Charles Mathew Edwards, the operator of Edwards Mill and twelve-term Marion Trustee, was born April 21, 1833 in Monroe County, Tennessee to John Marshall Edwards (1799-1866) and Susannah Brown (1803-1863). Charles had three brothers; James L.M., John B., and Thomas H. Edwards.
His parents, John and Susannah, were married April 3, 1821 in Rowan County, North Carolina and brought their family to Williamson County in 1853. In 1845, Milton Mulkey built the first steam powered mill in the county in Marion on W. Main Street. Mulkey sold to Hooper & Phelps, who rebuilt it in 1847 and 1848. John M. Edwards purchased it about the year 1857, and afterward his son, Charles M. Edwards, and A. J. Mann rebuilt the mill in 1862, this time with brick, and later they built the woolen mills and operated it under the name Mann & Edwards. (See the post, Edwards Mill)
On December 12, 1853, Robert M. Hundley and his wife Harriet S. sold the North half of the NE Quarter of Section 23 consisting of 80 acres to John M. Edwards and Isham Blankenship for the sum of $2,000. This chunk of land would be, what is now, West Main Street on the north to Cherry Street on the South and from Carbon on the East side to Fourth Street in the west. Edwards and Blankenship partnered up on the purchase and the Blankenship’s later sold their portion off to Edwards, who later sold it to James T. Goddard around 1858.
John, his wife and son, Charles M., were charter members of the M.E. Church South located on S. Market Street when it formed in 1864 and were instrumental in the building of the church which would, later in history, become the Aldersgate Church.
On the 30th day of September, 1865, there were thirteen ex-soldiers and Union men met in the rear room of the drug store of Dr. Isaac M. Lewis, on the south side of the Public Square, in the old frame building, corresponding with the store room owned by Dr. Casey at this time, and they then and there proceeded to nominate and make up the first Republican ticket that was ever placed before the people of Williamson County at the general election. John M. Edwards was one of those individuals.
When the city of Marion was incorporated in 1865 and the first board of trustees was established, James Edwards was elected to the board and re-elected in 1866, but was unable to complete his term due to his death on November 21, 1866.
Charles’ life was bound to the mill that his father bought in 1857 from Hooper and Phelps. The mill was burned and was rebuilt in 1862 of brick by Charles and A.J. Mann. The mill was located where the Stotlar Lumber yard is today and the mill pond was in the north east corner of the Court Street and West Main Street intersection.
Charles Edwards married Judah E. Murrah (1841-1930), daughter of Morgan Murrah (1808-1869) and Nancy S. Forbes (1811-1881) on January 19, 1860 in Williamson County, Illinois.
In 1860, Charles 27 and Judah 18 were living in Marion with three young girls named Margaret 12, Sarah J. 10, and Mary J. Blankenship aged 5. His occupation was listed as a miller and he had $1600 in real estate and claimed $50 in personal property. Both he and Judah were born in Tennessee. They were either living with or next to his parents, very likely near the mill on W. Main Street.
Masonic Marion Chapter, No. 100, was chartered October 5, 1866. Among its charter members were C. M. Edwards. He also served as Worshipful Master of Lodge #89 in 1869.
Charles M. Edwards was a twelve term officer on the Marion City Board of Trustees and served from 1869 to 1881 under numerous city board presidents.
In April of 1869 Charles, along with several others set out to incorporate the Belleville and Southeastern Railroad Co. The train would run from Belleville to DuQuoin to Marion to Metropolis. The Williamson County men who were involved were Jesse Bishop, R.M. Hundley, Samuel Dunaway, J.M. Goddard, John Goodall, M. C. Campbell, George L. Owen, Charles M. Edwards, and Samuel W. Dunaway.
In the 1870 census, C.M. and Judah were listed wrongly as M.C. and Julia. They were living with their three children John, Nancy and Alonzo Edwards. Also in the home was Adaline Goddard, a domestic servant. Charles was listed as a miller and had $1000 in real estate and $1000 in personal property. In 1875 they had a new daughter, Ada M. Edwards.
In 1880 he is again listed as a miller and his oldest son, John, also was working in the mill. Charles was then 47 years old and had four children ages 5 to 19.
