The essential clue to the English origin of William Edwards is found in "Aspinwall Notarial Records". Under the date of 11 December 1647 William's wife Agnes gave power of attorney to collect legacies under the will of "Julian late wife of Henry Munter of Buttals Aldgate parish in London deceased." The will of Julian, or Juliana Munter mentions William Edwards as her grandson.

Julian [Julia Ann or Juliana], of unknown maiden name, 2nd wife of Henry Munter. By a former husband of unknown name she was the mother of ANNE who married (1st) ca 1614, REV. RICHARD EDWARDS, and [2nd], 6 December 1625 James Cole. AIINE by her first husband was the mother of WILLIAM EDWARDS founder of the American family. This is established by the Will of Henry Munter, dated 1638, which leaves a bequest to "William Edwards sonne of Anne Cole by her former husband Richard Edwards." The Will of Julian Munter of East Smithfield, Middlesex, dated 1647 also mentions her grandson William Edwards "sonne of Richard Edwards, deceased."

The Rev. Richard Edwards died at Ratcliffe, Middlesex of the plague 31 August 1625. He was married by 1614 to ANNE ___ , daughter of ___ and Juliana ___. Anne married [2nd] at St. Dunstan's Stepney, 6 Dec. 1625, James Cole of Whitechapel, cooper, with whom she emigrated to New England. James Cole died at Hartford, Conn. in 1652, and Anne died there 20 Feb. 1679.

Richard Edwards was of St. Botolph's, Aldgate, near Stepney, in 1615 and 1618, and was described as "minister" in the latter year in the baptismal record of his son WILLIAM. which verifies an early family tradition that William's father was a minister. On 27 Oct. 1620 he was appointed Master of the Free-School at Ratcliffe in Stepney and died there five years later. After.his sudden death in a severe epidemic of the plague, his widow shortly remarried a cooper, James Cole. He appears to have been married twice before to Frances___ and Damaris Seabrook.

James Cole, his wife and their surviving child, Abigail, and stepson, William Edwards, emigrated to New England and settled in Hartford, Conn. The lands of James Cole were recorded Feb. 1639/40. He died ca 1652. Anne Edwards Cole died 1679/80.

William Edwards was baptized at St. Botolph's Aldgate, County Middlesex, England, 1 Nov. 1618, died at Hartford, Conn, after 1680; married Agnes Tucker Spencer, born in County Devon, England, died at Hartford, Conn. 1680. She was the widow of William Spencer.

William accompanied his mother and step-father to America,. and became an original settler in Hartford. William had been taught to write and often witnessed deeds and appears frequently in court actions. He seems to have plied the trade of cooper [barrel-maker]. He was one of the Hartford men to be Troopers under Maj. John Mason. He made a good marriage as his wife Agnes' first husband's family was prominent both in England and America, and he left her well-provided for.

Richard Edwards was born at Hartford, Conn, I May 1647, died there 20 April 1718; married [1st] at New Haven, Conn, 19 Nov. 1667, ELIZABETH TUTTLE, b. New Haven, Nov. 1645: date of death unknown, daughter of William and Elizabeth Tuttle. Richard Edwards divorced his wife in Oct. 1691 and therein lies a scandal of major proportions for that time.

While Richard was still under age he married Elizabeth Tuttle who was 1 1/2 years older than he and found that she was already pregnant! He never acknowledged this first child she bore as his own. That she was not the child of Richard Edwards seems to have been acknowledged by the Tuttle family. However, no matter how strenuously Richard protested that he was NOT the father of Elizabeth's daughter Mary, he was fined for "fornication" by the General Court. The father was generally thought to have been a Joseph Preston, though it was never proven.

However, Richard settled down with Elizabeth for the next 23 years. In October 1690 he petitioned the General Court for a divorce, which was denied. Elizabeth was unquestionably eccentric and irresponsible and was considered "not guilty by reason of insanity" of the charges against her. The following year Richard renewed his petition alleging that she was unfaithful to him. [There was a history of mental instability in the Tuttle family and Elizabeth as well as three others of her brother's and sisters suffered from dementia and extreme deviation from normal behavior.]

In spite of all this, Elizabeth was not entirely at fault for it appears that Richard Edwards had already selected her successor over three years before he obtained his divorce ... Mary Talcott. Mary Talcott and Edwards were BOTH fined by the Court for "fornication" in 1688.

Even though his marriage to Elizabeth Tuttle was extremely difficult and tragic, he still managed to have 7 children by her. One of whom was Timothy, father of Jonathan Edwards.

Timothy Edwards was born at Hartford, Conn and died at Windsor, Conn. He married at Northampton, Mass. 6 Nov. 1694, ESTHER STODDARD, born at Northampton 2 June 1672, died at East Windsor, Conn, 19 Jan.1770. Daughter of Rev. Solomon Stoddard and Esther Warham Mather Stoddard. 

He graduated at Harvard College in 1691 with the degrees of B. A. and M. A. He taught school in Northampton, Mass and studied theology under the Rev. Solomon Stoddard. Immediately after his marriage Edwards became pastor of the new parish of East Windsor although he was not ordained until May 1698. Here he remained until his death in 1758. His will shows that he had given substantial dowries to his daughters at marriage and the remainder of his estate inventoried at only L 238.16.11. He had educated his only son Jonathan at college. The cost of raising and maintaining so many daughters must have been considerable, and most of them did not marry at as early an age as was then usual.

"Richard Edwards and Catherine Pond May" , pp 13-26. This reference cannot be completely relied upon as there are glaring discrepancies compared to other sources especially in the case of who the first Richard Edwards of England actually was. Since the other sources all agree on him, this record will have to be discounted.

FAMILY OF JONATHAN EDWARDS

Jonathan Edwards was born October 5th 1703, the son of Timothy

and Esther Edwards of Windsor, Conn, and died of small pox, March 22,

1758. His wife was Sarah Pierpont, 1710-1758. They had 11 children:

Sarah (Parsons) 1728-1805, Jerusha 1730-1747, Esther (Burr) 1732-1758,

Mary (Dwight) 1734-1807, Lucy (Woodbridge) 1736-1786, Timothy 1738-1813,

Susannah (Porter) 1740-1802, Eunice (Hunt) 1743-1822, Jonathan 1745-1801,

Elizabeth 1747-1762, Pierpont 1750-1826.

Sarah Edwards 1728-1805, daughter of Jonathan Edwards and Sarah

Pierpont, was married to Elihu Parsons June 11,1750. They had eleven

children, one of whom was Sarah, born September 8, 1760, and who married

David Ingersoll of Lee, December 13, 1781.

Sarah (Parsons) and David Ingersoll had 13 children, one of whom

was their 12th child Moses Ingersoll, who married Charissa Hooker.

Moses and Charissa Ingersoll had 4 sons and 4 daughters, and one

of the daughters named Rachel married Elihu Ward, Sept. 10, 1834.

Rachel and Elihu Ward had 7 children: Cordelia Harriet born Jan. 9,

1838 (aunt Cordelia), Henry Marshal died in infancy, Mary Charissa

born July 6, 1842 (Grandma Watt), Henry-died at 2 and 1/2 years, Florence-

died in infancy, Kate Arloine born May 5, 1854 (aunt Kate Walbridge),

Frank Curtis born March 15, 1860 (uncle Frank). Cordelia Ward

married John Patch Oct. 25, 1859. They had 3 children: Fred Herbert

born Sept. 29, 1860, Mary Josephine born June 19, 1867, Chellis

Arthur born Oct. 1, 1871.

Mary Charissa Ward married Charles R. Watt. They had 2 sons and 2

daughters: Addie Louise, Aug. 18, 1867, Chauncy Ward Watt born Jan. 14,

1872, Elihu Deforest Watt born June 7, 1874, Jessie Watt born June 30, 1878.

Addie Louise Watt married Francis Marion Ferris, whose name by birth

was Francis Marion Edwards (the only son of William Henry Edwards of Salem,

Iowa) who enlisted in 1861 as a private in Co. D, 14th Regiment Iowa Volun-

teer Regiment and died in service at Savannah, Tenn., May 28 1862). His

name was changed to Ferris by legal adoption. Born May 17, 1860, adopted

in 1865 by George E. and Sarah C. Ferris of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Addie

Louise Watt and Francis Marion Ferris were married Jan. 19, 1886. Their

children were:

Generations:

Jonathan Edwards was president of Princeton (N. Jersey College)

when he died. His daughter, Esther Burr, was the mother of Aaron Burr,

vice-president of the United States etc. His daughter, Mary Dwight,

was the mother of Rev. Timothy Dwight, president of Yale College. His

son, Jonathan Edwards, was president of Union College, Schenectady.

Charles R. Watt (husband of Mary Charissa Ward) came from Dundee,

Scotland.

Do not have anything showing the connection between the family of

Timothy Edwards (father of Jonathan) and the John Edwards of Sag Harbor,

Long Island. I have heard my father tell about his visit to relatives

in the east and visiting the homestead at Sag Harbor when it was still

in existence and in good repair. I remember a cousin, Alice Raymond,

visiting us in Sioux City, Iowa and having scarlet fever while there.

Also remember him mentioning other relatives as Cousin Minnie Edwards etc.

The Children of John Edwards, Sag Harbor, Long Island

Edwards and grandfather of Francis Marion Ferris (Born Francis Marion

Edwards)

 ^* [Note from Byron: The full name is Joseph Alfred Edwards. We now have more information

and a city called Hays was incorporated about 1860.]

The following is a copy of the Family Record, in his own hand-writing in the Family Bible:

"Jonathan Edwards, son of Timothy and Esther Edwards of Windsor, in Connecticut.

" I was born October 5th, 1703.

" I was ordained at North Hampton, Feb. 15, 1729.

" I was married to Miss Sarah Pierpont, July 28th, 1727.

" My wife was born January 9th, 1710.

" My daughter Sarah, was born on Sabbath day, between 2 and 3 o’clock, in the

afternoon, August 25, 1728.

" My daughter Jerusha, was born on a Sabbath day, toward the conclusion of the

afternoon exercises, April 26, 1730.

" My daughter Esther, was born on a Sabbath day, between 9 and 10 o’clock,

in the forenoon, Feb. 13, 1732.

" My daughter Mary, was born April 7, 1734, being Sabbath day, the sun being

about an hour and a half high, in the morning.

" My daughter Lucy, war born on Tuesday, the last day of August, 1736, between

2 and 3 o’clock, in the morning.

" My son Timothy, was born on Tuesday, July 25, 1738, between 6 and 7 o’clock, A.M.

" My daughter Susannah, was born on Friday, June 30, 1710, about 3 in the morning.

All the family above mentioned, had the Measles at the latter end of the year 1740.

" My daughter Eunice, was born on Monday morning May 9, 1743, about half an

hour after midnight, and was baptized the Sabbath following.

" My son Jonathan, was born on a Sabbath day night May 26, 1745, between 9 and

10 o’clock and was baptized the Sabbath following.

" My daughter Jerusha, Sabbath, Feb. 14, 1747, 5 o’clock A.M. Aged 17.

" My daughter Elizabeth, was born on Wednesday, May 6, 1747, between 10 and

11 o’clock at night, and was baptized the Sabbath following.

" My son Pierpont, was born Sabbath night, April 8, 1750, between 8 and 9 o’clock,

and was baptized the Sabbath following.

" I was dismissed from my pastoral relation to the first church in North Hampton, June 22, 1750.

" My daughter Sarah, was married to Mr. Elihu Parsons, June 11, 1750.

" My daughter was married to Timothy Dwight, Esq., of North Hampton, Nov. 8, 1750.

" My daughter Esther was married to the Rev. Aaron Burr, of Newark, June 29, 1752.

" Mr. Burr, aforesaid, President of the New Jersey College, died at Princeton, Sept. 24,

1757, of the Nervous Fever. Mr. Burr was born Jan. 4, 1715.

" I was properly initiated President of New Jersey College, by taking the previous

oaths, Feb. 12, 1758. "

___________________

Rev. Jonathan Edwards, President of Nassau Hall, died of the Small Pox, March 22,

1758, and was buried March 24.

Esther Burr, wife of Rev. Aaron Burr, died at Princeton, April 7, 1758, of a short

illness, aged 26.

Sarah Edwards, wife of Jonathan Edwards, died Oct. 2, 1758, and was buried at

Princeton the day following.

Elizabeth Edwards, daughter of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards, died at North

Hampton, Jan. 1, 1762, aged 14.

Lucy Woodbridge, died at Stockbridge, in October, 1786, aged 50.

Rev. Jonathan Edwards, D.D., died at Schenectady, August 1, 1801, aged 56.

Susannah Porter died at Hadley, in the spring of 1802, aged 61.

Sarah Parsons, died at Goshen, Mass., May 15, 1805, aged 76.

Mary Dwight, died at Northampton, February, 1807, aged 72.

Timothy Edwards, died at Stockbridge, in the autumn of 1813, aged 75.

Eunice Hunt, died at Newborn, N.C., in the autumn of 1822, aged 79.

Pierpont Edwards, died at Bridgeport, April 14, 1826, aged 76.

_______________

I. Elihu Parsons, Esq. Married Sarah Edwards June 11, 1750. They lived at

Stockbridge and afterwards at Goshen.

