Edward Edge
1878-1952
At the southwest corner of Avenue A and Second Street in old Fort Pierce sat
what we call the old Pioneer Drug Store. Constructed in the early 1900's
by Dr. C.P.
Platts and Peter P. Cobb,
it served the community for many years. Ed Edge's barbershop was in the
lower right-hand corner. Edward had come to the area in 1896 at age 18
from North Carolina. Mr. Edge came here to engage in the pineapple
business. At that time most of the residence made their living in the
pineapple or fishing industries. Edward worked for A.C. Dittmar, who
built his new employee a house on North Second Street. Nine years after he
arrived, Edward entered the barber business. His second barbershop was in
the Arcade building.
Edward Edge was one of the 26 signers of the petition to form the city of Fort
Pierce in 1901. Mr. Edge started to become involved in politics in
1905. He served on the City Council, and also served for a time as
County Supervisor of Registration, conducting these duties mostly from his
barbershop. He served as Supervisor of Elections and registered people to vote
in the Avenue A shop. A family man, with two children, he sent his wife
home to North Carolina each summer by train. Edward did have an orange grove,
like so many others here, in the late 1920's. Staying active he also
served as an Air Raid Warden during World War II. He actively participated
in the lives of his grandchildren, one of which is JoAnne Holman a Clerk of St.
Lucie County Circuit Court.
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