The following information is from memoirs of Wanda Elizabeth (Edwards) Gates, the youngest of two daughters of William "Will" Wilson Edwards and his wife Stella Mae (Craig) Edwards. (Written May 6, 1980)
"My father, William Wilson Edwards, was born in Ohio February 28, 1882 [1883]. In 1883 the family moved to Canton, South Dakota, where they lived until 1900. His father built a home large enough to rent out a small bachelor's apartment in Watertown, South Dakota and retired from work at the age of 50. His mother took in roomers and had 25 boarders who came out from town for their noon meal. I remember the very long table she set every noon. She hired a girl to help her serve the meals and clear the table, but she did all the cooking herself. I remember the pile of ginger cookies and sugar cookies she use to bake and the apple pies. One boarder always asked "What is the dessert?" If it's apple pie, I want to eat it first to be sure I have room for it." Edna and I helped deliver their Golden Wedding invitations and with each one we left little apple pies Grandmother had made.
My Father was an infant, when his parent moved to Canton. He went through eighth grade there and wanted to go to high school. He had been offered help financially, if he would go to high school and play hockey, on the school team. "No Willie is going to be a carpenter. He doesn't need more education. I can teach him all he need to know." In his disappointment Dad ran away to the Black Hills with a German boy, who had fled from Germany to avoid the draft at the age of twelve. Andrew Harder was his name and he had lived with my grandparent for some time. He and my father worked as cowboys for some years. Then they both went to work on the railroad. My father was a fireman on the B & O, when he met my mother. William Wilson Edwards married Stella Mae Craig November 29, 1905, in Ohio. I do not know whether at her home near Atwater or near the home of a relative John F. Jones, in Ravenna, Ohio. For a while they lived in Youngstown."
In the 1910 U.S. Census, he is listed as a "Switchman on the Railroad;" 1920 U. S. Census "Engineer, Stationary (at gravel pit;" 1940 U. S. Census "Mechanical Engineer in Steel Contruction." Will was adept in running most types of steam powdered equipment, including railroad engines, steam roller, steam shovels, draglines, etc.
Will and Stella had two daughters: Edna Irene Edwards, born February 9, 1908, near Atwater, Ohio, on their maternal grandparents home (George and Eva (Yarian)Craig's farm) and Wanda Elizabeth, born July 16, 1910, Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota. Edna was a dietician, who graduated from the University of Minnesota. Her first job was at the world famous, Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. She married Robert "Bob" Leslie Stark, July 16, 1935, St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Bob was, also, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, in Electrical Engineering. He worked for the Bureau of Reclamation for many years; Miner and Miner Consulting Engineers, Greeley, Colorado; and later for the State Department, Agency for International Development. Bob's work eventually took them to Pakitan, Thialand and South Korea. Wanda married Rev. Halstead "Hally" Gates, June 10, 1936, St. Paul, Minnesota. In addition to ministering in Minnesota, Texas and California, they were missionaries to China.
Will contiued his love for hockey and was attending a hockey game, when he suffered a massive heart attack and died October 2, 1948, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
"My father, William Wilson Edwards, was born in Ohio February 28, 1882 [1883]. In 1883 the family moved to Canton, South Dakota, where they lived until 1900. His father built a home large enough to rent out a small bachelor's apartment in Watertown, South Dakota and retired from work at the age of 50. His mother took in roomers and had 25 boarders who came out from town for their noon meal. I remember the very long table she set every noon. She hired a girl to help her serve the meals and clear the table, but she did all the cooking herself. I remember the pile of ginger cookies and sugar cookies she use to bake and the apple pies. One boarder always asked "What is the dessert?" If it's apple pie, I want to eat it first to be sure I have room for it." Edna and I helped deliver their Golden Wedding invitations and with each one we left little apple pies Grandmother had made.
