"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a
brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western
Historical Pub. Co., 1902.  Page 584.  Malheur County.

JOHN S. EDWARDS

     The subject of this article is one of Malheur's foremost men in the realm
of stock raising and agricultural pursuits, which are the wealth of our county,
and he has labored in the section since an early day, having the distinction of
being one of the first pioneers and real builders of the county.  John S. was
born near Oskaloosa, Iowa, on November 25, 1849, being the son of Thomas D. and
Barbara E.(Rinehart) Edwards.  In 1854 the parents came with ox teams in a large
train to Lane county, Oregon, passing through the territory of what is now
Malheur and Harney counties.  Some stock was stolen on the road, but no other
trouble befell them.  In Lane county the father entered government land and
settled down to farming.  Until the spring of 1871 the subject of this sketch
lived with his parents and then came to where Vale now stands, there being but
one cabin there then.  Two years later he came to the vicinity of his present
home and engaged in stock business.  Mr. Edwards now has about nine hundred
acres of land, four hundred of which is fine bottom land and the remainder
grazing land.  He has the ranch well improved, occupies a fine two-story
residence, has good barns and outbuildings, a fine orchard, and also owns a
large band of horses and some cattle.
     The marriage of Mr. Edwards and Miss Sarah F., daughter of George W. and
Rebecca (Lamb) Smith, of Union, Oregon, was celebrated on July 27, 1876, and
they have become the parents of the following children:  Thomas O., deceased;
Nora M., deceased; Pearl E., attending the normal school at Weston; Harry A.;
Alma R.; Phil E.; Irma E.; Clarice B.; and Willard R.  Mrs. Edwards was born in
Monroe county, Iowa, and crossed the plains with her parents in 1864 with ox
teams, the family settling near Island City, Union county, Oregon, where the
father died on June 7, 1892, but the mother is still living there.  Mr. Edwards'
mother died on May 19, 1883, at the old home place in Lane county, and his
father passed away at Eugene, this state, on October 5, 1894.
     In addition to the other enterprises which he is so capably managing, Mr.
Edwards has a large interest in the Simmons group of mines, a valuable property
at Cornucopia.  He is one of the leading men of the county, has ever conducted
himself in a commendatory manner, displaying excellent wisdom, integrity and
faithfulness, and is now secure in the esteem of his fellows and well known and
admired throughout the entire county.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in February 2006 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.