BIOGRAPHY: Lewis L. EDWARDS, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 187-9
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LEWIS L. EDWARDS, late of Cambria township, and the founder of the Edwards 
family in Cambria county, Pennsylvania, is of Welsh birth and parentage, born in 
county Mereventh, North Wales, in March, 1816.
     He learned sheep-herding and pursued that craft in his native country until 
1842, when he emigrated to the United States. His brother, Robert Edwards, 
having preceded him to this country; settled upon a farm in Cambria township, 
nine miles north of Ebensburg, where he became a prosperous and successful 
farmer. Mr. Edwards was employed as a day-hand by his brother Robert and others 
in the neighborhood until after his marriage in 1843, when he engaged in farming 
and lumbering in Cambria township. Carefully husbanding the profits of his 
business, he purchased, in 1850, a farm of one hundred acres in Black Lick 
township, upon which he resided the remainder of his life. Subsequently he 
purchased one hundred more acres, and soon afterwards purchased six hundred 
acres of timber land, owning, at the time of his demise, eight hundred acres of 
valuable land.
     Mr. Edwards' only stock in trade when he landed in America was ability and 
willingness to work; but by careful and economical habits, good sound judgment 
and industry, he acquired an ample competence, and the latter years of his life 
were spent in practical retirement, enjoying the comforts and ease of a 
prosperous and successful business career. He passed away November 9, 1888, 
universally loved and lamented.
     He was a prominent member of the Calvinistic Methodist church, and served 
that organization as deacon for many years. He was also a life member of the 
American Bible society. Politically, he was formerly a whig; but upon the 
organization of the Republican party in 1856, he espoused its cause and 
principles, which he advocated the remainder of his life. He believed in the 
education of the masses, and served as a member of the school board of his 
township many years.
     He married Mrs. Ann Davis, nee James, in 1843, and became the father of six 
children: Elias and John L., whose sketches will follow; Ebenezer, Edward; 
Thomas L., whose sketch will also follow; and Robert. Mrs. Lewis L. Edwards was 
born in Llanbeder, South Wales. She came to America in 1836, locating in 
Pittsburg. Her family was Quaker stock. She was preceded to this country by two 
brothers, early in 1800; one settled at Chippewa Falls, in Canada, and Ebenezer 
located in Philadelphia, where he became a prosperous merchant and newspaper 
man. He was editor and proprietor of the Philadelphia Tribune, a strong anti-
slavery organ.
     This branch of the Edwards family did their patriotic duty in the late 
Civil War, four of the sons serving in that conflict. They were David H., who 
served through the entire conflict, was a sharpshooter in the Sixty-first 
regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, and was the best shot of his regiment; 
William, of the Eleventh regiment, volunteers, lost his life in the service; 
Joshua served during the latter part of the service; and Elias, who entered the 
latter part of the service.
     Lewis L. Edwards, before coming to America, had charge of two thousand 
sheep on one of the highest mountains of Wales, the Avan Fywddn, and was noted 
for his fleetness of foot. An incident of his early experience in this country 
is given to show the pioneer condition of Cambria county even as late as 1853, 
He went into the woods to get a piece of timber for a sled runner, and, while 
seeking for a suitable stick, lost his bearings and became lost; he wandered on 
and on several miles before coming to a house, and did not get back to his home 
that night. The family becoming alarmed, aroused the neighborhood the next day, 
and they started out in search of him, and found him with his friends of the 
previous night on his way home. So delighted were they to find him that they 
bore him on their shoulders to his own home and family.