John Buchanan Edmondson1

b. 14 December 1838, d. 14 March 1890
FatherAndrew Edmondson2 b. 13 Jan 1801, d. 10 Jan 1862
MotherRosanna Buchanan3 b. 8 Feb 1817, d. 15 Nov 1894
Birth14 Dec 1838 John Buchanan Edmondson was born on 14 Dec 1838 in Washington County, Virginia.4 
Marriage24 Nov 1859 He married Mary Jane Snodgrass, daughter of Samuel M. Snodgrass and Margaret Clark, on 24 Nov 1859 in Washington County, Virginia.1,5 
Cens-18608 Aug 1860 The summer after they married John and Mary Jane were enumerated on the 1860 federal census for Washington County. Mary Jane would have been 7 months pregnant with their first child, Samuel, who died at two months of age. John was a farmer whose personal property was worth $3,200.6 
Cens-1860- Slave18 Aug 1860  This included the 3 slaves residing with the family.7 
Military When the Civil War broke out John enlisted in the Confederate Army as a private in Company D of the First Virginia Cavalry.8 
  A son was born to the couple in April 1865, a few days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse. John and Mary Jane named the newborn Robert Lee Edmondson. 
Cens-18805 Jun 1880 The 1880 census clarified that the family was living in the Holston District of Washington County. John and Mary both listed their ages as 41. Their children were enumerated as: Rosa 18, Robert 15, Margaret 12, Andrew 12, William 7, James 4 and Charles two.9 
  Three additional children were born following the 1880 census.10,11 
Death14 Mar 1890 John died on 14 Mar 1890 at age 51.4,12 
Burial He was buried at Rock Spring Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.4 

Research Comment:

This family suffered the loss of many of its members in the years after the 1880 census enumeration. Son James died of unrecorded causes in September 1880 or '81 at age 4 or 5. John Edmondson himself died in March 1890 at age 51. Although his death was recorded in the Washington County death records the cause was not legible. What is known is that in the 4 years that followed at least 4 children died of consumption: Margaret (May 1890 at 22), Charles (July 1893 at 15), William (Dec. 1893 at 20) and Andrew (Feb. 1894 at 23). Another son, Robert, died in 1891 at age 26, but his cause of death was not recorded.

Daughter Rosa, who had married William Cole in 1884, died in 1897 at age 35. She herself lost two children in the 1890s, including a young son who died of consumption in 1896 (another daughter died at 18 in 1905). John's mother, Rosanna (Buchanan) Edmondson died in 1894. John's sister, Rosa Miriam (Edmondson) Clark died of consumption in April 1892, two months after giving birth to twin daughters who also died. Interestingly, another of John's sisters, Margaret (Edmondson) Reed, also lost 6 children at young ages. The only one for whom a death record has been located was Nancy Reed, who died in 1896 at age 24, also of consumption

Of John and Mary Jane's 11 children only 3 survived at the turn of the century, and only one, daughter Mary Helen, married and remained in Virginia. John and Mary Jane's 2 surviving sons, Frank and Marion, both married and moved to New Mexico where John's brother Samuel and several of his children had settled.

Related Links and Images:

John B. and Mary Jane (Snodgrass) family monument at Rock Spring Cemetery: first image is a distance view, followed by a close-up of John's inscription. The 3rd and 4th views are from two other sides of the monument, each bearing the names of 4 children
Other interments in Rock Spring Cemetery

Family

Mary Jane Snodgrass b. 16 Mar 1839, d. 3 Sep 1902
Children
ChartsDescendants of John Buchanan and Ann Ryburn
Descendants of John Edmondson and Martha Moore
Last Edited28 May 2013

