Edward Richard Edwards, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Edward Richard Edwards
REV. EDWARD RICHARD EDWARDS was born in New York City, the son of David and Jane (Jones) Edwards, both of whom were natives of Wales and who came to America about 1860 and settled in New York. David Edwards was a construction engineer by profession, and assisted in the building of the noted war vessel "The Monitor." He was the last survivor of those who worked on this ship. After this service he was general superintendent of the Durant & Son Company, and superintendent of construction of the Claus Spreckels Sugar Refining Company at Philadelphia. To the parents of our subject were born two sons, David and Edward.
The latter was educated in the Cooper Institute Technical School of New York, and the Transylvania University of Lexington, Kentucky. He took a post-graduate course in sociology at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, and received his degree of D. D. at Defiance College, Defiance, Ohio, in 1913. His first charge was at Bedford, Indiana, where he served as pastor of the First Christian Church, later in Kokomo from 1907-1914 and in Logansport from 1915 to 1924. He came to Valparaiso in November, 1924, where he has since served as pastor of the First Christian Church. In addition to his regular duties he engages in evangelical work. During the war he received a special commission from the government in the sale of Liberty Loan Bonds and did a splendid work in this line.
Reverend Edwards was married to Lena, daughter of John L. and Emma (White) Lillard, of Lexington, Kentucky. Mrs. Edwards is a graduate of Hamilton Female College of Lexington. To their marriage were born two sons, Tyler C. and Edward B. The Reverend Edwards is a member of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, Masonic order and is president of the Valparaiso Ministerial Association. He has devoted time at intervals to platform lectures on educational matters at county teachers' institutes and commencements.
Source: Cannon, Thomas H., H. H. Loring, and Charles J. Robb. 1927. History of the Lake and Calumet Region of Indiana Embracing the Counties of Lake, Porter and Laporte. Volume II. Indianapolis, Indiana: Historians' Association. 827 p.
Page(s) in Source: 225-226
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook