Biography of T W Edmondson, Sebastian Co, AR

**********************************************************
This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgenwebarchives.org
**********************************************************

----------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed 
Publishing Co., 1889.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The first of these articles are on persons from other counties that
have Sebastian County ties.   Later, you will find only Sebastian 
County families.

History of Crawford County

T. W. Edmondson, of the firm of Wood, Edmondson & Britt, Star Grocery House,
was born in Fort Smith in  1857, and is a son of Samuel and Ann (Manning),
Edmondson. The father was of Scotch-Irish descent, born in  Tennessee in 1803,
and when small went with his father, Thomas, to Macon, Ga. He was a lawyer, and
when a  young man located in Crawford County, at old Crawford Court House, but
later moved to Fort Smith, where he  was one of the first settlers. He devoted
his attention to his profession and political affairs, and represented
Sebastian County in the State Legislature two terms. He was one of the leading
lights of the Fort Smith bar for a  number of years. His death occurred in
1866. The mother of T. W. was Mr. Edmondson's second wife, who was born in
Ireland in 1819. She came to the United States when about twelve, and is now a
resident of Fort Smith.  Two of her children are living: Samuel M., born in
Fort Smith in 1853, and now justice of the peace, and our  subject. His early
education was received at the last named place, and when thirteen he clerked in
a restaurant  one year, and afterward in a bakery. In 1876 he came to Van
Buren, and established a bakery and restaurant. In  1882 W. O. Girard became
his partner, and in 1884 Mr. Edmondson sold his interest. In 1885 he worked for
Shibley & Wood, and the following year Harry Wood and himself established a
grocery, which they ran a year.  He then sold out to Mr. Wood and started for
himself, and in 1887 sold out to James Wood and Frederick Britt,  but in March,
1888, bought a third interest in the firm. They have one of the finest and best
stocks in Van  Buren, and enjoy a large patronage. In 1879 Mr. Edmondson
married Annie Wood, daughter of James M. and  Sophronia Wood, and a native of
this town, born in 1860. She is a member of the Christian Church, but he is a
Catholic. He is a director and stockholder in the Van Buren Ice and Coal
Company, and is treasurer of the same.  Politically he is a Democrat. and his
first presidential vote was cast for Hancock in 1880.