John D. Edmonds (ca. 1832-1865)

John D. Edmonds was probably a Ridgefield native and as a teenager taught school in town. In 1861 he enlisted for three years in the Civil War, and may have been the town's first lawyer.

NUGGET #78

John Edmond’s military monument bears the wrong name and wrong army unit.

Edmonds, John D., (ca. 1832-1865) was probably a Ridgefield native and as a teenager taught school in town. He married and moved first to Benton, N.Y., and then near Grand Rapids, Mich., where he also taught school. In 1861 he enlisted for three years in the Civil War, but was discharged in 1862 after being severely injured in a runaway horse incident not involving battle. Then studied law in Michigan and returned to Ridgefield where he died of tuberculosis at the age of 33. He may have been the town’s first lawyer, although he may have been too ill to practice here. He was a son of Robert Chauncey and Abby Darling Edmonds of Silver Hill Road, died at age of 33 of tuberculosis.

Jack Sanders, Who Was Who in Ridgefield.

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