Transcribed by Pamela Wagler from: Biographical Review of Des Moines County, Iowa: Containing Biographical and Genealogical Sketches of Many of the Prominent Citizens of To-day and Also of the Past, Hobart Publishing Company, Chicago, 1905.

SAMUEL ELDER EDGAR

Samuel Elder Edgar, well known as a leading stock-raiser of Yellow Springs township, making a specialty of the breeding of pure-blooded Angus cattle, was born Jan. 22, 1863, in the township where he still resides, his parents being David and Martha (McIlhinney) Edgar.

No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for him in his youth. He was educated in the district schools of Des Moines and Henry counties, therein mastering the common branches of English learning. During the summer months he worked in the fields, taking his place behind the plow at an early age.

He has always followed farming, with the exception of about ten years, when he took contracts for digging ditches, making many such waterways in Yellow Springs and Washington townships. In later years, however, his attention has been more closely confined to his farming operations, and he has met with gratifying success in this way.

In 1901 he purchased from R. Huston the farm of one hundred and fifty and a half acres, in Yellow Springs township, on which he is now living. He devotes his time and energies to the further cultivation of the fields, and to the raising of stock. In the latter branch of his business he is particularly successful, and is now raising pure-bred Angus cattle, having a herd of about fifty head. He also raises about seventy head of Poland China hogs.

Dec. 9, 1886, our subject married Miss Ella J. Wilson, a daughter of Sampson and Ellen (Reynolds) Wilson. Mrs. Edgar was born at Newburg-on-the-Hudson, N. Y., Nov. 3, 1863, and in 1867 was brought by her parents to this country, the family home being established in Washington township. The father continued to carry on farming for many years, and died July 26, 1899, at the age of eighty years, is birth having occurred Feb. 5, 1819. His remains were interred in the Sharon churchyard. His widow still survives him, and is now living in Morning Sun.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar has been blessed with two sons; Lloyd McIlhiney, born March 9, 1894; and Edgar Wilson, born Aug. 31, 1900.

Mr. and Mrs. Edgar hold membership in the Reformed Presbyterian church, and have a wide circle of friends in this county, where Mr. Edgar has spent his entire life, and where his wife has lived from her early girlhood days.

 

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