Son of Jefferson & Louisa (Cockrell) Edwards∼In 1850 John Joseph Edwards lived with his parents, Jefferson and Louisa (Crockrell) Edwards, in Farmers Ck. Twp, Jackson Co. IA. He was aged 4 yrs, b.c. 1846, OH, In 1856 he was still in Farmers Crk Twp, aged 10 yrs, single, b. IA. Little is known about his early years in Jackson Co. IA. He lived and worked on the family farm and attended the one-room schoolhouse. The extent of his education is unknown, but he could read, speak and write English.
At age sixteen, John and his brother, Peter Edwards, swam across the Missouri River. The two brothers were going up the North Platte River, south of the Black Hills, and across the Powder River to Yellowstone and on to Virginia City MT to pan for gold in Alder Gulch and also to care for the Overland Mail and Express routing on the Oregon Trail. Later the two brothers separated, John J. returned to Iowa with his filled gold pouches tied on a strong rope slung across his shoulders and hidden beneath his shirt and heavy jacket. He went back to Iron Hill, Jackson Co. IA and brought farmland. (Info: Theodore R. Wendell, grandson)
John J. is missing from the 1860 Jackson Co. IA Census. Circa 1862 he and Peter were working for the Overland Company in MT. Peter married Melissa Jane Edwards. They had at least eight children born in Madison Co. MT. The family moved to Virginia City, Iron Rod, Rochester, Madison Co, MT.
John Joseph Edwards, b. 23 May 1846, Iron Hills, Farmers Creek, Jackson Co. IA., d. 19 Feb. 1930, Mercy Hosp., Cedar Rpds. IA, bur: Oak Hills Cem., m1) 3 Jan 1866, Cobb House, Jackson Co. IA, to Mrs. Sarah (Clark) Batey, b.c. 1845, CAN., d. in childbirth, in 1867, ae 22 yrs. bur: in Jackson Co. IA on the Tracey Farm by her first husband, Alfred Baty, Civil War Vet. The cemetery is located in Section 11, Brandon Twp, Jackson Co. IA., in the S.W. 1/4 of the S.E. 1/4 that was owned by Sarah's parents, Azariah and his wife, Anna (Service) Clark.
John Joseph Edwards, m2) 13 Mar. 1869, at the O.P. Butterworth Home, Brandon Twp, Jackson co. IA, to Mary Francis Conley b. 2 Dec. 1850, Iron Hills, Jackson Co. IA., d. ae. 29 yrs, 17 Aug. 1880, Iron Hill, Jackson Co. IA, bur: Willison Cem., Farmers Creek Twp, Jackson Co. IA, dau of Irish Catholic, John Conley of Garry Owen ? Ireland, and his wife, Bridget Sheridan - Riley ? of PA.
John Joseph and Mary Wallace were married,1 April 1882, Farmers Creek Twp. Jackson Co. IA,. Three more children, Lydia Ann,1888, Martha O.,1892, and Richard W. in 1892, would be born into the family.