[4] After working as an attorney in his native Murfreesboro for three years, John Edwards moved to Missouri in 1828, establishing a law practice in Jefferson City and becoming involved in local politics.

[5] In a move that would seem unusual by today's standards, Edwards also concurrently held the post of district judge of Cole County, Missouri from 1832 to 1837.

[2] Politically John Edwards was a Jacksonian democrat and a staunch ally of Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton.

[2] John Edwards entered national politics in 1841 after being elected to the 27th United States Congress, serving one term until March 1843.

While in the U.S. House of Representatives he worked on several key issues of importance to Missouri, such as opposing the Tariff of 1842 and helping block Federal settlement of the Missouri-Iowa border dispute, a.k.a.

With the nation embroiled in the Mexican–American War, Edwards oversaw the creation of the Missouri Mounted Volunteers under Alexander William Doniphan, a unit that served with distinction in the conflict.

John Cummins Edwards died on either September 17 or October 14, 1888 (again, sources list conflicting dates)[1][2] in Stockton, California and is buried in the Rural Cemetery there.