William Edwards of Westmoreland Was Not From Surry County, Va.
Having a recent discussion with a professional genealogist, I felt it necessary to make absolutely clear, with careful documentation, that the John, Thomas and William Edwards who appear in Westmoreland, King George and Spotsylvania Counties between 1708 and 1755 are brothers, and the sons of Meredith Edwards (c.1655-1712) of Westmoreland County, Virginia. Given that William Edwards of Westmoreland is the ancestor of several prominent American politicians, including John Edwards (1748-1833), the first elected senator from Kentucky, Haden Edwards (1771-1849), an early Texas revolutionary, and his son, Haden Harrison Edwards (1812-1865), a Texas legislator, there is some historical significance in getting this genealogy right. A theory that posits that William Edwards of Westmoreland County was the son of William Edwards (c.1680-1722) and Ann Harrison of Surry County has been widely accepted for several decades. This theory evidently originated from the Register of the K...