James Edwards was born in Virginia according to census records of his children. He was the husband of Nancy England, the daughter of David England and Lucy Hodges. They were married about June 1, 1805 (date of bond) in Garrard County, Kentucky.

Nancy England and James Edwards were the parents of the following children born in Garrard, Ohio and Grayson Counties:

1. Susannah Thomas - 12 Feb 1803 - 7 Nov 1888. Married John Daniel.
2. America - 4 Feb 1806 - 25 Jan 1880. Married James Fitzhugh, 7 Jul 1827.
3. Mary W. - 22 Mar 1810 - d. aft.1860. Married Robert Harvey Jackson
4. Artemisia - 30 May 1813 - 16 Nov 1862. Married Russell Renfrow, 4 Oct 1835.
5. Elizabeth - 6 Mar 1815 - 7 Sep 1871. Married Robert R. Norris.
6. William - 3 Apr 1818 - 22 Nov 1890. Married Minerva Jane Cummings, 1842.
7. Ellen - 1820 - 3 Nov 1890. Married 1. William Riley Bean ca 1840; 2. Andrew Cummings, 20 Oct 1842.
Russell Renfrow, 13 Mar 1863.
8. Jane - 5 Jul 1823 - 9 Feb 1905. Married Harrison Cummings, 1842.
9. James Rice - 16 Aug 1828 - 19 Nov 1879. Married Martha Duke, 7 Aug 1850.

1820 age 26-44
1830 age 50-59
1840 age 50-59

James Edwards is said to have died at the age of 86 years, 7 months and 8 days on August 12, 1866. He was buried in the Old VanMeter Cemetery - Yeaman Community, Grayson County, Kentucky. Death date may have been taken from a gravestone that once existed, but this is not certain.

* Please note: This is not the James McClanahan Edwards who was born to Thomas Edwards and Mary McClanahan in Greenville County, South Carolina. That man was born Dec. 30, 1798 according to his father's family bible. Please see memorial 219459050 for the son of Thomas Edwards.
*Grayson County Kentucky Cemeteries Volume 1, 321 incorrectly attributed James' parents as Judge Thomas EDWARDS and Marh Ann MCCLANAHAN.