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Dennis Johnson Edwards Sr. (1861 - 1944)

Dennis Johnson Edwards Sr.
Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, United Statesmap
Son of and
Brother of , and
Husband of — married 30 Aug 1880 in Providence, Rhode Island, United Statesmap
Descendants descendants
Father of , , , , , , , , , and
Died at age 82 in Washington D.C., United Statesmap
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Profile last modified | Created 17 Jul 2022
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Biography

US Black Heritage Project
Dennis Edwards Sr. is a part of US Black heritage.

Dennis was born in 1861 in Virginia. He was the son of Jesse Edwards and Lucinda Edwards. The family moved to Washington, D. C. sometime before 1870.

The 1870 Census[1] shows him at age 9 in the home of his parents in Washington, District of Columbia.

The 1880 Census[2] shows him at age 18 in the home of his parents in Washington, District of Columbia.

He married Rose Etta Clark on 30 Aug 1880 in Provdence County, Rhode Island.[3] They had eleven children:

  1. William J. Edwards (1878–aft.1958)
  2. Roberta (Edwards) Henson (1882–1938) [4]
  3. Etta Mae (Edwards) Davis (1884–1953) [5]
  4. Lucinda (Edwards) Smith (1885–before 1944)
  5. Sarah "Sadie" (Edwards) Dean (1887–1963) [6]
  6. Benjamin Harrison Edwards (1889-1924) [7]
  7. Ethel (Edwards) Cropper (1890-1955) [8]
  8. Dennis Johnson Edwards Jr. (1894-1954) [9]
  9. Thomas Edwards (1895-abt.1903) [10]
  10. Marguerite (Edwards) Edmunds (1898-1983)
  11. Ruth (Edwards) Highley (1898-1983)

The 1885 Rhode Island State Census[11] shows him at age 24, married, with a family of 6 members. He is working as a private waiter, and is a registered voter.

The family moved back to Washington D. C. before Sep 1887, when Sarah "Sadie" was born there.[6]

The 1900 Census[12] shows him at age 41 with his wife and eleven children in Washington, District of Columbia. He is working as a grocer. This census states that his wife is the mother of 11 children with 11 still living.

The 1910 Census[13] shows him at age 48 with his wife and five children in Washington, District of Columbia. He is working as a plasterer on his own account. This census states that his wife is the mother of 11 children with 10 still living.

The 1920 Census[14] shows him at age 58 with his wife, four daughters, a son-in-law, a grandson, and two boarders in Washington, District of Columbia. He is working as a paperhanger for a contractor.

The 1930 Census[15] shows him at age 69 with his wife, two daughters, a son-in-law, a grandchild, and four lodgers in Washington, District of Columbia. He is working as a paperhanger for a real estate company.

The 1940 Census[16] shows Dennis at age 79 in the home of his son-in-law, David Highley and daughter Ruth, at 919 Westminster St. N.W., Wasington, D.C. Ruth's twin sister Marguerite (Edwards) Edmunds and her husband Girard Edmunds also live in the same household.

He died in 1944 in Washington, District of Columbia.[17] Excerpted from his obituary:

"On Saturday, March 25, 1944, at 11:25 p.m., at his residence, 919 Westminster st. n.w., Rev. DENNIS J. EDWARDS, husband of the late Rosetta Edwards, father of Etta M. Davis, Sadie E. Dean, Ethel E. Cropper, Marguerite E. Edmunds, Ruth E. Highley, William J. and Dennis J Edwards, Jr., and the late Roberta Henson, Benjamin Edwards, Lucinda Smith and Thomas Edwards. He also leaves fourteen grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, four sons-in-law, two daughters-in-law and a host of other relatives and friends." [17]

Funeral notices were also published by the following organizations encouraging their members to attend: [17]

