Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3280 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSnotable record as captain in the Confederate army, as teacher and countyschool commissioner, and also served as state senator from Randolph County.The mother of Judge Edwards was Tommie Roquemore, descended from theSouth Carolina Roquemores, who came from France to escape the Protestantpersecution following the massacre of St. Bartholemew. Representatives ofthe Roquemore family have spread over South Carolina, Alabama, Georgiaand Florida.Besides Judge Edwards two of his brothers have gained distinction in thelegal profession. E. W. Edwards is a prominent lawyer at Valdosta, Georgia.John S. Edwards, who has given service on the Tax Commission of Florida,recently was elected judge of the Circuit Court of the Southern District. Theoldest brother of Judge Edwards was a successful insurance man in LittleRock, A.rkansas, and was killed in a street car accident. There are also foursisters: Mrs. S. A. Stanley, a well known church worker at Ocala, Florida;Mrs. A. T. Buchanan, who now holds a position in the United States service;Miss Susie Edwards, who has gained more than a local reputation throughGeorgia as a teacher 1 of expression; while Helen Edwards, the youngest, is awriter who uses her pen with great charm and ability and is a contributor toseveral papers.Judge M. C. Edwards was graduated LL. B. from the University of Georgiain 1890. He had previously begun teaching school at the age of sixteen andspent five years in that vocation. Thus he paid largely for his higher education and has been a vigorous worker in the ranks from early youth. Whilein university at Athens he was president of the Phi Kappa Literary Society.In 1890 Judge Edwards began, the practice of law at Dawson and hassince enjoyed a large clientage in all the courts in adjacent counties. In 1891he edited the Dawson Journal. Much of his time has been taken from hisprofession in order to look after varied and important business and civicinterests. He is now judge of the City Court of Dawson, a position to whichhe was first elected in 1906, and he served several years as city attorney. ,Hehas filled the office of judge of the City Court for three successive terms. Heis also president of the Democratic Executive Committee, chairman of theDawson Bar Association and president of the Dawson School Board.Other interests make him an important factor in financial and industrialaffairs. He has been president of the Bank of Dawson since 1911, and is oneof the largest stockholders in this institution. The bank has a capital stockof $100,000. He is also one of the largest land holders in Terrell County. Heis a director in the Dawson Telephone Company, is a director of the SouthernTimber Company, a $100,000 corporation whose operations are largely in theState of Florida, and is a former director and vice president of the CityNational Bank.At one time he also held the office of judge of the County Court. He hasbeen a member of various literary and social clubs and has been president ofmost of the organizations in which he was an active member. Though not amember, he was reared in the Baptist Church.On April 25,1894, Judge Edwards married Sallie Will Pickett, a daughterof Capt: T. H. and A. E. Pickett. Captain Pickett has been a prominentlawyer of Dawson for many years and has also served as mayor of that city.Mrs. Edwards' mother was a member of the Davenport family, well knownp socially and politically in Georgia. Mrs. Edwards' brothers; Smith, D. C.,King, Toombs and Tom Pickett, are all prominent men of affairs. Her onlysister, Mrs. Woolsey, is the wife of T. S. Woolsey, a professor at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, a grandson of the former president of Tale.Judge and Mrs. Edwards have five children: Marian, Davenport, William,Tom Pickett and Elizabeth. The daughter Marian was liberally educatedand spent one year in Europe studying the language and is now the wife of>Mr. M. Cronin of Washington, District of Columbia, at present democratic' candidate for Congress from the Second Iowa District.