Thomas Edson

Laurel Logan

August 4, 2008

from http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/p/o/t/Jane-H-Potter/GENE...

Our earliest recorded direct ancestor was Thomas Bustard, of the ancient family of Bustard of Nether Ex in the Commune of Devonshire, England. The Bustard Arms is described as "argent (silver?), on a fessqules (sp.?) between 3 pellets as many bustards (birds) or, with a border engrailed azure (bustard) impaling, quarterly, 1 and 4. Argent, a chevron engrailed gules (jewels?) between 3 unicorns' heads erased(?) azure (horne)(?) 2 and 3. Ermine, 3 fleur-de-lys gules within a bordure engrailed of the last (Fabian). Crest - a bustard's head argent between 2 wings, between the neck and wings as many ears of corn gules."

Our earliest recorded Edson ancestor was Thomas Edson, who was born about 1480 at Adderbury, Oxfordshire, England. He married Juliana Bustard, one of 6 children of John Bustard of Adderbury, Commune of Oxon, England, and Elizabeth Fox, daughter of William Fox, Gentleman, of Barford Commune at Oxon, England.

Jarvis B. Edson states that the name "Edson" is of Anglo-Saxon origin, being a combination of the word "ed", a variation of the ancient term "Ead," and the word "son," an explanatory suffix, establishing the relationship of a child to a parent (known as Ed, in this case). He also states that "Ead," as an Anglo-Saxon name signifies wealth, prosperity, happiness, joy or bliss. He says, "The ancient family of Ead, whose Anglo Saxon descendants were distinguished by such diversely spelled names as Eade, Ed, Ede, Eades, Eading, Eding, Edson and Edeson, early acquired distinction in Britain through its male representatives by martial prowess and knightly valor. There never was a reigning king of that country, according to a long-current tradition, that was not served by one or more of them mounted, from the coming of the first progenitor titled 'Ead' into Britain to the end of the Middle Ages. Being well born and of official rank, they, when afield in war, had coats of mail, helmets and shields, on each of which the armored ensigns of the family were distinctly displayed. These designative emblems, heraldically title their Arms, had descended from an early point of time to each successive generation, by right of inheritance, and not by special grant or confirmation, for they were possessed long before King Richard III founded, by letters patent, on 3/2/1403, the 'College of Arms' or, as it is more commonly called 'The Herald's College." The family arms of the Eads, Eades, Eds, Edes, and Eedes, as described by Sir Barnard Burke, [Ulster King of Arms, the distinguished author of The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales,] are "azure, a chevron engrailed between three leopards' faces argent." The azure is said to signify "courtesy and discretion" and the argent [silver], "chastity, charity and a clear conscience." The leopards' or lions' faces, styled common charges, are accepted as expressing "fearlessness and courage." The chevron, known as an ordinary charge, is regarded as implying military service, its shape being that of a bow or arch of a saddle. The engrailed or scalloped border of the chevron differences that bearing from one otherwise edged.

The village of Adderbury, in Bloxam Hundred, lies 5 miles south of Banbury, 20 north of Oxford, and 84 miles northeast of London. This was the home of Thomas Edson and of his father-in-law, John Bustard, one of the landed gentry, whose immediate ancestors were descendants of the ancient family of Bustard of Nether-Ex in Devonshire. In the time of William the Conqueror, Adderbury was called "Edburgberie," which J. B. Edson describes as a name strikingly suggestive of its having an origin closely identified with the Ead or Ed family.

The Edson family was old in England. As a family name it is rarely found either in England or the Americas. Jarvis Bonesteel Edson conjectures that as the field of Thomas Edson's career covered a part of the scene of the persecutions imposed by King Henry VIII's changing the church system in England, and Edward VI's sanctioning of the same, he [Edson] may possibly have been made to feel some of the many distressing afflictions of the vindictive spirit of his unjust persecution. The persecution may have been directed against Edson because of his unwillingness to abandon the form of worship to which he had long been accustomed and to which he adhered until the end of his life. He believed his conscientious scruples were right and in no way subordinate to the will of a despotic king. Thomas Edson was a small landowner. His son, Richard Edson, was born at Adderbury, but removed to Fillongley, Warwickshire, where he died. Richard's son Thomas was born and died at Fillongley, where his son, another Thomas, was baptized in 1572. It is said that Thomas Edson was intimately acquainted with some of the immediate kinsfolk of William Shakespeare, whose birthplace was at no great distance from Fillongley. In 1596 he married Elizabeth Copson, and to this union 7 children were born, all at Fillongley, including the direct ancestor to the Potter family, Samuel Edson, born on September 5, 1613.

--Laurel Logan