Mary Kathryn Wilt Edwards

The Latin teacher from Brownsville

Mary Kathryn grew up in Brownsville, a river town in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Harry Stehman Wilt and Mary Ellen Brown. She had two older brothers, Raymond and Harold, and a younger sister, Gladys.

In 1930 she was a student at Wilson College, the women’s college in Chambersburg, where she appears in the yearbook with the Omega Theta Literary Society. She came home to teach Latin at Brownsville High School, and taught until she married John William Edwards Sr. in June 1937.

The couple were living in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, by 1940. In November 1944 she gave birth to twin sons in Sewickley: David Bruce, who died the day he was born, and John William Jr., known as Jack. By 1950 the family had moved to West Palm Beach, Florida.

In later years she lived near Young Harris in the North Georgia mountains, and spent her last years in Hayesville, North Carolina.

Draft drawn from the tree’s records. To be replaced with the chapter from The Edwards Family: A History.

Timeline

1. 1910Born in Brownsville, Fayette, Pennsylvania
2. 1910Lived in Brownsville, Fayette, Pennsylvania
3. 1920Lived in South Brownsville, Fayette, Pennsylvania
4. 1930Education in Chambersburg, Franklin, Pennsylvania: Wilson College (women's college), Chambersburg. Pictured as 'Mary Kathryn Wilt' with the Omega Theta Literary Society in the 1930 yearbook (U.S. School Yearbooks 264680424:1265). The 1940 census (21138119:2442) says she completed 4 years of college. Class year/degree not yet confirmed (Wilson College alumnae office).
5. 1930Lived in South Brownsville, Fayette, Pennsylvania
6. 1937Occupation in Brownsville, Fayette, Pennsylvania: Teacher of Latin at Brownsville (Senior) High School until her marriage, per her engagement notice 'Brownsville School Teacher To Be June Bride', The Evening Standard (Uniontown) 14 May 1937 p.13 (Newspapers.com Marriage Index 28295799:62116). Her obituary (Palm Beach Post 10 Feb 1994) says she taught 27 years in all; later schools not yet identified.
7. 1940Lived in Ambridge, Beaver, Pennsylvania
8. 1950Lived in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Florida
9. 1964Lived in Florida
10. 1994Died in Hayesville, Clay, North Carolina
11. UndatedLived in 820 33rd St.. West Palm Beach
12. UndatedLived in Young Harris, Georgia
13. UndatedLived in Young Harris, Towns, Georgia