Representative William Edmundson View All Years
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William Edmundson
Mahaska County
A Kentuckian, born in Harrison County, in that State, October 7, 1805, where he spent his boyhood, and enjoyed a good common school education, but never attended college. When a young man of 22, he removed with his father’s family to Putnam County, Indiana, and subsequently to Rockville, in that State. From this place in 1832, he enlisted with a company for the Black-Hawk war. After his return, Edmundson took a boat-load of provisions to New Orleans. Here he sold these to a speculator, who took them to Texas, and Mr. Edmundson went with him to secure his pay. This speculator proved to be a swindler, and Mr. Edmundson stayed with him some eighteen months before he recovered the price of his cargo. In 1836 young Edmundson’s father died in Indiana, so the entire family removed to Des Moines County, Iowa, where William engaged in farming. Here he served several years as justice of the peace, and one year as county commissioner. On January 25, 1838, he married Miss Priscilla Depew, of Park County, Indiana. This wife died May 31, 1843, leaving two children, James D. and William. Leaving the little boys with their sister, Mr. Edmundson removed to Fairfield, and in the same year, 1843, to Mahaska County. Mr. Edmundson represented the county in the Iowa legislature during the session of 1847-8, being elected to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John W. Smith. In 1850, he, with his brother David, went to California, and remained there until the spring of 1855, from which time he made his home in Oskaloosa. He died at Albia, Monroe County, in September, 1862.
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