1. Ebenezer, died in infancy.

2. Esther, born May 7, 1752; died at Stockbridge, Nov. 7, 1774.

3. Elihu, born Dec. 9, 1753; married Rhoda Thinsdale of Lennox. He died at

Goshen in August, 1804. They had 6 children.

4. Eliphalet, born Jan 1756;married Martha Young, of Long Island. He died at

Chanango, N.Y. in Jan. 1813. They had five children.

5. Lydia, born Jan. 15, 1757; married Aaron Ingersoll, of Lee. They had four children.

6. Lucretia, born Aug. 1759; married Rev. Justin Parsons, of Pittsfield, VT.

She died at Goshen, Dec 1786. They had one child.

7. Sarah, born September, 8, 1760; married David Ingersoll, of Lee,

December 13, 1781. They had thirteen children.

8. Lucy, born October 14, 1762; married Joshua Ketchum. They had three children.

9. Jonathan, died an infant.

10. Jerusha, died an infant.

11. Jerusha, born May 1766, married Ira Seymour of Victor, N.Y. They had five children.

_________________________

II. Jerusha, died unmarried at the age of 17.

________________

III. Rev. Aaron Burr, married Esther Edwards, June 29, 1752.

They lived at Newark and Princeton.

1. Sarah, born May 3, 1754, married Hon. Tapping Reeve, of Litchfield, CT.

They had 1 child--Aaron Burr Reeve.

2. Hon. Aaron Burr, Vice President of the United States, born Feb. 6, 1756;

married Mrs. Theodosia Prevost. They had one daughter.

________________

IV. Timothy Dwight, Esq., married Mary Edwards, Nov. 8, 1750. They lived

at North Hampton. He died at Natchez in 1776; and she in February 1807 at

North Hampton. They had thirteen children.

1. Rev. Timothy Dwight, D.D. L.L.D., President of Yale College, born May 14, 1752;

married Mary the daughter of Benjamin Woolsey, Esq., of Dorsons, L.I. they had 7

children. He died at New Haven, January 11, 1817.

2. Sereno Edwards Dwight, M.D. born 1753, married Miss Lyman. They had two

children. He was lost at sea on the coast of Nova Scotia, in 1779.

3. Jonathan Dwight, born 1775 married Miss Wright. They had two children. He died

180?.

4. Erastus Dwight, born 1756; died unmarried in 1825.

5. Maurice Dwight, M.D. born in 1758; married Margaret DeWitt. They had two children.

6. Sarah, born May 27, 1760; married Seth Storrs, of North Hampton. She died at

North Hampton in 1805.

7. Hon. Theodore Dwight, born in 1762; married Abbie Alsoss. They had three children.

8. Mary, born in 1764; married Lewis R. Morris.

9. Delia, born in1766; married Jon Edwards Porter, Esq. They had three children.

10. Nathaniel Dwight, M.D. born 1769; married Miss Robbins. They had four children.

11. Elizabeth, born in 1771; married Wm. W. Woolsey, Esq. They had eight children.

She died at N. Haven in the autumn of 1812.

12. Cecil Dwight, born June 10, 1774; married Mary Clapp. They had eleven children.

13. Henry Edwin Dwight, born in 1776; married Electa Keyes. They had six children.

_______________

V. Jahaled Woodbridge, Esq.; married Lucy Edwards June 1764. They lived in Stockbridge.

They had seven children.

1. Jonathan Woodbridge, Esq. born 1766; married Sarah Meach, eight children.

2. Stephen Woodbridge, born 1768.

3. Joseph Woodbridge, Esq. Born 1770; married Louisa Hopkins. They had four children.

4. Lucy, born in 1772; married Henry Brown. They had nine or ten children.

5. John Woodbridge, Esq.

6. Sarah; married a Mr. Leicester of Griswold, CT they had five children.

7. Rev. TimothyWoodbridge, of Green River, N.Y.

________________

VI. Hon. Timothy Edwards; married Rhoda Ogden, Sept. 25, 1760. They lived in Stockbridge.

Children, 15, two died young.

1. Sarah 2. Edward 3. Jonathan 4. Richard 5. Phebe 6. William 7. Robert Odgen

8.Timothy 9. Mary Odgen 10. Rhoda 11. Mary 12. Anna 13. Robert

_______________

VII. Eleazer Porter, Esq.; married Susannah Edwards, Sept. 1761. They lived at

Hadley, they had five children.

