Saturday, November 2, 2013

Musical Husbands - or how the Edwards girls married each other's husbands!

My 3rd great grandfather was HUGH H. EDWARDS. He was born in Kentucky in 1821 and married in Simpson County KY 1848-1849 to MARY HILTON and they are listed in the 1850 Simpson County Kentucky census with their first child, M.J. Edwards, 3 months old. Hugh and Mary moved to Williamson County, Illinois sometime between 1851 and 1856.

Hugh and Mary had 8 children, 5 of whom were daughters. The daughter marital trails proved to be quite interesting, complex and confusing, partially because they married each other's husbands! Below is what I think is the tale of their marriages.

1. Mary Jane Edwards, Born June 1850 in Simpson County, Kentucky. Mary Jane married Rufus Parker, 8 April 1866 in Williamson County, IL. Mary Jane Parker died 2 October 1907 thus freeing up her husband Rufus to marry her sister Jemima.

2. Jemima Edwards, Born December 1851 in Simpson County Kentucky. Jemima married (I believe) 1st: David Winton Dunn , 5 June 1879 in Williamson County, Illinois. I believe they were divorced before 1899 (Dr. Dunn went on to marry once or twice more). 2nd: James Davenport, 20 June 1899 in Williamson County, Il. (Husband of deceased Louisa A. Edwards) 3rd: 1908 Rufus B Parker (husband of the deceased Mary Jane Edwards.)

3. Louisa A. Edwards. Born 1859 in Williamson County, Illinois. Louisa married 1st: James Oliver Williams 16 August 1879 in Williamson County, Illinois. 2nd: James Davenport, 24 December 1888 in Williamson County, IL. Louisa appears to have died before 1899 thus freeing her husband James up to marry her sister Jemima.

4. America Elvira Edwards. Born 1861 in Williamson County, IL. Elvira married Samuel Minter Beasley 25 February 1863 in Williamson County, Illinois. She died June 1917. She appears to have only had one husband and he appears to have married only the one sister. (See below for Henry Scott Edwards.)

5. Lucy Margaret Edwards, Born June 1872 in Williamson County, Illinois. Margaret married Robert Summers 25 October 1893 in Williamson County, IL. She died 14 November 1930 with only one marriage.

Lest you think the boys didn't have some interesting marriages....

1. Richard Edwards, b. May 1856 in Williamson County, Il. Married Martha S. Rains, 6 June 1875 Williamson Co. IL. She was the daughter of John Rains and Elizabeth Armes.

2. Sylvester Edwards, B. 18 March 1861 in Williamson Co. IL. Married Sarah F. Rains, about 1886 in Williamson Co. IL. She was the daughter of John Rains and Elizabeth Armes and the sister of Richard's wife. Sylvester later married someone named Mandy Edwards. Unsure who she was (apparently married previously to a Mr. Rogers.)

3. Henry Scott Edwards, B. March 1870 in Williamson Co. IL. Married Nora Beasley 4 April 1894 in Williamson Co. IL. I believe that Nora was the daughter of Wilburn Beasley, who was the brother to the above Samuel Beasley who married Elvira Edwards.

It would be interesting to understand why all these family intermarriages occurred. Apparently this was a close knit group to say the least.