Rise To Congress and Early Death
In March 1811, he was commissioned colonel of the Second regiment, Third brigade, Fourth division, Ohio militia. At the news of the surrender of General William Hull at Detroit in August 1812, leading citizens put the area in a state of defense, as great alarm existed that the surrender exposed them to incursions by the British and Indians. Edwards marched with a portion of his regiment to Cleveland. After being there for a period, his services as an officer were no longer required and he returned to Warren.
In October of the same year he was elected Representative to the Thirteenth United States Congress from Ohio's 6th congressional district. John S. Edwards was the first man elected to the United States Congress who resided on the Western Reserve, but he did not live to take his seat.
In January 1813, in company with two others, he left Warren with the intention of going to the Put-in-Bay islands, where he owned lands and had a large number of sheep, to look after his property. When at Lower Sandusky, a thaw coming on, the companions thought best to return for home. John Edwards got wet, was taken ill with malarial fever on the road, and died on the journey. His place of burial is not known.
In 1814, his widow was married a second time to Robert Montgomery, of Youngstown. They were also the parents of three children: Robert Morris, Caroline Sarah who married Dr. M. Hazeltine, and Ellen Louisa, who was married to Samuel Hine.
Edwards' home still stands in Warren, albeit not in its original location, and is now a museum.
Read more about this topic: John Stark Edwards
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