Hi Dan, This is what I have for Joseph Edwards (d. 1794), Halifax County, NC: Joseph Edwards married first, the daughter, Sarah (?), of Thomas Suit, Sr. and Christian Dent before 1765 and they had a daughter named Sarah Edwards (b. 1755). Will of Thomas Suite, SMC 10/16/1765-11/4/1771. Children: Dent, Thomas, Ann Noe. Grandson: Dent Suite of Thomas. Granddaughter: Sarah Edwards of Joseph Edwards. Exec: Daughter-in-law, Mary Bright. Wit: Hezekiah Turner,Nathaniel Suite, Samuel Cooksey Barron. (Maryland Calendar of Wills). Joseph's first wife was likely deceased before his father in law wrote his will on 16 Oct 1765. Joseph married second, Maryan. I suspect that they were married about 1758 based on the birth dates of their children: Jarrot, Joseph, John, Peter, Mary, Stourton, Jonathan, Ann, and Jesse. Writing in 1994 (two issues of the Chester Co. Genealogical Society "Bulletin"), Walter Whatley Brewster states: "Joseph, Jr. and Maryan (Suit) Edwards had the following children: Sarah Edwards, b. ca. 1755, m. Ambrose Daniel ca. 1773; Jarrott Edwards, b. ca. 1757, m. 1) Susannah Porter, and 2) Rebecca Bell; Joseph Edwards, III, ca. 1759, m. Elizabeth (Turner); John Edwards, b. ca. 1761, d. 1820, m. Olive Exum; Peter Edwards, b. ca. 1763; Mary Edwards, b. ca. 1765, d. 1861, m. Iles Cooper; Stourton Edwards, b. ca. 1768, d 15 Nov 1838, m. Sarah _____: Jonathan Edwards b. ca. 1770, m. Mary _____; Ann Edwards, b. ca. 1772; and Jesse Edwards, b. ca. 1774." Also, notice in Joseph's will that he mentions his daughter Sarah separately from his and Maryan's children. Will of Joseph Edwards (my transcription), Halifax Co.. NC will book 1781-1825 vol. 3. p.228; 8 Sep 1783; proved May Session 1794 To: Son Jarrot Edwards 150 A of land laying on the north side of the Horse Pin Branch. To: beloved Maryan all the land whereon I now live and all my househod furniture and all of my personal effects for her natural life or widowhood. To: at my widows death or marriage, I give to my daughter Sarah Daniel one feather bed, cow, and calf. To; my children Joseph, John, Peter, Mary, Stourton, Jonathan, Ann, Jesse. each a feather bed, cow, and calf. At the death of my widow all of my land to be sold and the money distributed to each of my children equally, except Jarrot. And the rest of my estate to be devided between all my children equally. Exec: Wife Maryan and son Jarrot equally Wit: Malicka Butt, Richard Suit, James Neal, Thomas Hall Now, who is Maryan? There are some reseachers who say that she is the daughter of Samuel Higgs and his wife Elizabeth. I have also seen some who believe that she is the daughter of Richard Suit. I am not sure and have not found any proof either way. Randy On Sun, Dec 30, 2012 at 9:55 PM, Daniel B. Troublefield <dantrouble@comporium.net> wrote: > > A revision of part of my previous posting seems in order. > > I'm still curious whether there is a record of Joseph Edwards's first wife's > given name as Sarah. > > But I can see why it seems unlikely that Thomas Suite had a daughter named > Mary Ann or Maryan > who was not named in his will and the naming of Sarah Edwards as daughter of > Joseph Edwards > does seem to imply that Sarah Edwards' mother (whatever her name might have > been) was > deceased. > > Thanks, > Dan > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Daniel B. Troublefield" <dantrouble@comporium.net> > To: <MDSTMARY@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2012 7:59 PM > Subject: [MDSTMARY] My Edwards lineage > > > > My Stourton/Strutton was a son of Joseph Edwards, died 1794; and grandson > > of Joseph Edwards, died 1746. > > > > Am aware that Thomas Suit(e) (of 1765 will) had a daughter (name unknown) > > who married Joseph Edwards and had a daughter Sarah Edwards. > > > > Is there any record that Stourton's father Joseph (1794 will) had a wife > > named Sarah? > > > > Or that Thomas Suit(e) (of 1765 will) had a daughter named Sarah? > > > > A direct, contemporary record from their lifetimes? > > > > I understand that there is no proof of my Stourton's mother's identity. > > > > Some think that his mother was Mary Ann Suit. That is the view > > that I learned from Walter W. Brewster's articles on our Edwards > > families for The Bulletin (Chester District Genealogical Society, > > Richburg, South Carolina). > > > > Linda Reno believes that she was Mary Ann Higgs. > > > > Joseph Edwards (1794 will) had a wife named Maryan or Mary Ann. > > Perhaps she was a Higgs, but is there any direct proof? Deeds perhaps? > > > > My questions, above, are based on a posting by Linda Reno on 9 Aug 2009. > > http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/MDSTMARY/2009-08/1249842252 > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MDSTMARY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Thanks, Randy, for your helpful response. I only just downloaded the recorded wills of Thomas Suit 1765 and Joseph Edwards 1783 today. Thomas Suit's recorded will St. Mary's County Register of Wills Wills 1733-1776 Vol TA1 Filmed by Maryland Hall of Records Images 662-663 of 794 Volume TA#1 Pages 616-617 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-25106-46412-66?cc=1803986&wc=MM1X-SVM:n1259355819 Will of Joseph Edwards dated 8 Sep 1783, proved May Sessions 1794 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19462-368-65?cc=1867501&wc=10921757 North Carolina, Probate Records 1735-1970, Halifax, Wills, 1781-1824 vol. 3 Vol. 3, Page 228 Image 261 of 763 It appears to me that if Walter Brewster's estimates of the birth years of Joseph Edwards' children are at least somewhat accurate, then a Mary Ann Higgs born about 1749 could not be the mother of the first five children: Sarah, Jarrott, Joseph, John, and Peter. But she could possibly be the mother of Mary, my Stourton, Jonathan, Ann, and Jesse. Possibly, but I do not know. But was Maryan, Joseph's wife, the same person as Mary Ann Higgs born about 1749? If not, then whoever Maryan Edwards was, she might be the mother of more of the younger children, but not of Sarah Edwards Daniel, the eldest, who was a granddaughter of Thomas Suit. Will have to check for information on Richard Suit and whether he could be Maryan's/MaryAnn's father, as you men-tioned that some have suggested. Also, need to find someone to explain how to access the digital images on the Maryland State Archives site. That worked fine for me a few years ago, but now find it impossible to search (successfully). Regards, Dan ----- Original Message ----- From: "C Greenwell" <cgreenwell01@gmail.com> wrote: December 31, 2012 10:10 AM > Hi Dan, > This is what I have for Joseph Edwards (d. 1794), Halifax County, NC: > > Joseph Edwards married first, the daughter, Sarah (?), of Thomas > Suit, Sr. and Christian Dent before 1765 and they had a daughter named > Sarah Edwards (b. 1755). > > Will of Thomas Suite, SMC 10/16/1765-11/4/1771. Children: Dent, > Thomas, Ann Noe. Grandson: Dent Suite of Thomas. Granddaughter: Sarah > Edwards of Joseph Edwards. Exec: Daughter-in-law, Mary Bright. Wit: > Hezekiah Turner,Nathaniel Suite, Samuel Cooksey Barron. (Maryland > Calendar of Wills). > > Joseph's first wife was likely deceased before his father in law wrote > his will on 16 Oct 1765. > > Joseph married second, Maryan. I suspect that they were married about > 1758 based on the birth dates of their children: Jarrot, Joseph, John, > Peter, Mary, Stourton, Jonathan, Ann, and Jesse. > > Writing in 1994 (two issues of the Chester Co. Genealogical Society > "Bulletin"), Walter Whatley Brewster states: > > "Joseph, Jr. and