1. Eleazer 2. William 3. Jonathan Edwards 4. Moses 5. Pierpont

_______________

VIII.ThosPollock, Esq.; married Eunice Edwards, January 1764. They lived

at Elizabethtown, N.J., five children.

1. Elizabeth; married M. Williams Esq.

2. Hester, died unmarried

3. Thomas Pollock

4.Frances married John Deveraux, three children

5. George Pollock, Esq.

_______________

IX. Rev. Jonathan Edwards, D.D., President of the Union College; married

Sarah Porter in 1770. They lived at New Haven and Schenectady, Four children, one died young.

1. Mary; married Mr. Hoit of Schenectady

2. Jonathan Walter Edwards, Esq.; married Elizabeth Togen

3. Jerusha; married Rev. Calvin Chapin, D.D. of Stepney.

_______________

X. Elizabeth, died unmarried at the age of 14.

________________

XI. Hon. Pierpont Edwards, Esq. married Francis Odgen, May 1769.

They lived at New Haven. Children, 10 of whom 4 died in infancy.

1. Susan; married Samuel W. Johnson, Esq. they had six children.

2. Hon. John Starkes Edwards; married Louise Morris, three children.

3. Hon. Odgen Edwards; married Harriet Penfield, ten children.

4. Alfred Edwards; married Deborah Glover.

5. Henriette Frances; married Eli Whitney, Esq. four children.

Note: On the lower margin of the fourth and last page of the very old printed

copy of the Family record f rom which printed copy all of the foregoing record is

taken verbatim, appears the following in writing:

"Accept this as a token of and veneration I hold for our departed ancestors."

"Paste this part on the back leaf of your Bible and it will be in the form of a map"

This note was written by Mrs. Eliza J. Hall of Augusta, Ill. To Mr. Moses Ingersoll,

the great grandson of President Jonathan Edwards through his daughter Sarah.

The printed copy of the family record above mentioned came into my hands in

November, 1891, from Mrs. Lydia T. Gardner of Warsaw, Ill., the daughter of

Mr. Moses Ingersoll. The printed leaflet was so very aged that it fell apart of its own weight.

The following partial family record is written from the knowledge of descendants

now living, December 1891.

_______________

David Ingersoll (of Lee); married Sarah Parsons, daughter of Sarah Edwards,

December 13, 1781. They had 13 children, one of whom was Moses Ingersoll,

their 12th child who married Miss Charissa Hooker.

Moses Ingersoll married Charissa Hooker, had four daughters , Mary, Harriette,

Lydia and Rachel and four sons, Judson, Curtis, William and Charles.

_______________

XIII. Lydia Ingersoll; married Daniel A. Gardner, had four children, Charles,

Fred, Kittie and George.

_______________

XIV. Rachel Ingersoll; married Elihu Ward September 10, 1834, had seven children.

1. Cordelia Harriett Ward, born January 9, 1838.

2. Henry Marshal Ward, born…….died in infancy.

3. Mary Charissa Ward, born July 6, 1842.

4. Harley Ward, born Nov. 4, 1850, died at the age of 2 ½ yrs.

5. Florence Ward, born…….died an infant.

6. Kate Arloine Ward, born May 5, 1854.

7. Frank Curtis Ward, born March 15, 1860.

_______________

XV. Cordelia Ward; married John Patch October 25, 1859. They had three children.

1. Fred Herbert Patch, born Sept. 29, 1860.

2. Chellis Arthur Patch, born Oct. 1, 1871.

_______________

XVI Mary Charissa Ward, married Charles R. Watt, August 30, 1866. They had four children.

1. Addie Louise, born Aug. 18, 1867.

2. Chauncey Ward Watt, born Jan. 14, 1872.

3. Elihu De Forest Watt, born June 7, 1874.

4. Jessie Watt, born June 30, 1878.

_______________

XVII. Addie Louise Watt; married Francis Marion Ferris, whose name was by birth,

Francis Marion Edwards, the only son of William Henry Edwards of Salem, Iowa who

enlisted in 1861 as a Private in Company D. 14th. Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry,

and died in the service at Savannah, Tenn., May 28, 1869. His name was changed to

Francis Marion Ferris by legal adoption born May 17th, 1860. He was adopted in

1865 by George E. and Sarah C. Ferris of Mt. Pleasant Iowa. They had four children.

1. Lillian May, born Nov. 16, 1886.

2. Charles Francis, born Nov. 27, 1887.

3. Marion Raymond, born December 5, 1889.

4. "Baby" born May 30, 1891.

Dated Sioux City, Iowa, December 10, 1891.

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