My Genealogy Hound

Wiley Marshal Edwards, a leading farmer, was born in Wilson County, Tenn., January 8, 1836, where he was reared and received his limited education. In 1859, while yet unmarried, he started West to seek his fortune, locating in Sharp County, Ark., where he has since resided. His parents were Michael and Sarah (Bennett) Edwards, who were born in Tennessee in 1812 and 1815, respectively, his father having died in 1886 in Tennessee, where he had always resided, with the exception of 1871 and 1872, when he was in Arkansas; the mother of Wiley died in Tennessee in 1876. His grandfather, William Edwards, was a native of South Carolina, but came to Tennessee in an early day. In this family there were seven children, four of whom are living: Sarah (residing in Tennessee), Rebecca (residing in Tennessee), Robert H. (residing in Jackson County, Ark.), and the subject of this sketch, who was the second child. In June, 1861, Mr. Edwards enlisted in the Confederate Army, Company E, Twenty-first Arkansas Regiment, under Capt. Nunn. and served for four years, participating in the battle of Corinth, Miss. At the close of the war he returned to Sharp County, and married Mrs. Maria (Simson) Barnett, a widow, in 1874; she was born on the farm where our subject now resides, in 1849, and died in 1879. By this marriage there were three children, John B., Marshall W., William O. In 1880 he married Anna Lock, a native of Tennessee, she having been born in 1858. They have six children: James C., George, Etta, Orra and two not named. Mr. Edwards has 800 acres of land, about 200 cultivated, located on Strawberry River. This is a fine stock farm. Mr. Edwards is a member of Maxville Masonic Lodge, and is a Democrat, having cast his first vote for Gen. Scott.