John C. Edwards (D)

Overview

At a Glance

• Signed legislation creating Fulton State Hospital (1847)
• Pardoned more than 50 offenders, including three abolitionists
• Implemented new tax collection system
• Secured a tax to establish a free normal school at the University of Missouri
• Legislature refused to reimburse Edwards for renovations he had undertaken on the Governor's Mansion, saying his expenses were excessive.

Personal History

John Cummins Edwards was born in Frankfort, Kentucky to John and Sara Cummins Edwards. He was raised near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where he received his education at a local academy. Following his preparatory studies at Black’s College in Kentucky, he pursued legal studies at Dr. Henderson’s Classical school in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Edwards was admitted to the Tennessee Bar in 1825 and subsequently relocated to Jefferson City, Missouri in 1828, where he established his new law practice and became actively engaged in local politics.

After leaving office, he experienced a strong desire to pursue opportunities in the gold rush. In 1849, he organized a stock train and traveled to California, where he settled in Stockton, California, and achieved success as a merchant and rancher. He returned to public service briefly as the mayor of Stockton in 1851. In 1854, he married Emma Jeanne Catherine Richards and fathered eleven children. He was buried at the Rural Cemetery in Stockton, California.

Political History

In 1830, Democratic Governor John Miller appointed the 24-year-old Edwards as Secretary of State, a role he fulfilled until 1835 and briefly again in 1837. During this period, he also served as district judge of Cole County from 1832 to 1837.

In 1836, Edwards was elected to the General Assembly, where he became involved in monetary policy issues, aligning with Thomas Hart Benton’s “hard” faction against privately held banks and small-denomination bills. His position linked him to the influential Central Clique, which helped him secure a seat on the Missouri State Supreme Court from 1837 to 1839 and a nomination to Congress.

Edwards served in the United States House of Representatives from 1841 to 1843, declining to seek reelection afterward. During his time in the House, he demonstrated his western Jacksonian values by advocating for free land for the unemployed and opposing tariffs. He notably worked on two significant land issues: assisting settlers in Platte country with land ownership registration and blocking federal intervention in the border dispute between Missouri and Iowa.

Edwards’s moderate and conciliatory stance, supported by the Central Clique, led to his nomination as the Democratic candidate for governor, resulting in a narrow electoral victory over former Democrat Charles H. Allen, who had switched to the Whig Party.

Historical Significance

Gov. Edwards successfully persuaded the General Assembly to pass legislation in 1847 that authorized the creation of Fulton State Hospital to address the mental health care needs of Missouri residents. This initiative was significantly influenced by the suicide of former Gov. Thomas Reynolds in 1844, which highlighted the pressing need for mental health services. Today, Fulton State Hospital continues to provide care for mentally ill patients and includes the state’s only maximum- and medium-security psychiatric units.

In his inaugural address, Gov. Edwards articulated his philosophy of government, emphasizing that it can only give what it first takes from the people, arguing that redistributing wealth in this matter amounts to robbing from one hand to restore with the other. He was not opposed to government action itself, but opposed measures that appeared to benefit a select few at the expense of the broader population.

Although Gov. Edwards obtained approval for a tax intended to establish a free normal school at the University of Missouri, the goal remained unachieved due to insufficient funding. Nevertheless, the new tax collection system he implemented successfully transformed the state’s treasury from a deficit into a surplus.