Edmonds, F. A. - Rev.

REV. F. A. EDMONDS
William EDMONDS, grandfather of the subject of this brief memoir, came from England in an early day, and located in Northampton County, Penn., and engaged in merchandising. During the Revolutionary war, he was employed as a land agent by the Government, and acted in a similar capacity for a London organization. He had two sons, William F. and John A., and three daughters. John A. was born in Northampton County in 1801, where he resided until about 1864, when he removed to Center County, where he died in 1874. His wife Elizabeth died in 1871 at the advanced age of seventy years. Mr. EDMONDS was a surveyor and conveyancer, and held the office of Justice of the Peace nearly all the entire years of his adult life.

He had a family of nine boys, some of whom enlisted and held commissions during the war of the rebellion.

F.A. EDMONDS, who was born in 1832, was educated at Hedelberg College, in Ohio, which is under the auspices of the Reformed Church, receiving the title of A.M. He also graduated from the theological department in 1859, and was ordained this same year, and commenced the services of the ministry in Shelby, Ohio, acting as a supply for nine months, and then took charge of the Reformed Church in Berlin, Somerset County, where he labored very acceptably and successfully for five years. His next field of labor was in Foreston, Ill., where he remained for seven years, preaching with marked success.

In 1870, he assumed the pastorate of the Reformed Church of Harmony, enthused new life and activity into the membership, and by indefatigable labor, both in and out of season, was enabled to establish a new era of prosperity; so much so that the membership has more than tripled under his ministrations, and they have the largest Sundy school in the county.

Being deeply interested in educational matters, he, in 1873, in connection with J.C. TINSMAN and Rev. S.L. JOHNSON, established the Harmony Collegiate Institute, which attained great success during his connection with it, for three years, and assisted very materially in advancing the cause of education, and awaking in many a desire for higher education.

Rev. EDMONDS belongs to that class of advanced religious teachers who believe in advancing the material as well as spiritual interests of the community where he resides, and therefore has ever taken a deep and active interest in all public enterprises, especially regarding public improvements, such as the projecting of railroads and extending borough limits, he and E. ZIEGLER having made an addition to Harmony known as the ZIEGLER-EDMONDS Addition. During the war of the rebellion, he recruited Company F, of the one Hundred and Forty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and went into service as Captain, but ill health some five months later compelled his resignation.

In 1860, he was married to Miss M.A. KORNS, and one daughter, Aggie, has blessed their union.