John Tilley Edwards was born in Tennessee about 1808.  He came to Texas as a Colonist under the second contract of Stephen F. Austin.  On the 16 August 1831, he was granted 1/4 league of land on the Brazos River in present day Fort Bend County. J.T. rendered military service to the Republic of Texas in Captain Cleveland's Company, Millcreek Volunteers.

J. T. Edwards and Martha Robbins (born in Tennessee about 1811) were married in Austin Colony on 7 October 1830.  Martha was a member of the Robbins family who had Robbins Ferry on the Trinity River at the crossing of the Old San Antonio Road in northeastern Madison County.

Children of J. T. and Martha were: John Tilley, Jr., Mary I., Jonathan B., Joshua R., Robert T., Charles V., twins Hampton and Cynthia, and daughter R. E.

J. T. died in Austin County, Texas on 21 June 1862.  Martha died there on 24 March 1864.