John Edwards was born in 1762 at Wales, a son of John Robert Edwards and Mary Williams.  Shortly after his birth, his parents departed Wales for America.  Wales was experiencing an influx of migrants due to the Industrial Revolution, but there were many native Welsh leaving to seek religious freedom, including Quakers and other non-conformists.  The reason the family left Wales is not known, however; it was likely to find a better life and the freedom to worship as they chose.

John was an infant believed to be approximately three months of age when his parents left Wales on their way to America.  John Robert Edwards died during the voyage in 1763.  Little is known about their experiences upon arrival at Pennsylvania.  John’s mother, Mary, died about 1769 when he was about seven years of age.  John was placed by the local court with a family that mistreated him.  He was taken by a neighbor who found him malnourished and abused to a home with a family whose name is not known.  It is family folklore it may have been William Jackson, a cousin of Andrew Jackson, who relocated John.  Alternatively, it may have been or William Jackson and Temperance who took John in until he left to serve in the Revolutionary War. 

John Edwards’ experience in the Revolutionary War began when he was near the age of 16 or 17 years.  It is recorded that he was out caring for cattle when a party of young men passed his way.  It is not certain if the members of that party were already uniformed soldiers or if they were a group of young men going to enlist.  It is thought they were members of the regiment coming from their winter encampment at Valley Forge, looking for recruits.  The result of the encounter was John accompanying the group to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he enlisted and served almost five years, until October 1783.

Military service for John began at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as a Drummer in Captain Van Swearingen’s Company of Colonel Daniel Broadhead's Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment.   At that time, the regiment was reassigned to the Western Department with the mission to protect the Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia frontiers from Indian invasions.  Two major campaigns for the regiment included the Iroquois campaigns of 1778 and 1779.  According to Pennsylvania records, the regiment consolidated with the Second Pennsylvania Regiment, January 17, 1781, and ceased to exist.  The British surrendered to the Continental Army, October 19, 1781, at the conclusion of the Battle of Yorktown, which was the last battle of the Revolutionary War.

John also served in Captain Clark's Company, but it is not known if it was before or after the consolidation with the Second Pennsylvania Regiment.  It was reorganized, January 1, 1783 at Lancaster, consisting of seven companies in the Middle (Main) Department and two companies in the Western Department.  The regiment was furloughed, June 11, 1783, at Philadelphia with two companies remaining active at Fort Pitt.  It is thought John was part of those two companies at Fort Pitt since his enlistment ended when the regiment was disbanded, November 15, 1783, at Pittsburgh versus with the main regiment at Philadelphia.

John continued to serve with the regiment for two years after the last battle ay York Town.  On September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris officially ended the Revolutionary War.  The British evacuated New York, November 25, 1783.  John’s service ended a month prior to General George Washington resigning his position as the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.   The family folklore is that John found a home in the Army that he had never experienced in his youth and stayed with “his new family” until the disbandment of his unit.

John Edwards’ activities between his discharge, November 15, 1783, and the first record of his arrival at Kentucky are not known.  He may have returned to the family farm where he lived prior to enlisting, and then traveled to Kentucky with a larger group, which was commonplace.  Kentucky was a popular destination beginning in the 1750s.  Some of the land at Kentucky was granted to Revolutionary War veterans in payment for their services, and more was available for purchase at low cost.  There is no record that John accepted a land grant in Kentucky.

John Edwards married Mary Jane Jackson, March 29, 1790, at Fayette County, Kentucky.  Mary was born in 1770 at Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a daughter of William Jackson and Temperance.  Mary was a first cousin of Andrew Jackson who was the seventh President of the United States.  

John and Mary lived at Boonesborough, Fayette County, Kentucky, and later moved to Somerset, Pulaski County.  It is thought John and Mary had 12 children, some of whom did not survive to adulthood.  The living children included named in Edwards’ Revolutionary War pension application included:  John, Jesse, Polly, David, Drewry, Margaret, Rebecca, Martha Patsy, Joel, and Nancy.1

In the summer of 1829, John and Mary lived at Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky, at which time John was 67 years of age and Mary was aged 59 years.  Due to the religious views of many families in the area and their opposition to slavery, a large group, including John and Mary, left their homes at Kentucky and moved to Indiana.  

John Edwards died April 18, 1836, at Kurtz, Jackson County, Indiana, aged 75 years.²  Mary Jane Jackson Edwards died in January of 1846 at Kurtz, Jackson County, Indiana, aged 76 years.  They had nine surviving children and countless grandchildren.  John and Mary settled with other family members at Jackson County, near Kurtz, Indiana, where they were buried.  A government headstone with John Edwards’ name along with original stone is all that marks their graves.

References:

1.  Revolutionary War Pension S*W8685.

2.  http://www.indgensoc.org/membersonly/military/rev_war/vets_burials_results.php