Sources

  1. ↑ "United States Census, 1870"
    FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN43-KZX : 28 May 2021), Dennis Edwards in entry for Jesse Edwards.
    Image path: United States Census, 1870 > District of Columbia > Washington > Washington City, subdivision east of 7th Street > image 44 of 178; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
    FamilySearch Image: S3HT-625S-P55 (accessed 16 July 2022)
  2. ↑ "United States Census, 1880"
    FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6CW-QFJ : 13 January 2022), Dennis Edwards in household of Jesse Edwards.
    Image path: United States Census, 1880 > District of Columbia > Washington > Washington > ED 32 > image 2 of 11; citing NARA microfilm publication T9, (National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C., n.d.)
    FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GYBW-7KM (accessed 16 July 2022)
  3. ↑ "Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8V7-1S3 : 22 January 2020), Dennis Johnson Edwards, 1880.
  4. ↑ "Rhode Island, State Births Index, 1819, 1852-1900", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZY2-DM1 : 4 November 2020), Dennis Edwards in entry for Roberta Edwards, 1882.
  5. ↑ "Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8QP-1WG : 17 December 2019), Dennis J. in entry for Etta May Edwards, 1884.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "District of Columbia Birth Returns, 1874-1897", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F756-16L : 8 September 2021), Dennis J. Edwards in entry for Edwards, 1887.
  7. ↑ "District of Columbia Birth Returns, 1874-1897", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F758-6Z2 : 8 September 2021), Dennis Johnson Edwards in entry for Edwards, 1889.
  8. ↑ "District of Columbia Birth Returns, 1874-1897", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F75X-JP5 : 8 September 2021), Dennis J. Edwards in entry for Edwards, 1890.
  9. ↑ "District of Columbia Birth Returns, 1874-1897", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F75R-4WR : 8 September 2021), Dennis J. Edwards in entry for Edwards, 1894.
  10. ↑ "District of Columbia Birth Returns, 1874-1897", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F75P-KJZ : 8 September 2021), Dennis Johnson Edwards in entry for Edwards, 1895.
  11. ↑ "Rhode Island State Census, 1885"
    Catalog: Rhode Island state census, 1885 Providence-wards 4-7
    Image path: Rhode Island State Census, 1885 > Providence > Providence Ward 07 > image 44 of 358
    FamilySearch Image: 939Z-YP9F-Z1 (accessed 16 July 2022)
  12. ↑ "United States Census, 1900"
    FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMFW-84Y : 9 March 2022), Dennis Edwards.
    Image path: United States Census, 1900 > District of Columbia > Washington > ED 105 Washington city > image 38 of 42; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
    FamilySearch Image: S3HY-6SZ3-YJQ (accessed 16 July 2022)
  13. ↑ "United States Census, 1910"
    FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKLV-G4K : accessed 16 July 2022), Dennis J Edwards.
    Image path: United States Census, 1910 > District of Columbia > Washington > Precinct 9 > ED 173 > image 5 of 39; citing NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
    FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRNT-6K2 (accessed 16 July 2022)
  14. ↑ "United States Census, 1920"
    FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNLB-QR8 : 1 February 2021), Dennis J Edwards.
    Image path: United States Census, 1920 > District of Columbia > Washington > Washington > ED 199 > image 19 of 34; citing NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
    FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GR6D-29 (accessed 16 July 2022)
  15. ↑ "United States Census, 1930"
    FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMKB-KRJ : accessed 17 July 2022), Dennis Edwards.
    Image path: United States Census, 1930 > District of Columbia > Washington > Washington > ED 217 > image 20 of 36; citing NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002).
    FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GR46-9WN (accessed 16 July 2022)
  16. ↑ "United States Census, 1940"
    Catalog: District of Columbia, 1940 population census : population schedules District of Columbia (District of Columbia)
    Image path: United States Census, 1940 > District of Columbia > District of Columbia > Police Precinct 13, District of Columbia, Tract 45 > 1-563 Police Precinct 13 (Tract 45 - part), District of Columbia > image 11 of 33; citing Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012.
    FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89M1-5621 (accessed 25 September 2022)
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Obituary for Rev Dennis J Edwards; Evening Star, Washington, D.C., Tuesday, 28 Mar 1944, page 10 found on Chronicling America, Library of Congress.

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Comments: 4

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Smitty Smith
THANK YOU BARTLEY FOR YOUR RESEARCH BUT THERE IS ANOTHER CHILD NAMED "DAVID HIGHLY" BORN 1894 THE SAME YEAR AS MY GRAND FATHER BENJAMIN HARRISON EDWARDS 1894. NOT THE HUSBAND OF RUTH EDWARDS. HIS NAME IS "DAVID HIGHLEY". CHECK OUT THE SPELLING. DAVID HIGHLY WAS RAISED AS A SON OF DENNIS EDWARDS & ROSE ETTA CLARK THEY SHOW AS THE BIRTH PARENTS. I LOOKED AT SEVERAL DOCUMENTS TO CONFIRM THIS. DAVID PRESTON HIGHLEY IS RUTH'S HUSBAND BORN 1893.
posted by Smitty Smith
McRorie-37 Bartley McRorie
Please share which documents you are referring to, so that we may collaborate together!
posted by Bartley McRorie
Smitty Smith
FYI: DENNIS JOHNSON EDWARDS, MY GREAT-GREAT GRAND FATHER HAD 13 CHILDREN. SADIE & SARAH ARE 2 DIFFERENT CHILDREN SADIE BORN 1886 & SARAH BORN 1887. ALSO ON HIS CENSUS THERE IS ANOTHER CHILD NAMED "DAVID HIGHLY" DIFFERENT LAST NAME, BORN 1894, SAME YEAR AS DENNIS JR. MAYBE IT'S A RELATIVE HE TOOK IN, BUT DAVID IS LISTED AS HIS SON! PLEASE CORRECT YOUR INFORMATION. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING MY FAMILY'S INFORMATION FOR MONTHS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS CORRECT.
posted by Smitty Smith
McRorie-37 Bartley McRorie
Thank you for contacting me! I have added the 1940 Census information, with links to the persons involved. David Highly is the husband of Ruth Edwards. He is counted as the head of the household on that census, so Dennis is actually mislabeled as the "Father" instead of the more accurate "Father-in-law." So David is off of the list of children of Dennis.

Second, Sadie and Sarah are actually the same person! This information is also spelled out in the Research Notes for Sadie Edwards: The name Sarah is only seen once: on the 1900 Census. Every other source uses the name Sadie. There is no Sadie on the 1900 Census. If they were separate people, she would be on the 1900 Census! Also, the birth dates: Sadie has two sources showing 1886 and two more sources showing 1888. All of which points to 1887.

Finally, the most compelling documentation for the number of children in this family: The 1900 Census states that Rosetta is the mother of 11 children with 11 still living. And as you can see from the list above, assembled with excellent documentation, there are exactly 11. Then the 1910 Census states that Rosetta is the mother of 11 children with 10 still living. And since Thomas Edwards died in 1903, there are exactly 10 alive in 1910. All are perfectly accounted for.

Please let me know if there are other sources that I have not considered. And thanks again for your comment!

posted by Bartley McRorie
edited by Bartley McRorie

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