Alexander Edwards

Notes:

He was in Springfield in 1640.

"According to a letter written by William Pynchon in 1645, Alexander Edwards had lived 'in Wales' for about five years prior, i.e., about 1640, and was a 'hearer' of 'Mr. Wroth's ministry' (at Llanvaches, Monmouthshire)." [The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1636-1638, citation details below]

"He was granted land in Springfield in 1643 and 1645, '& besides ye 3d allotments to Alexander Edwards....there is 7 akrs now granted to him at his request as a free gift: in all he is to have 18 akrs, he requested ye said 7 akrs in recompence of a houselott which he thought was due to him when he married the widdow Searles' (Springfield Town Records). He held a minor town office in 1648 and 1649. After his removal to Northampton he was granted land there until he finally owned a considerable acreage. In 1658 he contributed toward the settling of the Rev. Mr. Mather, as the minister. With three others he built a gristmill in 1659 but sold his share in 1661, and in that same year he signed the church covenant. He also owned part of a lead mine. He lent his financial aid to Harvard College in 1672-3. In 1690 a fatal fever prevailed in the River towns, and eleven of the original settlers were its victims and among them was Alexander Edwards." [The Scott Genealogy, citation details below.]

Frederick C. Warner (citation details below) gives him as a son of "Rev. RICHARD EDWARDS of Wales, a minister of London, England", but cites no evidence.

As alluded to above, along with "Cornet" Joseph Parsons, another TNH ancestor, he was one of the four co-owners of the first mill in Northampton, and he was also one of the organizers of the first church there.

Alexander married Sarah Baldwin on 28 Apr 1642 in Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts. Sarah (daughter of Richard Baldwin and Isabel Harding) was born about Mar 1618; was christened in Mar 1618 in Cholesbury, Buckinghamshire, England; died on 3 Oct 1690 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts; was buried in Bridge Street Cemetery, Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Benjamin Edwards was born on 24 Jun 1652 in Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts; died on 31 Oct 1724 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts; was buried in Bridge Street Cemetery, Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts.