Nancy Josephine (Harrod) Edwards was known by the nickname "Josie" to her parents, siblings, and husband. She was known as "Aunt Josie" by her close neighbors. Her Grandchildren called her "Granny Edwards".
Josie was born September 09, 1843,in Tennessee and married William Asbury Edwards December 16, 1862, in Edmonson County, Kentucky. They had ten children: Martha Jane 'Mattie' Edwards, Jessie Tomes Edwards, Bonny Anna Edwards, William 'Willie' Edwards, Rosa Bell Edwards, Mary Tobitha 'Tobe' Edwards, David Newton Edwards, Charlie Luther Edwards, Sarah Silvannah Edwards, and Clinton Clero Edwards.
The 1880 census state they were living in Priceville, Hart County, Kentucky, with William age 37, Nancy age 35, Martha Jane age 14, Bonny Anna age 11, William M. age 10, Rosie Bell age 7, Mary Tabitha age 6, David Newton age 3, and Charlie Luther age 1.
According to Josie's grand-daughter, Ollie May (Poston) Presley (my mother and Martha Jane's daughter), Josie became noted in her community as being a doctor for women. It was said of her, "The night was never too dark nor too stormy for her to get on her horse and go to a woman in need, if called."
Josie and William lived in Hart County, Kentucky, near the Grayson County line at Wax, Kentucky, much of their married life. They moved to Rowletts, Hart County, Kentucky to live for a short time -- no more than a year or two. (See Poem about this move.) Then, they returned to the Wax Community to continue living in the same house they previously lived. This frame house consisted of two or three rooms.
William died June 17, 1909. At that time, Josie divided up the farm land and went to live with her daughter, Rosa Belle and her husband, Benjamin Francis "Frank" Alvey, in Wax, Grayson County, Kentucky, until her death on March 13, 1935. Her death was due to strangling to death on a piece of watermelon (I'm wonder if it was really watermelon) according to some research I found.
Josie and William Asbury Edwards with their son, William M., were burried in the Old Cherry Springs School House Cemetery near Wax, Grayson County, Kentucky. Their grave sites are marked with granite tombstones.
Granny Edwards (Nancy Josephine 'Josie' Harrod Edwards) often told her grand-daughter, Ollie, one of her adventurous stories of her life. Granny Edwards and Grandpap Edwards were walking to Munfordville from their Rowletts home. As they walked across the Green River via the railroad tresle at Munfordville, they heard a train coming. Granny Edwards in her soft, low, voice with a Southern accent told how scared they were and what they decided to do. Grandpap climbed over the edge and held tight to the railroad cross-ties for the train to pass. While Granny was holding the cross-ties, the train was rumbling overhead and she lost her grip. As she jumped to the ground, her big hoop skirt ballooned out and let her down to the ground soooooooo easy as the hoop skirt acted as a parachute. (See the Poem written about this experience.)
In the 1970s, I talked with the Johnston sisters (Lois and Rosaline) who were Josie's neighbors when Lois and Rosaline were young girls. They lived across the field from Josie and William for many years. The Johnston sisters spoke very highly of Josie; and they showed me a butter dish and a cake stand their mother had bought at the Edwards' sale when William died and Josie was "breaking-up" housekeeping to go live with her daughter, Rosa Bell.
Author Edith Bastin
© Copyright: January 28, 1999. All Rights Reserved.