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Mary Runyan4 (Sarah Harris3, John2,
Isaac1) was born in about 1820 in Rutherford (now Cleveland)
County, North Carolina. She was married twice. She married her first
husband Aza Adams, on August 18, 1833 in Rutherford County, North
Carolina. Her second husband was Lemich Edwards. I did not know
when Mary's first husband died or when she married Lemich Edwards. He was
not found in the 1850 Census, but by 1860, Mary and Lemich were married and
living in Choctaw County, Mississippi. The 1860 census of that county listed
her age as 40. Lemich Edwards was a farmer and his age was given as 68 years,
and he was born in South Carolina. There were two children born after 1850
who are probably the children of Mary and Lemich Edwards. Susan Adams, age 16,
was the only child surnamed Adams included in the family. It seemed logical
to assume that she may be the youngest child of Mary and her first husband,
Aza Adams, and that he may have died after Susan's birth and possibly
before 1850.
I was not able to find Aza Adams in the 1830-1850 census records. Nor
did I find a listing for a Mary Adams in 1850. There were four men named Asa
Adams who were listed as heads of families in the 1840 census records. There
was one in Pickins County Alabama and one in Anderson County,
South Carolina; they both were too old. Another Asa Adams was in
Montgomery County, Georgia. He was still alive in 1860 so couldn't be
the one. The fourth Asa Adams was living in Richmond County, Georgia in 1840,
but he was not there in 1850. He could possibly be our man, but it is only a
remote possibility. This Asa and his wife both were in the "30 to 40" age
bracket; they had a daughter age "10 to 15," a son age "five to ten," and a
son and daughter under the age of five years. If he is the one who married
Mary Runyan, one wonders how she met Lemich Edwards and ended up in Choctaw
County, Mississippi.
- The following deed was found in Choctaw County, Mississippi
Deed Book 1 p 365: George N. Archer, Administrator of L. Edwards,
dec'd, deed to J. W. and M. J. Edwards. Filed 15 Jan 1869,
Recorded 17 Jan 1868:
- "18 Dec 1867, between George W. Archer, administrator of estate of
Leanul (sic) Edwards, dec'd, to James W. and Mary J. Eliza
Edwards - Witnesseth, that whereas at the February term of the
Probate Court f Choctaw County, Mississippi .. held at the town
of Greensboro on 2nd Monday of sd month in year 1867, it was
ordered and decided that said party of the 1st Part should sell
on a credit of 12 months from day of sale the following tracts of
land, situated .. in sd county and known and described as
follows: E 1/2 and E 1/2 NE 1/4, E 1/2 SW 1/4 & SE 1/4 of Sec N
36 SE 1/4 E 1/2 NE 1/4 S 1/2 W 1/2 SE 1/4 E 1/2 NW 1/4 & E 1/2 SW
1/4 of Sec No 25 All in Twp 17 R N 10 E, W 1/2 & W 1/2 NE 1/4 & W
1/2 SE 1/4 of Sec 31 Twp 17 R N 11 E, and .. lands sold to
highest bidder, James W. and Mary Jane Eliza Edwards.
- "(Signed):George H. Archer, Administrator"
A Lemich Edwards found in the 1840 census of Choctaw County, Mississippi,
was born between 1780 and 1790 (age 50-60 in 1840); his wife was born between 1790
and 1800, and they had two male children born between 1815 and 1820 (age 15-20 in
1840), one female child born between 1830 and 1835 (age 5-10 in 1840) and one
female child born between 1835 and 1840 (under age 5 in 1840). Is this the record
of our Lemich Edward and a possible first wife? There was a Lamech Edwards who
was age 22 and born in Alabama listed in the Choctaw Mississippi 1850 Census. Is
he a son of the above Lemich Edwards and his possible first wife? I leave these
questions to be answered by others.
There may have been other children of Mary's first marriage who were
married or on their own before 1860.
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