John M. Edwards House

A noisy mob marched down South Street in the middle of one January night in 1861. Stopping abruptly in John Edwards' front yard, spokesmen for the group demanded "in the name of the Continental Congress" that Edwards, then Justice of the Peace, release one William Clark from custody. Edwards refused. Here was another sign of the "intense excitement" the Gazette had reported a week earlier as Edwards set about enforcing liquor laws in the village. Now the Gazette included this incident among "the many irregularities now disturbing the peace and dignity of our otherwise quiet Village." One night two months later, Edwards' house caught fire. A local historian writing six years after the event was sure that the whiskey disturbance had something to do with the fire. 

John Edwards came to Kalamazoo in 1848 at the suggestion of his cousin, Charles Stuart. Still in his twenties and a practicing attorney, he settled down as one of several village lawyers. In 1851, however, President Millard Fillmore appointed him Receiver of the local land office. Edwards then set about building a home for himself and his bride, Emma, on fashionable South Street. There he moved in 1852. Now, after the fire, the Gazette announced in April of 1861, that Edwards was "preparing to rebuild his house which was recently burned" and added that he intended "to erect a very fine residence." 

Edwards chose to construct his new home in the fashionable Italian Villa style. The regular features of this style were intended, said architect Andrew Jackson Downing, for a man of commonsense who did nothing without plan. The solid, square mass of the house was lightened somewhat by ornamental brackets at the eaves and by carved "hoods" over the windows. The tall windows and fashionable double-door gave a feeling of opulence to the structure that was appropriate to Edward's new position as partner in the law firm of Stuart and Edwards. As the Census-taker had recently recorded, Edwards ranked among the wealthy men of the village with an estate of $18,000. Edwards' two sons, William and Albert would grow up in this house. Edwards would die there in 1897. His wife continued to live there for some years, as did Albert and other members of the Edwards family. The house has remained in the family since it was built, it being the home for-many years of Caroline Edwards, granddaughter of the old Justice of the Peace and for years a teacher at Central High School. 

Maps:

1853--J. Edwards
1861--         
1873--shows new hse

Kalamazoo County Tax Rolls:  

Kalamazoo City Directory:

1899 gives John M. Edwards death as June 24, 1897

U. S. Population Census Rolls:

1860--John M. Edwards, 40 attorney, 17,000 real, $1,000 pers., b. Mass., Emma Edwards, 29, b. NY.; William Edwards 9; Albert, 6.

Kalamazoo Gazette: April 12, 1861: "J. M. Edwards, Esq., is preparing to rebuild his house which was recently burned. We understand he designs to erect a very fine residence."

U. S. Population Census Rolls:

1870--John M. Edwards, 49, lawyer, 14000 real, 2500 pers., b. Mass; Edwina, 38, b. NY; William 19, tinsmith; Albert, 16.

1880--John M. Edwards, 59, lawyer, b. Mass.; Emma, wife, 48, b. NY.