My Genealogy Hound

EDMONDS, THOMAS W. farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 23, P.O. Carrollton. Mr. Edmonds is a native of Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio; born on the 12th of April, 1811; he was not five years of age when his parents, Sanford and Elizabeth Edmonds, moved to Kentucky, there remaining four years, when they returned to Ohio, where Thomas became apprenticed to the trade of a cabinet maker; serving his apprenticeship he became a skillful workman, and was soon transacting a successful business as proprietor of an establishment of his own. While a resident of Cleremont, Ohio, he united his fortunes to Miss Sarah Wood, on the 17th of January, 1832. Shortly after his marriage Mr. Edmonds turned his attention to the buying and shipping of horses to the city of New Orleans. On one occasion, having disposed of a drove at a handsome profit, exchanging paper currency for silver, the steamer McFarland, on board of which he was a passenger, was run into by the Danube; the loss of life was great, and during the struggle for life the money heretofore mentioned sunk beneath the waters of the Mississippi; fortunately Mr. E. reached the shore in safety, during the dead hours of night, the circumstances surrounding the accident for many years remaining vividly impressed upon his memory. Moving to Indiana in 1840, Mr. E. turned his attention principally to his trade, that of cabinet making, although the Father of Waters still had its allurements, and he afterwards made other voyages to New Orleans. In 1862 Mr. Edmonds determined to make Greene County his future home, and accordingly, accompanied by his family, located in township 10, range 13, where a farm of 320 acres were purchased, and here he transacted a successful agricultural business until his removal to Carrollton, during the Spring of 1874. The total farm property of Mr. E. comprises 400 acres, and he ranks among the most successful farmers of Greene County. In 1842 he was deputy sheriff of Shelby County, Ind. The marriage above referred to was blessed with five children: Orange W., Thomas E., Francis C., Joseph S. and Mary E., deceased. Note the Anglo-Saxon Edmunds is interpreted defender of property. Observing, however, so great aptitude for mechanics in our family that even those farmers who have not learned a trade are accustomed to do much of their own carpenter work, I deduce the name Edmunds from the Latin ed mundus, which signifies master builder. Let every man so honorably entitled, build well and surely.