The headstone for Edmond "Tobe" Edwards records that he was born in 1856, while the 1900 census states that he was born in June 1867 (which makes a little more sense). "Tobe" was a son of Wood Grove & Lacy (Martin) Edwards. He was born in the Mora (Pronounced locally as Morie) and Devil's Swamp Area of Rapides Parish, Louisiana; de Mora was a prominent familial name in the area from Spanish Colonial times. His headstone is also in error on the death date. This was confirmed by newspaper articles in The Town Talk and Weekly Town Talk from Alexandria.

Tobe's father, "Wood Grove" or "Mr. Grow", was a Private, Co. G, 26th LA Infantry (Prudhomme Guards); His uncles-Mitchel, Smith and Hiram-were also in the Confederate Army; Smith [Private, Co. B, (Gray's) 28th LA Inf] would be tried for murder along with a Brossett woman and sentenced to the LA State Penitentiary where he would die. The Brossett served but one hour and was thence released.

***Note: There is no documentation or "proof" that I have seen to support "Gervious" as Joe Edwards' middle name. Should someone wish to share that proof with me, I'd appreciate the opportunity to correct my mistake.

According to family stories, Grove developed health problems while working on fortifications at Vicksburg in Mississippi; he walked with a cane later in life. Josephine (Richey) Edwards's father was also a Private in the 26th LA Infantry; he was in Co. C (Assumption Creoles); there were also Martins in Co. C. "Tobe"'s mother, Lacy (Martin) Edwards, had a brother that was a Private, Co. C, (J. D. Shelley's) 11th Battalion, LA Infantry; his name was Needham Martin; Needham was listed as a deserter (absent 13 days), later present and then as dead on 1 Feb 1863.

Tobe's grandfather was Josiah/Joseph Edwards. He was listed as Joseph Edouard-Slectre in Catholic Baptismal Records from Natchitoches. The name Slectre is said by some to be a version of Slater that was lost in translation between three languages. However, it is also highly likely a version of Chelette/Chlectre/Schlette which is a name married in among the family that goes back to the German Coast families near Destrahan and Des Allemandes close to New Orleans. That name was originally Chlede from Toul and the Alsace area of France near Switzerland. Joseph Edwards was listed in the census as being from Virginia. Some people have associated him with the migration to Louisiana of John Carnahan and Isaiah Slater Esq. Joseph's wife is know as Marie Elise Aragon DeRouen. The DeRouen came from her mother's remarriage to Etiene DeRouen; the name "DeRouen" could also be DelRio in a French bastardization - it is also associated with some of the natives in the area and was said to be an Apalachee chief's name in some records I have seen at the courthouse. Possibly, her last name was mistranslated and recorded as it changes quite a few times in the Natchitoches Catholic records. However, there are familial DNA matches corresponding with Spanish Colonial settlement areas in which there were Aragons present in Texas, New Mexico and throughout the Rio Grande Valley. There were certainly Aragons around San Miguel de Linares de Los Adaes, Nacogdoches District and Villa San Fernando de Bexar. At least one was from Lima, Peru.

Tobe was a farmer and moonshine man. The alcohol that was being distilled in that part of the country was reputed to be among the finest. Devil's Swamp was known for its quality distilling. There are said to be families that removed to the Louisiana Territory following the brutal treatment of citizens during the Whiskey Rebellion. If memory serves, the group that stole the land from the Tensas and made Alexandria had amongst their numbers folks affected by the Whiskey Rebellion.

Tobe lived hard. He was said to have been selling moonshine to a group of black men one day and shot one of them for complaining about the price; this is yet unconfirmed. It could also be an example of why the jury acquitted Henry Rachal so quickly. My grandmother told me that his second wife, "Bess", was arguing with him once and threw hot grease in his face.

Tobe bled to death 11 May 1927 after a fight with his neighbor and cousin, Henry Rachal, who was described as 30 years old and missing his right hand at the wrist. The fight occurred due to Rachal's hog coming on to Tobe's and his son-in-law's property and causing damage; it was probably after corn used for the stills. This had happened more than once, and Tobe threatened Rachal about the hog. The son-in-law was Bill Frazier. After Tobe was stabbed in the vicinity of his heart, he stumbled about twenty-five paces and lived for another thirty minutes before dying. Henry Rachal was acquitted for the killing in November 1927. The jury took fifteen minutes to decide.

Later, in February 1928, Henry Rachal was shot down at a dance near Clarence, LA. Though Ernest Ellis and Edward Friedieu were charged, arrested, and sentenced to jail for the killing, there are other theories on the matter. It is rumored by some that Henry's murder was a settling of the score by Clarence and Simon Edwards (Tobe's sons) for the killing of Tobe.

In an interesting side note, through DNA study, it appears that the problematic tracing of the Edwards family genealogy backward from Joe Edwards (b.1795) could be due to the family name not actually being Edwards. In comparing data, one of the Edwards males from this direct paternal line has matched 167 markers to the Maddox family name while matching almost 0 to the Edwards family groups. There may have been an adoption, name change due to criminal activity, affair, or any number of possibilities.

Wilton Hudgens

Sources:
-The Elizabeth Shown-Mills Translations of Colonial Records
-1850 Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, US Federal Census
-1860 Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, US Federal Census
-1900 Mora, Rapides Parish, Louisiana, US Federal Census
-C.S.A. Records
-Family stories and interviews
-The Town Talk (Alexandria, LA), Wed, 15 Nov 1927, p.2
-The Town Talk (Alexandria, LA), Wed, 22 Feb 1928, p.3
-Weekly Town Talk (Alexandria, LA), Sat, 14 May 1927, p.1-2, 4
-Weekly Town Talk (Alexandria, LA), Sat, 25 Feb 1928, p.5

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Father: Wood Grove Edwards b: 10 MAY 1841 in Flatwoods, Rapides, Louisiana
Mother: Lacy Martin b: ABOUT 1840 in Sabine Parish, Louisiana

Marriage 1 Josephine Richey b: 5 MAR 1869
Children
1. Edmond Edwards b: 18 MAY 1880
2. Viola Edwards b: 2 MAY 1892
3. Beulah Edwards b: 11 AUG 1894
4. John E. Clarence Edwards b: 31 JUL 1897 (Mar 1897 per 1900 census)
5. Simon David Edwards b: 9 JAN 1899

Marriage 2 Elizabeth (Bessie) Walters b: 30 MAR 1885
Children
1. Archie Edwards b: 28 FEB 1913
2. B. F. Edwards b: 27 MAY 1916
3. O. B. Edwards b: 28 JUN 1918
4. Alvie Edwards b: 4 NOV 1922
5. Duffie Edwards b: 21 JUN 1926