Artemas Seymour Edmands
Artemas Seymour Edmands and his older brother were part of the nomadic, reactive Gilded Generation. His parents were part of the idealistic Transcendental Generation. His two younger siblings and both of his wives were part of the adaptive Progressive Generation. All but the youngest of his seven sons were part of the idealistic Missionary Generation; that youngest son was part of the nomadic, reactive Lost Generation.
In his early adult years, Artemas was a shoe cutter, shoe maker, and shoe shop machinist--a trade summed up in the word cordwainer (or, at least, he was registered that way in the census).
Artemas had three sons by his first wife, Lucy, who died from heart problems two months after she gave birth to the third son. Considering that the middle name of Artemas's third son was "Lincoln," we can assume that--at least in his thirties--Artemas was a Republican. The baby boy was raised by Artemas's parents.
After Lucy died, Artemas and his two older children lived for a while with his older brother, John Lott Edmands, in the 3rd ward of Lynn. At that time he went by the name "A. Seymour."
Five years later, Artemas married his second wife, Ella, his third cousin once removed, 12 years his junior. They were third cousin, once removed. (Artemas's parents--Artemas Edmands, 1813-1896 and Margaret M. Wilson, 1811-1879--had been distant relatives, seventh cousins.)
Ella bore Artemas four more sons, for a total of seven. The difference in age between the oldest son, Arthur, and the youngest, Ernest, was 21 years 6 months. Here is a picture (ca. 1900) of Artemas and his seven sons.
Around the turn of the century, Artemas and Ella operated a dairy farm on Route 1, just north of Main Street in Saugus, Massachusetts. (According to the 1910 census, their address was 165 Main Street.) At that time, Ella's widowered father, Ephraim Sylvester Mansfield, age 85, was living with them. Son Ellis's 3-year-old granddaughter, Margaret Louise Edmands, whose mother had died when she was a baby, was living with them then as well.
![[ Artemas Seymour Edmands and his sons, ca. 1900 ]](images/artemasandsons.jpg)
Artemas Seymour Edmands and his sons, ca. 1900.
[Front] Arthur Seymour, Artemas Seymour, Edward Wesley.
[Back] Nelson Wilfred, Elbert H., Ellis Lincoln, Oscar Melvin, Ernest Carl.
Year by year in the life of Artemas Seymour Edmands
The childhood of Artemas Seymour Edmands in its historical context
The adolescence and prime adulthood of Artemas Seymour Edmands in their historical context
The midlife and seasoned adulthood years of Artemas Seymour Edmands in their historical context
The historical context of Artemas Seymour Edmands's life (age 64 through 73)
The historical context of Artemas Seymour Edmands's life (age 74 until his death)
| Birth of Artemas Seymour Edmands | |
| Born: | 19 January 1837 |
| Birthplace: | Saugus, Essex County, Massachusetts |
| Parents | |
| Father: | Artemas Edmands, 1813-1896 (our ancestor), from Saugus, Essex County, Massachusetts |
| Mother: | Margaret M. Wilson, 1811-1879(1)
found is "Margarate." To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close) (our ancestor), from Saugus, Essex County, Massachusetts |
| Siblings | |
| Brother: | John Lott Edmands
Born 1835 Superintendent of streets, Saugus(2), According to Patricia Brown Mathews, John Lott Edmands worked as highway supervisor in Lynn, rather than Saugus. To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close) MA Married Mary M. Hall (1842-1928)(3) According to Nancy B. Edmands Allen, b. 1925, the death date for Mary Hall is 1908, but the tombstone at lot 85 in Riverside Cemtry. , Saugus, MA, has Mary's dates as 1842-1928 (verified in 1990 by Allan Christie Edmands II, b. 1942). To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close) --- from Vermont
Ruth Edmands --- (married Eric Wilson) Died 23 October 1900 --- from typhoid fever Buried in Riverside Cmtry (with wife), lot 85, Saugus, MA |
| Brother: | Andrew Jackson Edmands
Born 24 February(4) According to Patricia Mathews, Andrew Jackson Edmands was born on 25 February (not 24 February) 1845. To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close) 1845 Married Maria UNKNOWN Profession: Butcher
Clara L. Edmands, b. 1867(5) The "Family Search" (of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints), gives 1862, not 1867, as the birthyear for Clara L. Edmands. To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close) Addie P. Edmands, b. 1871 Florence M. Edmands, b. 1878 Grace Edmands (?) --- (married Cooke [?](6)) According to the 19 March 1965 entry in the diary of Mary Caroline Findley Edmands, "Note from Miss Mason--she's found another Edmands relative, a Grace Cooke--Uncle Andrew's daughter, I believe." Erma F. Mason was the source in the 1960s for numerous descendants of Artemas's grandfather John Edmands, 1757-1846, but a "Grace Cooke" is not listed among the records I possess. Other records list only three children for Andrew and Maria. Is it possible that Grace might be their granddaughter--that is, the daughter of Clara, Addie, or Florence (who presumably married a Cooke)? To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close) |
|
Cousin
(Raised as sister): |
Margaret Ellen Edmands(7)
The Mormon Family Search lists Margaret Ellen Edmands as "Ellen M. Edmands." Patricia Mathews has "Margaret E." (born 1847) and "Ellen M." (born 1848) as two different people. Apparently Margaret Ellen used one name (Margaret E.) sometimes and the other name (Ellen M.) other times when talking to census takers. Pat has "Ellen" living with freshly widowed Artemas Sr. in the 1880 census; she would have been 32 or 33 at the time. To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close) Born 30 January 1847
and Aunt Lydia Draper Edmands, who died soon after Margaret's birth; Margaret taken in by Artemas's mother and father and raised as their own daughter) Both of them died 18 December 1913 --- Did they die in an accident? Both buried in Riverside Cmtry, lot 85, Saugus, MA |
| Spouses and children | |
| Wife 1: | Lucy Caroline Ketelle, 1843-1868 (daughter of James Ketelle [1816-1894] and Mary Olive Paine Ketelle [b. 1821] from Charlestown, Massachusetts) Married 7 July(8) Patricia Mathews supplied the 7 July 1861 marriage date. Our other sources had 7 June 1861. To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close) 1861 Saugus, Essex County, Massachusetts |
| Son: | Arthur Seymour Edmands, 1862-1951 |
| Son: | Edward Wesley Edmands, 1864-1956 |
| Son: | Ellis Lincoln Edmands, 1868-1947 |
| Wife 2: | Ella Josephine Mansfield, 1849-1923 (our ancestor), (daughter of Ephraim Sylvester Mansfield and Elizabeth UNKNOWN Mansfield, [our ancestors] from Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts) Married 23 July 1873 Saugus, Essex County, Massachusetts |
| Son: | Nelson Wilfred Edmands, 1875-1950 |
| Son: | Oscar Melvin Edmands, 1876-1966 |
| Son: | Elbert Horace "Bert" Edmands, 1878-1946 |
| Son: | Ernest Carl Edmands, 1884-1928 (our ancestor) |
| Other information | |
| Occupation: | Shoe shop machinist (cordwainer)
operated a dairy farm at the turn of the century in Saugus, MA |
| Religion: | No information available |
| Death of Artemas Seymour Edmands | |
| Died: | 5 November(9)
Patricia Mathews has the 5 November 1920 death date from the cemetery records. Our other sources had 4 October 1920. To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close) 1920 (chronic endocarditis) (age 83 years 9 months 16 days) |
| Deathplace: | Saugus, Essex County, Massachusetts |
| Burial place: | Riverside Cmtry (lot 85), Saugus, Essex County, Massachusetts |
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