JOHN L DIES IN california 0 v W john L edwards pioneer and prominent r resident es 1 dent of willard and a man known throughout the length and breadth of box elder county died wednesday night at los angeles cal whither he went but a few weeks ago to spend the winter the message announcing the passing of mr edwards was waa brief but it Is assumed by the family that he was ill but a short period and the announcement of his death came as a great shock for while mr edwards was ripe and ready tor for the reaper so EO tar far as years and experience goes he was blest with robust health and thoroughly enjoyed life I 1 before taking his departure on his u usual sual winters vacation mr edwards expressed himself to bishop ephraim Ephr aini white of willard as feeling peculiar somewhat about going away from home this time at the last fast meeting held in willard on the last S sunday u aday in november he occupied a portion of the time and stated at the beginning of its his remarks that lie he desired to bear his testimony before going away as lie did not know whether he would have fiade ille the privilege of expressing himself to his old neighbors and friends again he seemed to have a premonition that probably he was bidding good by to friends neighbors loved ones and the scenes which he so dearly loved tor for the last time before leaving as was characteristic of him he instructed this office to forward ills his paper to his california address and added a little toot foot note hear from me off and on A great many readers of 0 the news will reflect with sadness that they have read the last ot of john L edwards interesting and inimitable letters john L edwards was born july 22 1338 at farm Cwm nant parish of llan lian Cardigan shire south wales in his biography mt mij edwards states that himself and sister were very religiously inclined and as lie grew in in years he felt a strong desire to join the right religious sect he heard the preach ings of dan jones who was sent to wales from rom nauvoo in 1815 and became convinced that elder jones was an emissary sent to deliver the message of life and salvation to him ile he read the scriptures and followed this wonderful missionary until lie he and ills his sister became converted alz sir edwards father joined the church a short time afterward but his mother never did when the family talked of emigrating to utah in the early tittles fifties the mother said she would ac accompany compan her family to any part of the world they wished to migrate to and so steps were taken to sell the farm in order to raise sufficient money to pay their transportation to america the start was made iu in march 1855 and the b boat oat sailed the ocean tor for six weeks before coming into the mouth of the deleware river and landed the Passe passengers ligers at philadelphia the family made its way overland to atchison Atch lson kansas kanbas where the mother lied died and was burled buried on oil the plains the journey across the plains was made by ox team and on oil toot foot and the company arrived in salt lake in october shortly thereafter mr edwards went to willard where he established his home borne permanently manent ly lie he made two trips back to the Misso missouri url river to help the emigrants the first one in 1861 and the second in on november mr edwards was married to gwennie davis the sweetheart of his youth in the endowment house at salt lake city and eight children were born to them his wife one son and two daughters have preceded him to the other life mr edwards engaged in the stock and ranching business at which he was eminently successful he was a member of 0 the united order and was commissioned to take care of the church stock in he served as acting bishop of the willard ward during th alie e days of the underground and has served two terms as mayor of 0 willard Wll lard mr air edwards served as a hsih councilman in the box elder stake for a number of years and he has been one of 0 the pillars socially religiously and financially of box elder county tor for a great many years through rough his love of literature and music which inspired him to write his thoughts lie has become widely known and there was never a function of a welsh character in the state of any importance that mr air edwards did not give ills his hearty support to upon tile the occasion ot of the visit of 0 the Aroun mountain tain ash male late choir to this city a lew few weeks ago mr air edwards came up from willard and immediately got hold of 0 the director and members of 0 the choir with whom lie he spent a delightful deight tul halt half day and then listened to the beautiful music they furnished in the evening he was a truly remarkable character and a most I 1 lovable man ruggedly honest onest li thrifty I 1 lut generous generou sAIr mr edwards always gave of his means to worthy causes and thereby participated in practically all the big projects which have meant so I 1 much to the growth and development of 0 this section of the state J the message from his daughter mabel alabel who was with her father when he died stated that she would start tor for home with the body at 11 noon 00 n on which means that she will relve at salt lake on saturday noon services will be held in the willard vallard tabernacle sunday at 2 p m surviving mr air edwards are the following children david T edwards edward of willard john A edwards mrs ora williams of salt lake mrs airs hannah A dean of shelley idaho and miss aliss mabel edwards of willard