. Entered May 11, 1802. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 1153, Folder No. 12.14.28.1151, Grant No. 1039, Book 135:61.)

Nov. 28, 1822. State of North Carolina to Young EDWARDS, 100 acres in Ashe County on top of little mountain near Jesse TOLIVER. Entered Oct. 31, 1818. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 1208, Grant No. 1097, Book No. 135:316.)

1830 Slave Holders List, Ashe Co., NC.: YOUNG EDWARDS SR., 3 slaves.

1830 Census, Ashe Co., NC: YOUNG EDWARDS SR.

1 w/m 70-79

1 w/f 50-59

Dec. 9, 1834. State of NC to Young EDWARDS, 50 acres in Ashe County beg. on PASSIMORE's corner, on PASSMORES ridge near CONLEY's corner. Entered Mar. 12, 1822. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 2011, Folder No. 12.14.28.2019, Grant No. 1909, Book 141:314.)

Dec. 9, 1835. State of NC to Young EDWARDS, 10 acres in Ashe County on Brushy Fork of Little River. Entered May 21, 1833. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 2157, Folder No. 12.14.28.2165, Grant No. 2069, Book 142:283.)

1840 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.28: YOUNG EDWARDS SR.

1 w/m 90-99

Dec. 4, 1840. State of NC to Young EDWARDS, 36 acres in Ashe County on waters of Brush Creek. Entered May 29, 1838. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 2755, Folder No. 12.14.28.2766, Grant No. 2656, Book 146:370.)

Oct. 17, 1843. Heirs of Young EDWARDS, Sr., dec'd, to Starlin TOLIVER, 100 acres on top of the Little Mountain adj. Jesse TOLIVER. Signed: Young (X) EDWARDS, Allen (X) EDWARDS, Richard (X) EDWARDS, & David (X) BURTON (attorney-in-fact for Richard BURTON, heirs of Samuel SCAT [SCOTT?], heirs of Edward EDWARDS & John EDWARDS dec'd.) Wits: Thomas C. DOUGLAS, Richard CHOATE. Proved Sept. 28, 1869, by T.C. DOUGLAS. (Alleghany DB 1, p.380.)

Dec. 11, 1843. Land belonging to "Old Young EDWARDS" mentioned in a deed from Morgan BRYAN to Shadrach F. BRYAN for several tracts of land on Glade Creek. (Alleghany DB 1:164 and DB 28:52.)