THE EDWARDS HOME

 105 North Tyler

Dawson, Navarro Co. Texas

 

John W Edwards, born 1845, died 1912 and was buried in the Dawson Cemetery.   Iit was some time afterwards that his widow, Nancy Matilda Katherine Edwards born 1865….better known as “Nannie,” had this lovely home constructed.     

 

Her step-son, Jim Edwards, married Pauline Ponder and operated a Variety Store in Dawson for many years.    Pauline Ponder was a sister of Roy Ponder who operated THE GREEN HUT in Dawson for many years.      Jim and Pauline were said to have had two daughters, Ruth Edwards and Essie Edwards.

 

Her step-daughter, Bessie Mae Edwards born 1888, married Roy Ponder mentioned above and had two children, Paul Ponder and

 

Another step-son was, probably, Lewis W Edwards born 1870 and who operated the Dawson Lumber Company for many many years.

 

“Nannie” and John had two daughters of their own, Cora Edwards who married Felix Davis, and Kathleen Edwards. who never married.      Felix Davis had first married Maud Gable and had the following children:   Felix Earl Davis, Elizabeth Davis, and Joe Guinn Davis.     Felix and Cora Edwards Davis had one child, Edwina Davis who married  Carl Stipes and  presently lives at Coolidge TX.

 

Arlie Edwards, who worked at a Dawson Bank in the early 1930s, and, later, served with a Dallas bank for many years, may have been a son of John W and Nannie Edwards.

 

Nannie Edwards died  1942.    Her daughter, Miss Kathleen Edwards, continued to live in the residence until her death in 1991.    An apartment was located upstairs and occupied for a time by Dr Steen.    Earlier J H & Agnes D Minse and their daughter, a school teacher, lived in the upstairs apartment..    Jim Tucker and his wife lived there on two occasions.    

 

During the 1950s, Beulah Hopkins, a fine and cultured black lady, returned to Dawson after having spent a number of years in Detroit, Michigan and lived with Miss Kathleen.    Her father, Professor Hopkins, was one of the first black teachers in Dawson.

 

Edwina Davis, daughter of Cora Edwards Davis, and niece of Miss Kathleen Edwards, inherited the residence in 1991 and the residence was purchased by Steve Putnam.    It was resold in 1994 to Billy Hightower.

 

Richard and Deborah Clower of Corsicana purchased the residence in 1998 and began a painstaking and ongoing restoration.    Deborah Clower, nee Deborah Onstatt, is a sister of Duane Dill Onstott who lives at 209 North Tyler.    The Clowers hope to have the residence ready to participate in a Tour of Dawson Home in the fall of 2006.

 

The Carl Matthews Collection