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ISAAC EDSON - First child of Daniel and Rachel Ann (Needham) Edson
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Isaac Edson grew to manhood in the Muddy Point settlement of Coles County, Illinois where he attended the local primitive frontier school taught by his uncle Hull Tower. Lincoln was a frequent visitor at the Edson home during Isaac's boyhood days.
Isaac made at least two trips through the American West before he married Lydia Deshler in 1849. Their marriage was shortlived, with the death of Lydia, just nine days after the birth of their son, Alonzo.
After Lydia's death, Isaac returned to Coles County, Illinois. The following winter a romance blossomed between him and Annie Mary Gibbs and they were married in the spring. They named their first child for Isaac's first wife.
Isaac and Annie Mary immigrated to Harrison County, Missouri, in 1854 or earlier. On arriving in Jefferson Township, Isaac Edson, of substantial means, proceeded to build one of the first fine homes in the county. The lumber for this lovely two-story home was hauled many miles by oxen and wagon. The furnishings came from the east, shipped by riverboat up the Missouri, then hauled miles by ox-drawn wagon through the frontier wilderness to the Edson home.
Then came the Civil War and Isaac Edson enlisted at Bethany, Missouri, in Co. G, 6th Reg't, M. S. M. Cav. Vol. on March 25, 1862. He served under Capt. John A. Page. His enlistment papers gives his height as five feet, eight inches, complexion light, hair light, eyes blue. In June of 1862 he was made corporal. He was a scout and courier for the United States Army in Southwest Missouri, Arkansas, and Indian Territory. He displayed great skill at evading the tough and equally skillful Confederate cavalry and thus earned the promotion to sergeant.
His mother-in-law died in Coles County, Illinois, in November of 1864 and Isaac Edson was granted a furlough with no return date stated. The father-in-Law, Homer Gibbs, and other members of his family were moved by Isaac Edson and his wife to Isaac's home in Harrison County, Missouri, early in 1865. Isaac Edson then returned to his army duties and was discharged April 20, 1865, in Springfield, Missouri.
Isaac's wife, Annie Mary, a pioneer wife and mother, who had left security and comforts behind her to establish a new home in the vast wilderness made the supreme sacrifice at the age of thirty-three years. The hardships of frontier life during the Civil War had taken its toll --- hardships beyond the imagination of today's generation. Her grave marker gives her name as Annmariah.
Margaret (Maggie), sister of Annie Mary, at the close of Sunday morning church service on February 26, 1869, invited several persons to accompany her to the home of Isaac Edson for Sunday dinner. Among the guests were Sarah Ann (Edson) Shumard, Nancy (Parman) Woolcut, and Josephine (Wiatt) Sellers. A few minutes after they entered the home a lady crossed the parlor to the beautiful organ and began to play a wedding march. To the surprise of all, Isaac Edson, Margaret Gibbs, and the local minister, Rev. Heseltine stepped to the center of the Brussels carpet and a wedding ceremony took place.
Isaac Edson moved to Eagleville, Missouri, and opened a general store about 1878 after having lived in Harrison County some twenty-six years, Isaac Edson immigrated to Rooks County, Kansas. During those years in Harrison County Isaac witnessed and took part in the settling of a new frontier, for that period was the true pioneer days for Harrison County.
Isaac's first land in Rooks County, Kansas, located about five miles south of Stockton was purchased from a cattleman. The only home on the place was a dugout. On this land Isaac built a fine stone house. The other settlers in the county were living in sod houses and dugouts. This was his home until 1901 at which time he moved to Woodston.
Isaac Edson, probably inspired by the trips to the West in his youth, became interested in mining. The year he first went to the mine fields is not known, but in 1881 Alonzo and Wesley were with Isaac at the Leadville mines. On one of his prospecting trip in the mountains of the West, he came upon an Indian, ill and almost dead of starvation. The feet of the Indian were in such a condition he was unable to walk. Isaac fed the Indian and with the healing art of the pioneers cured his feet. Isaac could speak with considerable fluency the dialect of many Indian tribes. When the Indian was able to travel Isaac provided him with enough food to last until he could reach his tribe.
