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Introductory Material:
Preface
Chapter 1
The Edwards Coat of Arms

Family Records:
John 1
John 2
John 3
Richard 3
Jonathan 3
Samuel 3
Nathaniel 3
William 3

Other
Timeline
The Crockett Connection
Edwards and the Civil War
Cemeteries
Vignettes
Photo Album
Our Immigrant Ancestors
1906 Census

Family Fun
Mayberry Hill Chronicles
This Old House
Justin Edwards had a Farm
Letters from Henry

John Edwards

Married:

Child(ren):

Comments:

Family located: Haverhill MA
Occupation: Cooper

Family records and traditions have not fixed the date at which John Edwards moved from Haverhill to Gilmantown (sic), yet the approximate date, 1789, appears to be fairly well established from the fact that in the public records of Essex County at Salem, Mass., and of Strafford County at Dover, N. H., are recorded two deeds, each dated Apr. 6, 1789, and containing the phrase: "for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds lawful money to me in hand."
In the former, John Edwards of Gilmantown conveyed to Stephen Gale of Gilmantown "my Lot homestead farm in Haverhill in the county of Essex in the state of Massachusetts containing about twelve acres of land with buildings, their contents, be the same more or less, bounded northerly on the land of John Ayers and Moses Eaton, easterly on the road Salisbury, southerly and westerly on the road."
In the latter, Stephen Gale of Gilmanton conveyed to John Edward (sic) "one hundred acre lot of land numbered ten in the ninth range of Gilmantown aforesaid, be the same more or less, also twelve acres of land at the southwest end of the hundred acre lot numbered seven in the tenth range."
The former mentioned deed appears to discredit the tradition that the old homestead located on the "old Newbury Road" (Salisbury Road) was burned just prior to the moving of the family to Gilmantown.
Tradition is that the house was an old one which had belonged to a previous generation. At the present date (1915) there is no house upon the old site. The location of the old house cellar is marked by a depression in the surface of the ground, and three old apple trees are still standing nearby.
The public records of Strafford County, N. H., at Dover, N. H., show that on Sept. 3, 1789, John Edwards conveyed thirty-seven acres of the above mentioned lot to his son John and forty to his son Jonathan.
The above mentioned deeds appear to have been executed a short time before John Edwards' death, since Jemima Edwards, widow, was appointed administratrix of his estate, Oct. 7, 1789. The inventory of the estate is as follows:-

The administrator's final account showed the total value of real estate and personal property to be 100L. 16S. 2D., from which William Edwards, probably his son, received 11L. 9S. 2D.

The following extract from a quit claim deed recorded in the public records of Essex County, Salem, Mass., is of special interest, since it seems to establish the relationship of the Edwards family with that of Nicholas Wallingford, one of original "proprietors" of the township of Gilmanton, N. H.

"Know all men by these presents that we, David Wallingford of Monson in the province of New Hampshire yeoman and Elizabeth, wife to the said David Wallingford, and John Edwards of Haverhill in the county of Essex yeoman and Jemima Edwards wife to John Edwards, and Sarah Wallingford of Bradford in the county spinster, and Martha Wallingford of Bradford in the said county of Essex and province of Massachusetts Bay in New England widow for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and thirty six pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence lawful money . . . . . . . . forever quit claim unto him the said James Wallingford and his heirs and assigns forever all the right, title, estate, or interest that we or any of us have or may have in the real estate that Jonathan Wallingford late of Bradford deceased, died, seized of and all our right, interest, set off to Sarah Wallingford, widow of said Nicholas Wallingford now deceased . . . . . . . . . In witness whereof we the said David Wallingford, John Edwards and Jemima Edwards, Sarah Wallingford and Martha Wallingford to hereunto set our hands and seals this ninth day of March in the eighth year of His Majesty's Reign Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and sixty eight."
David Wallingford and a seal
Elizabeth Wallingford and a seal
John Edwards and a seal
Jemima (her mark) Edwards and a seal
Sarah Wallingford
Martha (her mark) Wallingford and a seal

Other Info:

For well-documented information on the Wallingford genealogy, start at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~teschek/wallingford/i0000001.htm#i1