William Edwards

William Edwards

Birth: Jul. 12, 1844

Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
Death: Nov. 2, 1927
Paragonah, Iron County, Utah, USA

William was the son of Sarah Morgan and David Edwards. He was the husband of Ann Elizabeth Robb Edwards. They were parents to nine children: William Robert Monroe, Sarah Ellen, Ann Caroline, David James, John Edward, Thomas Alexander, Morgan Bell, Horace Norman, and Norah Gladys.


Parowan Times
11/16/1927


WM. EDWARDS BURIED AT PARAGONAH

Special to the Times

Funeral services were held Sunday, November 6th, 1927 at Paragonah for William Edwards, who passed away on Friday before at the age of 83 years. There was a large attendence and an impressive meeting was held.

Born at Myrthirtydville, Glenmorganshire, Wales, Brother Edwards was among the first settlers to come to Paragonah, making his home there from the time he came to this country. He has always taken an active part in both Church and civic affairs, being a member of the first board of trustees after having helped to promote the incorporation of the town of Paragonah.

He took charge, as chorrister, of the Paragonah Ward Choir for about 35 years; was a good citizen and helped in every way possible for the progression and advancement of his community. He was an Indian War veteran. During the early settlement of Paragonah, a lot of his time was given for the defense of the settlers against Indian depredations.

Surviving him are his aged wife, Ann Edwards, six sons, William, David, John, Thomas, Morgan, and Horace, and one daughter, Mrs. Sarah E. Barton all of Paragonah. There are 24 grand children and six great grand children.

Speakers at the funeral were: Wm. P. Barton, Daniel Stones, Samuel Robb, Thomas Robinson, David Matheson (of Parowan), and Thomas W. Jones. Ethel Robb read his life's history; Ralph O. Jensen and Mary Orton of the Parowan Schools sang a duet, and Ray Stones played a violin solo.

William Edward Brand TE as recorded in "Marks and Brands"

Close up of Edwards Brand

Death Certificate for William Edwards

Monument for Ann Elizabeth Robb and William Edwards
Paragonah Cemetery, Paragonah, Utah

Sarah Ann Morgan Edwards

William Edwards mother, Sarah Ann Morgan Edwards.  I saw her gravesite while visiting the Paragonah Cemetery, and it always held my interest partially because of the enclosure, but I did not realize there was a family connection until recently. 

Burial Site of Sarah Ann Morgan Edwards
Paragonah Cemetery, Paragonah, Utah. 

 Birth: Jan. 14, 1819, Wales

Death: Nov. 7, 1901
Paragonah, Iron County, Utah, USA
Sarah Ann Morgan Edwards
1863 Glamorganshire, Wales
Husband: David Morgan
died 18 September 1863

May 1864 128th Sailing General B McClellan
Original pioneer, crossed the plains 1864
Traveled with young children from Wales to Utah Territory.
She did not stop at Brady's Bend, Pennsylvania to visit her parents who had immigrated the the Pennsylvania coal fields before 1856.

Arrived Salt Lake City 4 October 1864

1870 Census Paragonah, Iron, Utah Terr.
Sarah Edward 51, housework
Edward Edwards 28, farming
David Edwards 12
Sarah A Edwards 10

1880 Census Paragonah, Iron, Utah
Sarah Edwards 61
Edward Edwards 38, laborer
David Edwards 22, laborer

--Also living with family
Sarah Ann Robb 20
Ellen J Robb 3
Sarah Ann Robb, 8 months born Oct.

1900 Census Paragonah, Iron, Utah
Elizabeth Hanks 50, 8 children, 5 living
William D Hanks 26, day labor
Heber T Hanks 23, school teacher
John S Hanks 19
Sarah Edwards 81, 8 children, 5 living

Notes about Sarah Ann Morgan:

Sarah Ann was a strength and an inspiration to her to all her posterity for her bravery and courage as a young widow to bring her young family of two daughters and three sons across the vast waters and the wide American continent because of her belief in God.

At about the age of 75, Sarah went completely blind. She was given a blessing that containing a promise that she would see again. At about the age of 82 she regained enough of her eye sight to again see her daughter remarking how white her hair had turned.

Sarah Morgan Edwards Monument
Paragonah Cemetery, Paragonah Utah

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Sources:
Ancestry.com
FindaGrave.com

Ann Elizabeth Robb - Pioneer Lady of 1857

Ann Elizabeth Robb Edwards

Birth: Jun. 27, 1846
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Death: Jun. 16, 1928
Paragonah, Iron County, Utah, USA

Ann Elizabeth was the daughter of Helen Bell and William Robb. She was the wife of William Edwards. Together they had nine children: William Robert Monroe, Sarah Ellen, Ann Caroline, David James, John Edward, Thomas Alexander, Morgan Bell, Horace Norman, and Nora Gladys.

Pioneer Lady of 1857 Passes Away At Paragonah

Mrs. Ann Robb Edwards of Paragonah, pioneer of 1857 to this city and one of the first white people to make her home in Paragonah, passed away at the family residence the first of last week and was buried on the 20th. Had she lived until today she would have been eighty two years old. She was born June 27th, 1846 at Sidney, Australia, from which place she emigrated at the age of eleven years with her parents after having become a member of the Latter Day Saints church. They were about four months in an old time sailing vessel crossing the ocean from Sidney to San Pedro, California, and though she was very young at the time she retained until her death a very vivid recollection of that voyage.

Arriving in San Pedro her father bought teams and wagons and the fmily made the trip to Utah, arriving her about December, 1857. Because of the menace of the savages at the time they made their home in the old fort where they lived for two or three years, being the first family to move out of the fort into a home of thier own. They experienced all the hardships incident to pioneer life in this locality. Her life was one of service to her family and to the community in which she lived, and at the time of her death was a faithful Latter Day Saint.

Her husband Wm. Edwards, proceeded her from this life by less than a year. She is survived by six sons, Wm. R., David J., John E., Thomas, Morgan and Horace, and one daughter, Mrs. Sarah E. Barton, all of Paragonah, together with twenty-four grandchildren, six great grandchildren, two brothers, Thomas Robb and George Robb, the latter of Price, Utah. All her children except Horace were at the funeral. He was in Montana and could not be reached in time to get here.

Speakers at the funeral were Simon A. Matheson of Parowan, Richard Robinson, Jr. of Los Angeles, Wm. P. Barton and Bishop Thomas W. Jones of Paragonah. Mrs. Richard N. Lund read a history of her life and musical numbers included a solo by L.J. Adams of Parowan, and songs by Unice Edwards Anderson and her little daughters of Los Angeles. (Mrs. Anderson is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Edwards, former residents of Paragonah where she lived until she was three years old).

At the cemetery Mrs. Anderson and Amasa Stones, accompanied by the choir, sang "Lead Me Gentley Home". the grave was dedicated by Elder Amenzo Topham.

Parowan Times
6/27/1928

Ann Elizabeth Robb Edwards Death Certificate



Cemetery Marker for Ann Elizabeth Robb and William Edwards
Paragonah Cemetery, Paragonah, Utah

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Souces:
Ancestry.com
FindaGrave.com