On January 13, 1881, Charles’ brother, Thomas Edwards, died at his home in Hamilton County. He was the father of John C. Edwards, state senator of the 46th district.
An article in the Egyptian Press dated Jan 26, 1882 noted that Mary Etherly and Mary A. Askew filed separate foreclosure suits against C.M. Edwards and A.J. Mann, presumably over money that was owed.
The two Marion newspapers reported that Charles Mathew Edwards had died Mar 5, 1882 of general congestion at the age of 48 after having taken sick on February 28th. He was the junior member of Mann and Edwards and left a wife, 2 sons and 2 daughters. His obituary indicated that he was buried in Union Grove Cemetery at Pittsburg, Illinois. If that is true, then his body was later moved to Rose Hill sometime after it was established in 1884 because he currently rests there in the family plot. Charles had $12,000 in insurance to cover his family at his death, a bit unusual for the time and noteworthy enough to put in the paper.
He was a mason, and had been a staunch supporter and contributor to the county school system.
An article appearing in the Marion Monitor on April 20, 1882 indicated that the firm of Mann and Edwards was dissolved because of the death of C.M. Edwards and also by sale of A.J. Mann to Judah E. Edwards of his interest. It was noted that in the future business would be conducted by Mrs. Judah E. Edwards and her son, John D. Edwards under the name of J.D. Edwards & Company.
Daughter, Nannie Edwards, married prominent attorney, Edward M. Spiller on October 22, 1890.
In 1907 Judah Edwards, his widow, was residing at 504 W. Main Street which would have been next to the mill on the east side roughly where the Bob Stotlar Lumber parking lot is located.
On September 27th, 1914, the son J.D. Edwards, who had been operating the mill passed away at his home at 509 W. Main Street. (See obit at bottom of page)
Judah Edwards died on December 22, 1930 in Marion at the age of 89. She was buried at the north Rose Hill Annex in the family plot next to Charles.
Notes on the children:
John Douglas Edwards was born in 1861 and died Sunday, September 27th, 1914, at his home, 509 W Main following an illness of 10-12 years. He was 52 years old and was born in this county. He was in the milling business, doing business at the West Main mill which his father, the late Charles M. Edwards, who died in 1882, conducted business. He leaves his aged mother Julia Elizabeth Edwards living at the home place on West Main, a brother, Dr. A.M. Edwards, sisters, Mrs. Ed M. Spiller and Miss Ada Edwards, all of this city. He never married. In March he went to Battle Creek, Michigan hoping to gain relief and returned home after a month, after which he went to Hinsdale, Illinois for treatment. He was brought home from there last Friday. Burial will be at the family lot at Rose hill. (Sep 28, 1914, Marion Evening Post)
Nannie Edwards Spiller was born in 1865 and married Ed. M. Spiller on October 22, 1890. 1893, the couple gave birth to their first son, Charles Spiller, who died in infancy. They later took on a young woman named Jeannie Morton who was considered a foster daughter by them. Ed, a former state’s attorney, died on December 11, 1934 and Nannie died in 1953. Both are buried at Rose Hill.
Dr. Alonzo M. Edwards was born on May 30, 1869 and married Elizabeth “Lizzie” Marsh on December 24, 1894. He was an active practicing physician in Marion for decades and was an active member of the Williamson County Medical Association and helped form the Physicians Protective Association in 1902. He was a charter member of the Board of Education, an active Mason, Democrat, Elks Lodge #800 and member of the Woodmen of America. The couple had two children name Charles and Gladys Edwards. Alonzo died on September 8, 1923. Elizabeth died on December 4, 1935 in Chicago. Both are interred at Rose Hill in Marion.
Ada M. Edwards was born in 1875. She graduated Marion Township High School in 1893 and became a school teacher. She never married. She was active in the local Oder of the Eastern Star and died on March 2, 1960.
(1905 Souvenir History; Marion City Cemetery Records; Marion Evening Post; Marion Monitor; Egyptian Press; Federal Census Records; Chancery Records; 1876 Business Directory; compiled by Colleen Norman and edited by Sam Lattuca)