My Father was an infant, when his parent moved to Canton. He went through eighth grade there and wanted to go to high school. He had been offered help financially, if he would go to high school and play hockey, on the school team. "No Willie is going to be a carpenter. He doesn't need more education. I can teach him all he need to know." In his disappointment Dad ran away to the Black Hills with a German boy, who had fled from Germany to avoid the draft at the age of twelve. Andrew Harder was his name and he had lived with my grandparent for some time. He and my father worked as cowboys for some years. Then they both went to work on the railroad. My father was a fireman on the B & O, when he met my mother. William Wilson Edwards married Stella Mae Craig November 29, 1905, in Ohio. I do not know whether at her home near Atwater or near the home of a relative John F. Jones, in Ravenna, Ohio. For a while they lived in Youngstown."
In the 1910 U.S. Census, he is listed as a "Switchman on the Railroad;" 1920 U. S. Census "Engineer, Stationary (at gravel pit;" 1940 U. S. Census "Mechanical Engineer in Steel Contruction." Will was adept in running most types of steam powdered equipment, including railroad engines, steam roller, steam shovels, draglines, etc.
Will and Stella had two daughters: Edna Irene Edwards, born February 9, 1908, near Atwater, Ohio, on their maternal grandparents home (George and Eva (Yarian)Craig's farm) and Wanda Elizabeth, born July 16, 1910, Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota. Edna was a dietician, who graduated from the University of Minnesota. Her first job was at the world famous, Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. She married Robert "Bob" Leslie Stark, July 16, 1935, St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Bob was, also, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, in Electrical Engineering. He worked for the Bureau of Reclamation for many years; Miner and Miner Consulting Engineers, Greeley, Colorado; and later for the State Department, Agency for International Development. Bob's work eventually took them to Pakitan, Thialand and South Korea. Wanda married Rev. Halstead "Hally" Gates, June 10, 1936, St. Paul, Minnesota. In addition to ministering in Minnesota, Texas and California, they were missionaries to China.
Will contiued his love for hockey and was attending a hockey game, when he suffered a massive heart attack and died October 2, 1948, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The following information is from memoirs of Wanda Elizabeth (Edwards) Gates, the youngest of two daughters of William "Will" Wilson Edwards and his wife Stella Mae (Craig) Edwards. (Written May 6, 1980)
"My father, William Wilson Edwards, was born in Ohio February 28, 1882 [1883]. In 1883 the family moved to Canton, South Dakota, where they lived until 1900. His father built a home large enough to rent out a small bachelor's apartment in Watertown, South Dakota and retired from work at the age of 50. His mother took in roomers and had 25 boarders who came out from town for their noon meal. I remember the very long table she set every noon. She hired a girl to help her serve the meals and clear the table, but she did all the cooking herself. I remember the pile of ginger cookies and sugar cookies she use to bake and the apple pies. One boarder always asked "What is the dessert?" If it's apple pie, I want to eat it first to be sure I have room for it." Edna and I helped deliver their Golden Wedding invitations and with each one we left little apple pies Grandmother had made.
My Father was an infant, when his parent moved to Canton. He went through eighth grade there and wanted to go to high school. He had been offered help financially, if he would go to high school and play hockey, on the school team. "No Willie is going to be a carpenter. He doesn't need more education. I can teach him all he need to know." In his disappointment Dad ran away to the Black Hills with a German boy, who had fled from Germany to avoid the draft at the age of twelve. Andrew Harder was his name and he had lived with my grandparent for some time. He and my father worked as cowboys for some years. Then they both went to work on the railroad. My father was a fireman on the B & O, when he met my mother. William Wilson Edwards married Stella Mae Craig November 29, 1905, in Ohio. I do not know whether at her home near Atwater or near the home of a relative John F. Jones, in Ravenna, Ohio. For a while they lived in Youngstown."
In the 1910 U.S. Census, he is listed as a "Switchman on the Railroad;" 1920 U. S. Census "Engineer, Stationary (at gravel pit;" 1940 U. S. Census "Mechanical Engineer in Steel Contruction." Will was adept in running most types of steam powdered equipment, including railroad engines, steam roller, steam shovels, draglines, etc.
