Joseph Wesley Edens was born November 7, 1951, at the United States Naval Station in Great Lakes, Illinois. He is the son of Fred Ray Edens, MD, and Nina Bevins Edens. During his father's 29-year Naval career, he lived in Great Lakes, Illinois, Richmond, Virginia, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Sullivan Gardens, Tennessee, San Diego, California, Woodbury, New Jersey, Pensacola, Florida, and Norfolk, Virginia. He attended Public Schools in Sullivan Gardens, Tennessee, San Diego, California, Woodbury, New Jersey, Pensacola, Florida, and Norfolk, Virginia.
Brother Edens graduated in 1969 from Lake Taylor High School in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia in 1969, and after transferring to Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia in 1970, he graduated from the Old Dominion University College of Arts and Letters in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Tennessee, and graduated from the George C. Taylor School of Law in 1976 with a Juris Doctor Degree.
Brother Edens resides in Johnson City, Tennessee with the former Gina Diane Youngblood, his wife of 42 years. They have a son, J. Wesley Edens, Jr. He and his wife are members of Edgefield Methodist Church in Piney Flats, Tennessee. He has served as the Chairman of the Pastor Parish Relations Committee and as a member of several other Committees within the Church.
Brother Edens was licensed by the Supreme Court of Tennessee in 1976 and practiced Law for the following 46 years as a private practitioner before the Sessions Courts of Tennessee, the Circuit and Chancery Courts of Tennessee, the Court of Appeals of Tennessee, the Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee, the Supreme Court of Tennessee, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern Section, Northeastern Division, of Tennessee, the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern Section, Northeastern Division, of Tennessee, and the 6th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals at Cincinnati, Ohio. He served his Profession by appointment of the Supreme Court of Tennessee as a Hearing Officer for the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility, and as a member, then Chairman, of the First District of the Board of Law Examiners of the State of Tennessee. He was a member of the Bristol Tennessee Bar Association for 46 years and served as its Secretary/Treasurer for over 20 of those years. He was honored by his peers and clients with a rating of AV, the Highest Level of Professional Excellence and the Highest Ethical Standards, by Martindale-Hubbell. He retired from the practice of the Law in 2022 and continues to serve his Profession as a Tennessee Supreme Court Listed Rule 31 Mediator and as a Special Master by appointment of the Judicial Officers of the Second Judicial District of Tennessee.
Brother Edens was raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason at Zollicoffer Lodge No. 444 in Bluff City, Tennessee in 1980. He affiliated with M.M. Martin Lodge No. 547 in Piney Flats, Tennessee, and demitted from Zollicoffer Lodge No. 444, in 1983. He is honored to have served as the Worshipful Master of M.M. Martin Lodge No. 547 for 8 different terms.
He has been a member of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the Orient of Tennessee, Valley of Knoxville since 1983. He was recognized as Scottish Rite Man of the Year in 2016. He was invested a Knight Commander Court of Honor in 2007 and Coroneted a 33° Inspector General Honorary in 2015. He was a member of the Foundation Board and the Executive Advisory Committee. He was the Venerable Master of the 14° Lodge of Perfection in 2022 and 2023. He has continued his membership in the Royal Order of Scotland since 1993.
He has been a member of the Grand York Bodies of Tennessee since 1992. He was presented the Gold Honor Award in recognition of his outstanding service in York Rite Masonry by the York Rite Sovereign College of North America in 2000. He is a Companion in Anderson Chapter No.141, a Companion in Bristol Council No. 127, and a Sir Knight in St Omer Commandery No. 19. He is a Knight Companion in the Conclave of St. Mathias No. 2. He is a brother in Jacob R. Denny Council No.459 of the Allied Masonic Degrees and is a Knight Mason in W.W. Cannon Council No. 96. He currently serves as 3rd Vice President in the Upper East Tennessee York Rite Association.
Brother Edens has served the Grand Lodge of Tennessee as a member, and then Chairman, of the Masonic Jurisprudence Committee from 2015 through 2021. He has served ex officio in the capacity of Judge Advocate for the Past Grand Masters from 2016 through 2021. He has served as a member of Trial Commissions, successfully prosecuted all charges of Un-masonic Conduct assigned to him, and successfully defended the Accused from all charges of Un-masonic Conduct for which he was retained. He has been recognized by the Grand Lodge of Tennessee for his proficiency in the ritualistic work by being awarded the Certificate of Proficiency. He was honored to serve as Grand Marshal for Most Worshipful Past Grand Master Robert Thomas Reed, Sr. in 2019 through 2021. He was awarded The John B. Arp Past Grand Masters Award in 2020.
He is a member of Bluff City Chapter No. 414 and has served as Worthy Patron in that Chapter, as well as in Utopia Chapter No. 27.
Brother Edens has been a Noble in Jericho Shrine No. 180 since 1985. He is a member of the Masonic Order of the Black Llama. He is a proud member of Sam Davis Order No. 15 of the Grand Order of the Sword of Bunker Hil
Brother Edens was elected Junior Grand Warden in March of 2023 and advanced each year being elected Most Worshipful Grand Master of Free and Accepted Masons of Tennessee on March 25, 2026.
