MEMOIRS OF ...; Formerly of Stockbridge and Northampton, Mass., later of Hunter, Greene Co., NY and of Brooklyn, NY. written by himself, in his 76th year, 1847, with notes and additions by his son, William W. Edwards and his Grandson, William Henry Edwards
Printed, not published
by EDWARDS, Col. William
Printed, not published. pp. 123 plus index. Soft paper wraps (loose) a good copy. David Dorpfeld, Greene County Historian "Beers History of Greene County New York" contains an abridged speech by Colonel Edwards' son, William W. Edwards, delivered at the annual dinner of the Hide and Leather Board of Trade at the Metropolitan Hotel on February 10, 1849. It gives us a glimpse of the Colonel's life. Born in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, he was a son of Timothy Edwards and grandson of Rev. Jonathan Edwards, president of Nassau Hall, Princeton, in 1775. His mother's side of the family were tanners from the first settlement of the town. When he was a year old his family moved to Stockbridge, Berkshire County, Massachusetts where his father continued business as a merchant. The inhabitants were mostly Indians. Edwards did not grow up a privileged child. In 1784 at age 14 he was apprenticed by his father to his uncle, Colonel Mathias Ogden, and his uncle by marriage, Colonel Oliver Spencer (both officers in the Revolutionary War), who were still in the tanning business in Elizabethtown.
By 1794 Edwards had amassed enough money to own a tannery in Northampton, Massachusetts, but by the early 19th century an easily obtained supply of Hemlock bark was dwindling in that area of New England. He decided to relocate his operations to the area where Hunter, NY is today. (Inventory #: 57012)
By 1794 Edwards had amassed enough money to own a tannery in Northampton, Massachusetts, but by the early 19th century an easily obtained supply of Hemlock bark was dwindling in that area of New England. He decided to relocate his operations to the area where Hunter, NY is today. (Inventory #: 57012)