History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

310 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
married Amzi Van Canpen, who died in 1907 and is buried in
Spokane, Washington. They had three children, Edith, Arthur
and Bessie. Ella, the youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. Harper,
died in infancy. Mrs. Harper still retains the homestead and in
its cultivation has demonstrated her excellent business ability and
enterprise. She has many friends in Lee county to whom her
excellent traits of mind and character have greatly endeared
her.
W. J. EDWARDS.
For over thirty years W. J. Edwards has been engaged in the
livery business in Amboy, his native city, and during the intervening
i^eriod has gained success and prominence in business
circles and a place among the men of marked ability and substan-
tial worth in the community. Since 1908 he has been supervisor
of Amboy township and the duties of this office he discharges in a
capable and progressive way. He was born September 15, 1855,
and is a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Saul) Edwards. The father
was the first livery man in Amboy, establishing an enterprise of
this character here in 1855. He was also a railroad contractor
and aided in the construction of the Illinois Central, the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul and the Toledo & St. Louis Railroads. He
was a stanch republican in his political beliefs and held various
public offices, including those of sheriff and county supervisor.
During the Civil war he was horse buyer for the government and
he proved always competent and trustworthy in positions of
responsibility. He died in April, 1900, at the age of seventy-two,
and is buried in the Prairie Repose cemetery near Amboy. His
wife survives him and makes her home in that city.
W. J. Edwards acquired his early education in the public
schools of Amboy and afterward attended Chicago University,
which he left at the age of nineteen. He then engaged in the livery
business and in railroad contracting imder his father and he
has been connected with the former occupation for a period of
more than thirty years. He has now an excellent establishment
and controls a large patronage, for his prices are at all times rea-
sonable and his business methods above reproach.
In Amboy, in May, 1880, Mr. Edwards married Miss Rose
Nannery, a native of ISTew York city. Mrs. Edwards passed away