This blog post was originally written ten years ago and I refreshed it for the #52Weeks Blog Challenge Prompt - Siblings.
My 3rd great grandfather HUGH H. EDWARDS was born in Kentucky in 1821 and married in Simpson County, Kentucky about 1848 to MARY HILTON. They are listed in the 1850 Simpson County, Kentucky census with their three-month-old daughter, Mary Jane. The couple moved to Williamson County, Illinois sometime between 1851 and 1856.
Hugh and Mary had eight children, five of whom were daughters. Their daughters' marital trails proved to be interesting, complex, and confusing, partly because they married each other's husbands! Below is what I think is the tale of their marriages, with their brothers thrown in for good measure. [The underlined are the men who married more than one sister.]
Mary Jane Edwards was born June 1850 in Simpson County,
Kentucky. She married Rufus Parker on 8 April 1866 in Williamson County, Illinois. Mary Jane died on 2 October 1907, freeing up her husband Rufus to marry her sister Jemima.
Jemima Edwards was born December 1851 in Simpson County, Kentucky. She married 1) David Winton Dunn, on 5 June 1879 in Williamson County, Illinois. They likely divorced by 1899 (Dr. Dunn went on to
marry once or twice more). 2) James Davenport, on 20 June 1899 in Williamson County,
Illinois. (He was husband of deceased Louisa A. Edwards) 3rd: 1908 Rufus B
Parker (He was the husband of the deceased Mary Jane Edwards.) Jemima married two of her late sister’s husbands and collected Civil War Widow's pensions from both.
Louisa A. Edwards was born in 1859 in Williamson County, Illinois.
She married 1) James
Forbes 16 May 1878 in Williamson County,
Illinois. 2) James
Davenport, 24 December 1888 in Williamson County, IL. Louisa
appears to have died before 1899, leaving her husband James free to marry her
sister Jemima.
America Elvira Edwards was born in 1861 in Williamson County, Illinois. She married Samuel
Minter Beasley on 25 February 1863
in Williamson County, Illinois, and died in June 1917. She appears to have had only one husband, and he appears to have married only one sister. Her brother Henry Scott Edwards did, however, marry a family connection.
Lucy Margaret Edwards was born in June 1872 in Williamson County, Illinois. She married Robert Summers on 25 October 1893 in Williamson County, Illinois. Lucy died on 14 November 1930, having had only one marriage.
Lest you think the boys didn't have some interesting marriages....
Richard Edwards was born in May 1856 in Williamson County,
Illinois. He married Martha S. Rains, 6 June
1875 Williamson County. She was the daughter of John
Rains and Elizabeth Armes.
Sylvester Edwards was born on 18 March 1861 in Williamson County, Illinois. He married Sarah F. Rains, about 1886 in
Williamson County. She was also the daughter of John Rains and Elizabeth Armes.
Sylvester and his brother Richard married sisters. Sarah died about 1896 and Sylvester married a second time.
Henry Scott Edwards was born in March 1870 in Williamson County, Illinois. He married Nora Beasley on 4 April 1894 in
Williamson County. Nora was the daughter of Wilburn Beasley, who was the
brother to the above Samuel Beasley who married Elvira Edwards.
Why did these siblings do so much intermarrying? They lived in a small area of Williamson County, likely attending the same schools and churches. As a close-knit family, they didn't look far for spouses.
I figured they lived in a small town or out in the country where the choice of spouses was small. Plus, once you know the family, you know the people.
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