Will and Stella had two daughters: Edna Irene Edwards, born February 9, 1908, near Atwater, Ohio, on their maternal grandparents home (George and Eva (Yarian)Craig's farm) and Wanda Elizabeth, born July 16, 1910, Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota. Edna was a dietician, who graduated from the University of Minnesota. Her first job was at the world famous, Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. She married Robert "Bob" Leslie Stark, July 16, 1935, St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Bob was, also, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, in Electrical Engineering. He worked for the Bureau of Reclamation for many years; Miner and Miner Consulting Engineers, Greeley, Colorado; and later for the State Department, Agency for International Development. Bob's work eventually took them to Pakitan, Thialand and South Korea. Wanda married Rev. Halstead "Hally" Gates, June 10, 1936, St. Paul, Minnesota. In addition to ministering in Minnesota, Texas and California, they were missionaries to China.
Will contiued his love for hockey and was attending a hockey game, when he suffered a massive heart attack and died October 2, 1948, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
"My father, William Wilson Edwards, was born in Ohio February 28, 1882 [1883]. In 1883 the family moved to Canton, South Dakota, where they lived until 1900. His father built a home large enough to rent out a small bachelor's apartment in Watertown, South Dakota and retired from work at the age of 50. His mother took in roomers and had 25 boarders who came out from town for their noon meal. I remember the very long table she set every noon. She hired a girl to help her serve the meals and clear the table, but she did all the cooking herself. I remember the pile of ginger cookies and sugar cookies she use to bake and the apple pies. One boarder always asked "What is the dessert?" If it's apple pie, I want to eat it first to be sure I have room for it." Edna and I helped deliver their Golden Wedding invitations and with each one we left little apple pies Grandmother had made.
My Father was an infant, when his parent moved to Canton. He went through eighth grade there and wanted to go to high school. He had been offered help financially, if he would go to high school and play hockey, on the school team. "No Willie is going to be a carpenter. He doesn't need more education. I can teach him all he need to know." In his disappointment Dad ran away to the Black Hills with a German boy, who had fled from Germany to avoid the draft at the age of twelve. Andrew Harder was his name and he had lived with my grandparent for some time. He and my father worked as cowboys for some years. Then they both went to work on the railroad. My father was a fireman on the B & O, when he met my mother. William Wilson Edwards married Stella Mae Craig November 29, 1905, in Ohio. I do not know whether at her home near Atwater or near the home of a relative John F. Jones, in Ravenna, Ohio. For a while they lived in Youngstown."
In the 1910 U.S. Census, he is listed as a "Switchman on the Railroad;" 1920 U. S. Census "Engineer, Stationary (at gravel pit;" 1940 U. S. Census "Mechanical Engineer in Steel Contruction." Will was adept in running most types of steam powdered equipment, including railroad engines, steam roller, steam shovels, draglines, etc.
Will and Stella had two daughters: Edna Irene Edwards, born February 9, 1908, near Atwater, Ohio, on their maternal grandparents home (George and Eva (Yarian)Craig's farm) and Wanda Elizabeth, born July 16, 1910, Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota. Edna was a dietician, who graduated from the University of Minnesota. Her first job was at the world famous, Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. She married Robert "Bob" Leslie Stark, July 16, 1935, St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Bob was, also, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, in Electrical Engineering. He worked for the Bureau of Reclamation for many years; Miner and Miner Consulting Engineers, Greeley, Colorado; and later for the State Department, Agency for International Development. Bob's work eventually took them to Pakitan, Thialand and South Korea. Wanda married Rev. Halstead "Hally" Gates, June 10, 1936, St. Paul, Minnesota. In addition to ministering in Minnesota, Texas and California, they were missionaries to China.
Will contiued his love for hockey and was attending a hockey game, when he suffered a massive heart attack and died October 2, 1948, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
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