Maryan (Suit) Edwards had the following children: > Sarah Edwards, b. ca. 1755, m. Ambrose Daniel ca. 1773; Jarrott > Edwards, b. ca. 1757, m. 1) Susannah Porter, and 2) Rebecca Bell; > Joseph Edwards, III, ca. 1759, m. Elizabeth (Turner); John Edwards, b. > ca. 1761, d. 1820, m. Olive Exum; Peter Edwards, b. ca. 1763; Mary > Edwards, b. ca. 1765, d. 1861, m. Iles Cooper; Stourton Edwards, b. > ca. 1768, d 15 Nov 1838, m. Sarah _____: Jonathan Edwards b. ca. 1770, > m. Mary _____; Ann Edwards, b. ca. 1772; and Jesse Edwards, b. ca. > 1774." > > Also, notice in Joseph's will that he mentions his daughter Sarah > separately from his and Maryan's children. > > Will of Joseph Edwards (my transcription), > Halifax Co.. NC will book 1781-1825 vol. 3. p.228; 8 Sep 1783; > proved May Session 1794 > To: Son Jarrot Edwards 150 A of land laying on the north side of the > Horse Pin Branch. > To: beloved Maryan all the land whereon I now live and all my househod > furniture and all of my personal effects for her natural life or > widowhood. > To: at my widows death or marriage, I give to my daughter Sarah Daniel > one feather bed, cow, and calf. > To; my children Joseph, John, Peter, Mary, Stourton, Jonathan, Ann, > Jesse. each a feather bed, cow, and calf. > At the death of my widow all of my land to be sold and the money > distributed to each of my children equally, except Jarrot. And the > rest of my estate to be devided between all my children equally. > Exec: Wife Maryan and son Jarrot equally > Wit: Malicka Butt, Richard Suit, James Neal, Thomas Hall > > Now, who is Maryan? There are some reseachers who say that she is the > daughter of Samuel Higgs and his wife Elizabeth. I have also seen some > who believe that she is the daughter of Richard Suit. I am not sure > and have not found any proof either way. > > Randy > On Sun, Dec 30, 2012 at 9:55 PM, Daniel B. Troublefield wrote:>> >> A revision of part of my previous posting seems in order. >> I'm still curious whether there is a record of Joseph Edwards's first >> wife's >> given name as Sarah. >> >> But I can see why it seems unlikely that Thomas Suite had a daughter >> named >> Mary Ann or Maryan who was not named in his will and the naming of Sarah >> Edwards as daughter of >> Joseph Edwards does seem to imply that Sarah Edwards' mother (whatever >> her name might have >> been) was deceased. >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Daniel B. Troublefield" <dantrouble@comporium.net> >> Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2012 7:59 PM >> > My Stourton/Strutton was a son of Joseph Edwards, died 1794; and >> > grandson >> > of Joseph Edwards, died 1746. >> > >> > Am aware that Thomas Suit(e) (of 1765 will) had a daughter (name >> > unknown) >> > who married Joseph Edwards and had a daughter Sarah Edwards. >> > >> > Is there any record that Stourton's father Joseph (1794 will) had a >> > wife >> > named Sarah? >> > >> > Or that Thomas Suit(e) (of 1765 will) had a daughter named Sarah? >> > >> > A direct, contemporary record from their lifetimes? >> > >> > I understand that there is no proof of my Stourton's mother's identity. >> > >> > Some think that his mother was Mary Ann Suit. That is the view >> > that I learned from Walter W. Brewster's articles on our Edwards >> > families for The Bulletin (Chester District Genealogical Society, >> > Richburg, South Carolina). >> > >> > Linda Reno believes that she was Mary Ann Higgs. >> > >> > Joseph Edwards (1794 will) had a wife named Maryan or Mary Ann. >> > Perhaps she was a Higgs, but is there any direct proof? Deeds perhaps? >> > >> > My questions, above, are based on a posting by Linda Reno on 9 Aug >> > 2009. >> > http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/MDSTMARY/2009-08/1249842252 >