Myra Thompson Kennedy Edmondson
1912

MRS. MYRA T. EDMONDSON

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Death Yesterday of One of Chattanooga’s Oldest and Best-Loved Women.

          Mrs. Myra Thompson Edmondson, one of Chattanooga ’s oldest and best loved citizens, died yesterday afternoon at 5 o’clock at the residence of her niece, Mrs. J. P. Smartt, Fort Wood , after a brief illness. Mrs. Edmondson contracted a cold during the Christmas holidays which developed serious complications which, because of her advanced age, failed to yield to treatment.

          Mrs. Edmondson had lived in Chattanooga for seventy-five years. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Allen Kennedy, pioneers of this region; was born Aug. 3, 1835, at Washington, Rhea county, and came with her parents to this city in 1836, residing here ever since. She was one of a family of twelve brothers and sisters and was the last of the family. She was a sister of the Kennedy brothers, Drs. Dan H. and William E., and of John and Mark Kennedy, all of whom were leading citizens before and just after the war.

She was married in this city at the Kennedy family residence, at that time the original part of the present Nottingham residence – Sixth and Pine Streets – in 1860 to John C. Edmondson. She was widowed in 1887, and since that time has resided most of her time with her niece, whom she raised from infancy to womanhood, Mrs. J. P. Smartt.

          Mrs. Edmondson was in many ways a remarkable woman. Of slight build and never in robust health, she was been all her live devoting her energies, her time and her means to deeds of mercy and love and charity. During the war she was the mainstay of her aged mother and had the care of three of the orphaned children of brothers and sisters. She was a woman of rare intelligence and genuine culture; gentle in all her ways and living embodiment of that Godly womanhood, the pride and glory of the old south. She was a Presbyterian, and connected herself with the Third church of its institution a few years ago. Her father was one of the early promoters of the Cumberland church, and helped organize the first church of that faith here, coming to Chattanooga by appointment of the government as one of the commissioners having charge of the removal of the Cherokee Indians from this section to their new reservation in the west.

          Mrs. Edmondson goes away loved and mourned by a large circle of relatives and friends. Her life was a benefaction to all who knew her, and her life and character bodied for the beauty and glory of the religion she professed.

          The funeral will be held on Friday, the arrangements for which will be announced later.

The Chattanooga Times, Thursday, January 18, 1912 ; Page 3.