John Edge

  Noted events in his life were:

• Miscellaneous. John and Martha Edge were farmers in Lima Township, Grant Co., Wisconsin.

John Edge (called Hog Jack) and Jane Daugherty Edge had 13 children. Hog Jack always said that you should create something during your life so that your children could get their start standing on your shoulders. Hog Jack's grandson, D. Ben Edge wrote the following,"The Edge's were English farmers. When John was growing up, in his teens, his father began picking out newborn female pigs and calves. This was so that young John could have a start up of his own live stock to begin farming for himself. So, from then on, this is what he thought and did. He built the calves and pigs into a large number. To make a long story short, what with all the family working together over the years, he did buy more land, build more buildings, raise more livestock and on and on until 3 farms with buildings and livestock and a large 5 bedroom home with a bathroom upstairs and down in Platteville, Wisconsin. It was across the street from a college, where his 2 youngest, a boy and a girl did graduate." Hog Jack was called that because he raised hogs. His family had to hurry to get ashore before he was born, as he was their first child born in the United States, and was their seventh child so far! They were coming from England. Hog Jack was a short man. Occaisionally he would go to town and have a little too much to drink. His horses knew the way home, so the tavern owner would put him on his buckboard and send him on his way. When he got home, Jane would say, "Boys, get up and help Dad into bed." He had 8 girls, 5 boys. Most of the boys didn't finish grade school, they were needed on the farm. He sometimes would urinate off the bedroom porch, instead of going through the house to the out house. Unfortunately, this habit eventually killed him. He slipped on the ice on the porch and broke his hip, then developed pneumonia and died on the eve of his 60th wedding anniversary. His grandson remembers visiting him in a huge kitchen a couple of times a year, where Hog Jack would sit and talk to his son, Ben. Of those visits, D. Ben Edge wrote, "I can still see him sitting on the front porch, swatting flies on his bald head. However, he did have one hair over one ear. That stuck in my memory...that one hair over one ear. I can also remember him sitting in his chair in the kitchen by the window where he had a spittoon between his feet. That kitchen was the center of Grandma and Grandpa's home. I remember that Grandma was always cooking and those who visited them always sat around the big table to first eat and then to talk, on and on. I remember that Grandma and my aunts were all jolly and, as a small boy, I hated all that hugging! Now it seems like it was a great family to be part of."

Jane Daugherty Edge always said, "Yes, John." and was very subservient. She was always busy. She died very old, a couple of years after John. Her last words were, "Not to worry, I'm going to be with John."

John Edge Obituary, from the Grant County Wisconsin Genealogical Society:

"John Edge was born December 25, 1850 in Utica City, New York where his parents settled when coming from England and passed away at his home in Platteville May 22, 1936 at the age of 85 years 4 months and 27 days. John was one of thirteen children of which 2 still live, William of Platteville and Thomas of South Dakota. On May 21, 1876 he was united in marriage to Martha Jane Daugherty, and to this union 13 children were born; Hannah Clifton of Platteville, Mrs. Nancy Ann Wiest of Milwaukee, George of Lancaster, Mrs. Esther Dobson of Erie, IL, Sam and John of Lancaster, Mrs. Mayme Rheel of Platteville, Mrs. Ada Pelton, Aurelia, Iowa, Ben of Fennimore, Mrs. Minnie Williams of Richland Center, Mrs. Jennie Henry of Erie, IL, Mrs. Ella DiVall of Erie, IL, Kenneth of Bear Creek, WI. There are also left to mourn his loss 33 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren as well as a host of relatives and friends. He has been in excellent health throughout his entire life, the passing of which came on the eve of his 60th wedding anniversary.

Forty years of wedded life was spent on his farm at Buckwheat Ridge from there he moved to Platteville where he resided 20 years until the misfortune of falling which caused his death.

Mr. Edge has been a good provider, husband and father. His keen sense of humor and wit endeared him to the hearts of all who knew him and by a wide scope of friends and acquaintances.

Funeral services were conducted in the Conklin chapel Sunday May 24 at 1:30 pm with Rev. Remseyer, pastor of the Gospel Tabernacle officiating. Interment was in Greenwood Cemetery.

The six eldest grandsons served as pallbearers, Jack Weist, Raymond Clifton, Ralph Dobson, Richard Edge, Dale Rheel, and Doris Edge.

John married Martha Jane Daugherty. (Martha Jane Daugherty was buried in Platteville, WI, Greenwood Cemetery.)