Foreword
We are fine with the future. The future is where our imagination lies…But the past is where the truth lies.—Malcolm Gladwell
In the pages that follow, my first cousin, Cindy Miller, who is more like the sister I never had, searches for that truth. Cindy and I were blessed with an aunt, Nancy Louise Edwards Harris, to whom this book is dedicated, who had a love of history and a love of family. These passions prompted her to dedicate much of her life to learning as much about the history of our Edwards family as she could and to become an active and decorated member of organizations that celebrated aspects of that history.
Cindy’s passion for history and family may even exceed Nancy’s, and Cindy has dedicated her considerable talents to further Nancy’s work. She has an ongoing project to create electronic versions of Nancy’s written products. Further, Cindy has made use of the research tools the internet now offers to dig deeper into aspects of our family history that merit that focus. John Arnold Edwards’s unfortunately short life deserves that attention. Through her meticulous use of primary source materials, Cindy allows us to come to know John Arnold as the family man, scholar, and patriot that he was. Beyond that, Cindy’s research allows us to come to know those who came before and after John Arnold, to come to know their respective accomplishments, and to come to know better the times in which John Arnold and those related to him lived.
Why is this important? Knowing the truth that lies in the past allows us to better understand our place in God’s creation and makes us more productive in the present. Knowing that truth helps us understand why we look and think the way we do. And knowing that truth will allow those in our family who come after us to continue to flourish, to be successful, and to be meaningful. Read the pages that follow with thought and with appreciation for the work that is reflected here. Thank you, Cindy, for this gift to your—our—family.
W. Jeffery Edwards
Manakin Sabot, Virginia
February 10, 2020