Citations

  1. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 101. John Buchanan Edmondson, 21y, sgl, b & res WCV, farmer, s/o Andrew & Rosanah Edmondson AND Mary Jane Snodgrass, 20y, sgl, b & res WCV, d/o Samuel M. & Margaret Snodgrass; 24 Nov. 1859.
  2. [S851] Andrew Edmondson will (recorded 1862), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 15: 302. The will was written 22 Nov. 1861 and recorded 28 Jan. 1862. John B. Edmondson and Sampson C. Patterson took the oath of executors and posted bond in the amount of $12,000 with Mathew H. Buchanan and William King their securities.
  3. [S714] Rose Ann Edmondson (recorded 1895), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 25: 206. Samuel P. Edmondson was named executor; Wm R. Buchanan and Benjamin Reed were witnesses. The will was dated 24 Jan. 1894 and recorded 18 Apr 1895.
  4. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 207. John B. Edmondson, 14 Dec. 1838-14 Mar 1890.
  5. [S1344] Notification re the estate of Jean Buchanan, dec'd, The Journal Virginian, Oct. 11, 1962. No marriage date given.
  6. [S234] John B. Edmondson household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Liberty Hall post office, p. 170, dwelling 1268, family 1215, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2005, image 172 of 361. Enumeration includes: John B. Edmondson, 21, farmer, personal real estate of $3,200; Mary Jane, 21; both b. VA.
  7. [S1308] John B. Edmondson, owner, 1860 U.S. census, Washington Co., Virginia, slave schedule, p. 14 (original script), line 12, viewed online at Ancestry.com. 3 slaves: 1 male (4y) and 2 females (27 and 2y); 1 slave house.
  8. [S958] James L. Douthat, Civil War Records of Washington Co., Virginia, p. 53.
  9. [S165] John B. Edmondson household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Holston District, ED 100, page 246C (stamped), dwelling 87, family 87, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 11 of 54. Enumeration includes: John B. Edmondson, 41, farmer; Mary J., 41, wife; Rosa B., dau, 18; Robt Lee, son, 15; Margaret, dau, 12; Andrew, son, 10; William S., son, 7; James C., son, 4; Charles H., son, 2; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  10. [S979] Dr. Howard V. Jones, "Descendants of Andrew Edmiston", report dated 2004.
  11. [S1344] Notification re the estate of Jean Buchanan, dec'd, The Journal Virginian, Oct. 11, 1962.
  12. [S86] Fridley, "Washington Co., VA Deaths 1886-1896" online database, <www.Ancestry.com>, John Edmondson, d. 14 Mar 1890 (cause not legible) 51 yrs of age; parents Andrew and R.A.
  13. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 207. Samuel Meek Edmondson, s/o John B. & M.J. Edmondson, 15 Oct.-14 Dec. 1860.
  14. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 207. Rosa B. Edmondson, d/o John B. & M.J. Edmondson, 12 Nov. 1861- 20 Feb. 1897.
  15. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 207. Robert L. Edmondson, s/o John B. & M.J. Edmondson, 24 Apr. 1865-26 May 1891.
  16. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 207. Maggie C. Edmondson, d/o John B. & M.J. Edmondson, 4 Oct. 1867-17 May 1890.
  17. [S3] Moore and Stephens, Washington Co., VA Birth and Death Records, p. 43. Andrew Russell Edmondson, b. 1870 to John B. & Mary J. Edmondson, Glade Spring twp.
  18. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 207. William S. Edmondson, s/o John B. & M.J. Edmondson, 17 Feb. 1873-5 Dec. 1893.
  19. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 207. James Clark Edmondson, s/o John B. & M.J. Edmondson, d. 7 Sept. 1880, age 4y 10m 26d (new stone: 11 Oct. 1875-7 Sep 1881).
  20. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 207. Charles H. Edmondson, s/o John B. & M.J. Edmondson, 16 Jan 1878-17 Jul 1893.
  21. [S8] Hockett and Hunt, 1891-1902 Marriages of Washington Co. VA, p. 32. Frank Preston Edmondson, 21, s/o John B. & Mary J. Edmondson, farmer AND Stella May Pafford, 21, d/o W.F. & C.E. Pafford; marr: 2 June 1902 by W.W. Hicks.