William T. Edds (1827-1896), 16th Mayor of Pekin

Edds Street in southwest Pekin and Edds Addition are named for him. Appointed Pekin mayor in 1869 to serve out the rest of the term of Mayor Columbus J. D. Rupert, who had resigned after losing his reelection bid.

From the 1894 "Portrait and Biographical Record of Tazewell and Mason Counties" --

WILLIAM T. EDDS. One of the most prominent men in the city of Pekin is the gentleman whose well known name opens this sketch. He has represented the city as Mayor, Marshal and Chief of Police, and is now a member of the Pekin Steam Cooperage Company.
He is one of the oldest settlers in this locality, having come here as early as 1831, since which time he has been very successful in his business ventures.

Our subject was born in Springfield, this state, November 25, 1827, and is the son of Bartlett Edds, a native of Virginia. The family name was originally spelled Eads, but was changed by Grandfather Barnett Eads, who was of Welsh descent.

Bartlett Edds was an infant of two years when his parents removed to Kentucky, where he made his home until 1822, when he came to Illinois and located in Sangamon County. In 1831 he came to this county, and was engaged in farming on the Mackinaw Creek at the time of the Black Hawk
War, in which conflict he participated. He departed this life in 1873 in this county. His wife, Mrs. Dianna (Kemper) Edds, was born in Kentucky, and departed this life in Tazewell County. She was the daughter of Thomas Kemper and reared a family of nine children, of whom our
subject was the fourth in order of birth.

William T., of this sketch, was four years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal from Springfield to Tazewell County, and when old enough to do so attended school in the log schoolhouse. He remained at home on the farm until eighteen years of age, when he learned the trade of a cooper under the instruction of an uncle, and worked at his trade in Pekin for a time. He then removed to Newark, Ohio, and from there went to Muskingum County. In 1853, however, he returned to this city, and opening an establishment, here engaged in the manufacture of pork, lard and whiskey barrels. He was very successful in this venture, and five years later found him the proprietor of four shops in different parts of the city, and at the same time he was engaged as a wholesale liquor dealer and retail grocer. These enterprises he abandoned in 1873, and in 1889 he organized the Pekin Steam Cooperage Company, of which he is General Superintendent. The President of the company is George Herget, and the Secretary and Treasurer is J. A. Edds, a son of our subject. The factory is located on Twelfth and Margaret Streets, within a convenient distance of the railroad, and covers an area of 60x240 feet. They give employment to from seventy-five to eighty men, and have a capacity for turning out one hundred thousand barrels per year.

Our subject was married in Newark, Ohio, in 1849, to Miss Mary E., daughter of James Dewar, who was born in Virginia. Her father was also a native of that state, but removed to Ohio in an early day and located in Newark. The three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Edds are, George B.,
who died when young; Frances E., the widow of David VanAtta, and James A., who is engaged in business with his father. He is a graduate of the Abingdon College, and was engaged in the grain and feed business in this city until 1889, since which time he has been Secretary and Treasurer of the Cooperage Company. He was married in this state to Miss Lena, daughter of Thomas Payne, and to them have been born four children. He is a Mason of high standing, and is also a Modern Woodmen. He is very popular and prominent in public affairs and was elected Alderman of the First Ward.

Our subject has been interested in real estate in the city, and in 1867 laid out Edds' Addition. He has built many houses which he has sold, but still has in his possession much valuable property. Socially, he is a prominent Mason, and is a strong Democrat in politics. For eight years he held the office of Chief of Police, and was Marshal of the city for some time. He has met with the success attending perseverance and industry, and is now one of the leading business men of this city.