Ninian Wirt Edwards

{{Short description|American politician (1809–1899)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Ninian Wirt Edwards

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| office = 1st Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction

| term_start = 1854

| term_end = 1857

| predecessor = office established

| successor = William H. Powell

| office1 = 7th Attorney General of Illinois

| term_start1 = 1834

| term_end1 = 1835

| predecessor1 = James Semple

| successor1 = Jesse B. Thomas Jr.

| office2 = Member of the Illinois House of Representatives

| term_start2 = 1849

| term_end2 = 1853

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| term_start3 = 1837

| term_end3 = 1841

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| office4 = Member of the Illinois State Senate

| term_start4 = 1845

| term_end4 = 1849

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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1809|04|15}}

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| death_date ={{Death date and age|1899|9|2|1809|4|15}}

| father= Ninian Edwards

| spouse= Elizabeth Todd

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Ninian Wirt Edwards (April 15, 1809 – September 2, 1899) was an American politician.

Born in Sangamon County, Illinois, Edwards was the son of Ninian Edwards (who served as territorial and state governor of Illinois). He was married to Elizabeth Todd, sister of Mary Todd Lincoln who was married to President Abraham Lincoln.[http://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/inside.asp?ID=19&subjectID=2 Mr. Lincoln's White House-Elizabeth Todd Edwards] In 1834–1835, Edwards served as Illinois attorney general. Then during 1837–1841 and 1849–1853 he served in the Illinois House of Representatives. Edwards also served in the Illinois State Senate 1845–1849. He then served in the Illinois Constitutional Convention of 1847 and was Illinois superintendent of public instruction in 1854–1857.[http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/edwards6.html Database]