EDWARDS, NINIAN W., born April 15, 1809, near Frankfort, Ky. His father, Hon. Ninian Edwards, was at the time Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals of Kentucky, and the same month in which this son was born Chief Justice Edwards was appointed Governor of Illinois Territory and moved with his family in June following to its capital, Kaskaskia. At the proper age Ninian W. was sent to Transylvania University, and graduated in the law department of that institution in 1833. Previous to his graduation he was married Feb. 16, 1832, in Lexington, Ky., to Elizabeth P. Todd, who was born Nov., 1813. Her father was Robert S. Todd, of Kentucky. See sketch of the Todd family. Mr. Edwards commenced the practice of law in 1832. In 1834 he was appointed by Gov. Jno. Reynolds, Attorney General of Illinois, the appointment being confirmed by the Legislature of 1834-5. The law requiring the Attorney General to reside at the capital, and Mr. Edwards not liking Vandalia as a place of residence, he resigned the office and moved to Springfield in 1835. They have four living children, namely--

JULIA COOK, born April 29, 1837, in Springfield, was married June 6, 1855, to Edward L. Baker, who was born June 3, 1829, in Kaskaskia, the ancient capital of Illinois. His father, Hon. David J. Baker, was a native of the State of New York, and came to Illinois in the year 1818. He became one of the prominent lawyers of the young State. E. L. Baker was educated at Shurtleff College, Upper Alton, and graduated in 1847. He read law with his father two years, after which he attended Harvard law school and was admitted to the bar in Springfield in 1855. He became part owner and editor of the Illinois State Journal, and in 1869 was appointed U. S. Assessor, remaining in that office until it was abolished. He was appointed Dec. 8, 1873, U. S. Consul to Buenos Ayres, Argentine Republic, South America. Edward L. Baker and wife have three children, EDWARD L., Jun., JULIA E and WILLIS E., all born in Springfield. Edward L., Jun., is in Springfield. The two youngest are now [1876] with their parents in Buenos Ayres, South America.

ALBERT S., born Dec. 16, 1839, in Springfield, was married there June 3, 1863, to Josephine E Remann, who was born April 28, 1842, in Vandalia, Ill. They have four children, GEORGIE, MARY E., NINIAN W. and ANNIE R. A. S. Edwards was in the commissary department during the rebellion. He and his family reside in Springfield, Ill.

ELIZABETH E., born Jan. 7, 1843, in Springfield, was married May 11, 1863, to Eugene C. Clover, son of Rev. Dr. Clover, at one time Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal church, Springfield, Ill. E. C. Clover was killed at the battle of Wichita, leaving a widow and two sons, LEWIS P. and LEGH K. Mrs. Clover and her two children reside with her parents in Springfield, Ill.

CHARLES, born July 6, 1846, in Springfield, was attending Yale College in the early part of the rebellion, and left there in the latter part of 1863 to fill a position in the commissary department of the U. S. army. After the war he was an instructor in Bryant & Stratton's commercial college in Springfield for a short time. Charles Edwards was married in Springfield Feb. 18, 1868, to Mary Hickox, daughter of Hon. Virgil Hickox. They have one child, FLORENCE, and reside in Springfield, Ill. Charles Edwards has been for ten years and is now connected with the Illinois State Journal.

Hon. Ninian W. Edwards was elected in 1836 one of the representatives of Sangamon county in the State Legislature. He was one of the seven representatives and two senators from Sangamon county who really secured the removal of the State capital from Vandalia to Springfield. See the article "Long Nine." From 1836 to 1852 Mr. Edwards was in the State Legislature, either in the House or Senate. During that time he was a member of the convention that framed the State constitution of 1848. In 1854 he was appointed by the Governor, attorney before the board of commissioners to investigate the claims of canal contractors against the State, amounting to over $1,500,000. This was in the years 1852, '3 and '4. In 1854 Mr. Edwards was appointed by Gov. Matteson Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Illinois, and was afterward retained in office by the State Legislature until 1857. In the year 18-- he drafted the law in regard to free schools, which was the first adopted in the State. He was appointed by President Lincoln U. S. Commissary in 1862.

Hon. N. W. Edwards has found time, aside from his multifarious official duties, to devote to literary pursuits. His history of Illinois, including the life and times of Gov. Edwards, written on the invitation of the Illinois State Historical Society, is in many respects a work of rare excellence, and is regarded as a standard on the subjects of which it treats.