The following year Isaac Edson was again prospecting in the same general mountain area. He lost his horse, pack animal and all his supplies while fording a mountain stream. Isaac started afoot for civilization. He had been without food for some time when he saw an Indian camp. In desperation he started for the camp not knowing if they were a friendly tribe to the white man. Isaac staggered into the Indian camp and asked for food. They refused to give him food or to help him in any way. They told him to, "Be gone." He talked with them some time trying to bargain with them for a horse. Always the answer was, "Be gone." The warriors were away on a hunt. Just as Isaac was leaving the Indian camp, the warriors returned. There, among them was the Indian Isaac had befriended the year before. The Indian recognized Isaac and invited him to stay with the tribe as long as he wished and he told the other members of the tribe to treat him well. Isaac remained at the Indian camp two weeks. When he was ready to leave, his Indian friend gave him a horse and a supply of food.
Isaac Edson become owner of mines in the Leadville district of Colorado and in New Mexico. He was owner of the James Fisk mine near Oregon, New Mexico. Later he sold a half interest in the James Fisk mine to his cousin, William Gibbs, son of Rev. Elijah Elias Gibbs and Angeline (Needham).
Although Isaac was out West, looking after his mining interests many months of the year, the family remained in Rooks County, Kansas. The brother-in-law, Elijah E. Gibbs and Annie, his wife, lived nearby. (Annie was the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Garrett) Wright. The Garretts were the banking family of Burlington, Iowa.) Gibbs had a contract to do Isaac's farming. Extra help was hired at harvest time. Isaac's family enjoyed a high standard of living.
There were a number of fine harness horses, buggies, and fancy carriages for family use. Other settlers in the county spoke of the Edson family as wasteful.
The following is taken from a letter written by Isaac Edson to his brother-in-law E. E. Gibbs, In the fall of 1890 from Oregon, New Mexico, "I can not come home this fall for I do not have the time to spare. I have to stick to my work until I get this mine opened up. It takes money to work a mine. Grub is high in this country. Horse feed is high too. It takes a great deal of money to buy powder, fuse, caps, and candles. We work in the mine by candle light. Every man has to have his candle to see to work. If we fool around and get swamped once, we have a poor chance. Then someone else will get the benefit of our labor. So we will have to stick to our knitting until we are on safe footing."
When Isaac Edson began to get along in years and his eyesight was growing dim. He no longer was able to travel to his mines. The mines had to be worked a given number of months of each year to hold mining rights. His son, Newton, volunteered to go the New Mexico mine. Evidently some claim jumpers had their eyes on the mine. While there, Newton was ambushed and badly beaten. He suffered a severe head injury and lay unconscious on a mountain trail for unknown hours. After he recovered enough to travel, he returned to his father's home. Isaac said, "Let the mine go, it is not worth getting killed over. Newton was never in good health again as a result of the head Injury. Could it have been he suffered a fracture of the skull? What if any, medical aid was available on the far west frontier?
The following is taken from a letter written about 1910 by Ann (Gibbs) Lowell, sister of the William Gibbs who was co-owner of the James Fisk mine, "I told my brother Will (William Gibbs) the day before he died that I heard someone hit the Edson boy and almost killed him in New Mexico. I asked him if he knew who done it and he said he did not know who the guilty parties were. He said he told the Edson boy to stay with him all the time, but some others pretended to like him, and persuaded him to go home with them and he told him not to do it. He said someone that wanted the mine no doubt hired it done to get his half, but he could not find out who done it and he was afraid to write or say a word for fear they would kill him and I felt glad to know he was innocent of the wrong. He said that was why he left there. He was afraid of the same men." The Edson family lost the mine.
Isaac Edson visited for the last time in Harrison County, Missouri, while on his way to Coles County, Illinois, for a visit with his sons. He was almost blind at the time.
Isaac Edson a faithful Methodist, was a pioneer, farmer, frontiersman, merchant, prospector, and miner. He served his country valiantly during the Civil War. In his youth he wore buckskins, and hunted buffalo and wild game in America's great wild West.
Source: DES by Opal Soetaert
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