from The Millers of Millersburg (on Googlebooks)

Chapter III.

The descendants of Eleanor Mills, daughter of Eleanor Morris and Major William Mills.

Eleanor Mills married, in 1793, the Reverend Samuel Edney (Methodist), who was born in 1768, in North Carolina, and preached fifty years. He was buried in Edneyville, North Carolina, which town was named for him and his brother, Asa. He died September 17, 1844.

General Bales Mills Edney, a distinguished lawyer, son of Eleanor Mills and Reverend Samuel Edney, was consul to Palermo, Sicily, in 1851 or 1853. A history of North Carolina says that he was Charge d' Affaires to Guatemala, appointed September 14, 1852, from North Carolina. He equipped at his own expense a Confederate company of which he was captain. He was murdered by deserters at Edneyville April 4, 1865 (it was supposed by robbers). He was buried at Edneyville. He never married. When at Palermo, his office was near Mt. Etna. Some of the family have brooches he had made from stones there. His military suit, trimmed with gold buttons and lace, was burned in Charleston, South Carolina. He was very handsome, elegant, and refined. The family has a beautiful miniature of him painted in Washington, District Columbia. Judge Bynum of Charlotte, North Carolina, was a law partner of General Bales Edney.

James Edney, another son of Eleanor Mills and Samuel Endey, and author of a history, "Western North Carolina," was a merchant of New York. His history was printed in 1858. He was a natural musician and dealt in all kind of musical instruments. He was buried in New York City, where his family continued to reside. He married Miss Turner. They had the following children: James Edney, Jr., a civil engineer in New York; Mrs. Sue Neal, Sumpter, Vermont; Mrs. Francis Craft of Brooklyn, New York; and Mrs. James Francis of New Jersey. James Edney, Jr., had a wholesale store of musical instruments and one of dry goods, both in New York City.

John Morris Edney, another son of Eleanor Mills and Samuel Edney married Miss Falls of Augusta, Georgia, and was buried in Mobile, Alabama, January, 1824. He was a very handsome man. His only daughter, Amanda, married Mr. Gardner of Selma, Alabama. They had three daughters and one son; Lizzie Gardner, who died quite young, unmarried; Belle Gardner who married a Mr. Human of New York City; and Emma Gardner who married a Mr. Browning. Her remains were brought to Selma, Alabama for burial. The son of Amanda Edney Gardner married and lives in Alabama. Amanda Edney Gardner died in New York. Her daughters were all stylish girls.

Winston Edney, a fourth son of Eleanor Mills and Samuel Edney, died in Augusta, Georgia, and was buried in Edneyville, North Carolina. He had two sons and three daughters, one of whom was named Laura. They were all very handsome.

Allison Mills Edney, a fifth son of Eleanor Mills and Samuel Edney, was a merchant. He was never married. He died in Hendersonville and was buried in Edneyville, September, 1842.

Thomas Edney, a sixth son, was an artist. He never married. He died in Asheville and was buried in Edneyville.

Frank Edney, a seventh son, who was buried in Haywood, Tennessee, was a planter in West Tennessee.

William Edney, an eighth son, died young, and was buried in Edneyville.

Rufus Edney, the ninth son, married twice; was buried in Edneyville. He was a planter.

Mary Kelly Edney, a daughter of Eleanor Mills and Samuel Edney, married Isaac B. Sawyer of North Carolina. Their children were Mary Sawyer of Asheville, North Carolina; Eleanor Sawyer, who had many admirers and when young was the prettiest girl in Asheville (she died 1902 in the hospital, Morganton, North Carolina, and was buried in Ashyille); James B. Sawyer, a wealthy banker in Asheville who has several children.

Elizabeth Jones Edney, second daughter of Eleanor Mills and Samuel Edney, married, in 1792, her third cousin, Colonel Leavenworth Edney of Nashville, Tennessee, a Methodist minister. There is an Edney Chapel now in Nashville. They had five daughters and four sons. Mrs. Louisa Eleanor Benson, Charlotte, North Carolina, one of the three now living, has two daughters, Lillie and Nellie. Nellie Benson is organist in the Episcopal Church. Mrs. Benson's son is dispatcher in the Southern Railway office at Charlotte, North Carolina. Mrs. Benson's oldest sister, Mary Edney, was very beautiful, and was called the belle of North Carolina. The Edneys were extravagant livers and left little behind them. Robert Edney, ancestor of Reverend Samuel and of Asa Edney, married a sister of Sir Isaac Newton.

Most of the genealogy of Samuel Edney and Eleanor Mills was furnished by Mrs. Louise Eleanor Benson, Charlotte, North Carolina.

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jun 8 2018, 1:29:45 UTC