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Charles Edgerton, son of Azel and Lucy (Pember) Edgerton.

Jane Utt, daughter of Elias and Lucretia (Solomon) Utt.

Children:

1. Azel, b. December 21, 1822; Hardwick, Warren Co., NJ.
2. Justin P., b. April 1829; Hardwick, Warren Co., NJ.
3. Rachel L.,b. 1834; Hardwick, Warren Co., NJ.
4. Marietta E., b. November 6, 1836; Hardwick, Warren Co., NJ.
5. James H., b. December 1838; Hardwick, Warren Co., NJ.
6. Martha Ann, b. March 5, 1841; Hardwick, Warren Co., NJ.
7. Sarah Josephine, b. 1844; Hardwick, Warren Co., NJ.

Mrs. Catherine Bellis

Charles Edgerton was born October 10, 1797 in Franklin, Connecticut, the first son and eldest child of Azel and Lucy (Pember) Edgerton.  No primary record of Charles’ birth has been located; the date listed here is calculated from the exact age at death given on Charles’ gravestone (see below). 

Charles was raised in Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut, where his parents had settled shortly after his birth.  Upon his maturity, Charles removed from Connecticut to Sussex County, New Jersey, where he was married on March 2, 1822 to Jane Utt, daughter of Elias and Lucretia (Solomon) Utt of Northampton County, Pennsylvania.  According to the age at death recorded on her gravestone (see below), Jane was born on April 25, 1801, presumably at Northampton County, Pennsylvania.  Later census records of Jane’s children report variously that she was born in either Pennsylvania or New Jersey – the former being the more predominant.

Charles and Jane settled in the town of Frelinghuysen (Hardwick Township), in Warren County, New Jersey (just south of Sussex County).  They had a family of seven children – three sons, Azel, Justin P. and James H.; and four daughters, Rachel L., Marietta, Martha Ann and Sarah Josephine.  There may have been another son born circa 1825 – 1830 who died young, as indicated by the 1840 Federal Census enumeration of the family (see below).

The household of “Chas. Edgerton” was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Hardwick, Warren County, New Jersey (pg. 376), with the following enumeration:

1 male “40 and under 50”  (Charles);

1 male “15 and under 20”  (son Azel);

2 males “10 and under 15”  (son Justin and ?);

1 male “under 5 years”  (son James);

1 female “30 and under 40”  (wife Jane);

1 female “5 and under 10”  (daughter Rachel); and,

1 female “under 5 years”  (daughter Marietta).

Mrs. Jane (Utt) Edgerton died on May 31, 1845, presumably at Hardwick, New Jersey.  She was buried at the Knowlton Presbyterian Cemetery, in Knowlton Township, New Jersey, where her gravestone lists her age at death as 44 years, 1 month and 6 days.  Charles had apparently remarried by the time of the 1850 Federal Census, which shows him with a second wife, Catherine.

Charles’s father, Azel, died in 1849, and according to the subsequent division of the estate (dated July 13, 1850), Charles inherited a portion of Azel’s lands in Coventry, comprising  “five acres and ninety four rods valued at one hundred dollars being his equal share in the estate of said deceased.”  On September 23, 1850, Charles executed a quit-claim deed to his brother Justin P. Edgerton, which read in part:

“I Charles Edgerton of the Town of Frelinghuysen, County of Warren, State of New Jersey…for the consideration of one hundred and seventy five dollars received to my full satisfaction of Justin P. Edgerton of the town of Coventry, Tolland County State of Connecticut…remise, release, and forever quit-claim unto the said Justin P. Edgerton …all the real Estate that I claim as an heir at law to the Estate of my Father, Azel Edgerton late of Coventry Decd at law or in Equity, consisting of all the land I claim by virtue of the Distribution of said Estate.  Also all my right title and interest in the Widows Dower that I might hereafter claim or demand…”

The deed was executed at Coventry, Connecticut on September 23, 1850, with witnesses Levi Sweetland and Loring Winchester; and was recorded October 7th of the same year (Coventry LR 20:308).

The household of Charles Edgerton was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Frelinghuysen, Warren County, New Jersey (pg. 480; dwelling #54; family #60; enum. July 23, 1850), as follows:

Charles Edgerton was a census enumerator for the 1850 Federal Census and recorded the entire census for Frelinghuysen Township.  The household of Charles’ eldest son, Azel, was also recorded in this census; and four of Charles’ children are found in other households in Frelinghuysen:  Son Justin P., “carriage maker, aged 21, b. NJ”, was recorded in the household of Samuel Osmun (dwelling #29; family #33); eldest daughter Rachel L., “aged 16, b. NJ”, was recorded in the household of William Carr Jr. (dwelling #9; family #12); and daughter Marietta, “aged 13, b. NJ” and son James H., “aged 11, b. NJ” were recorded together in the household of Wm. A. Green (dwelling #201; family #215).

The household of Charles Edgerton was recorded in the 1860 Federal Census of Oxford, Warren County, New Jersey (pg. 57; dwelling #422; family #81; enum. July 20, 1860), as follows:

All three of Charles’ sons – Azel, Justin P. and James H. – fought in the Union Army during the Civil War.  Azel and James served in the New Jersey Cavalry and Justin served in the New Jersey Infantry.  All three sons returned home from the war.

Charles’ second wife, Catherine, died at Washington, Warren County, New Jersey on May 15, 1866.  The following obituary notice was published in the Belvidere Intelligner and Warren County Republican on May 18, 1866 (pg. 3):

“Died. – On the 15th inst, in this place, of Pleurisy, Katherine, wife of Charles Edgerton, aged 63 years.”

At the time of the 1870 Federal Census, Charles Edgerton was residing with his daughter, Martha Ann, and her husband, John J. Baker, in Tallula, Menard County, Illinois (pg. 134; dwelling #1; family #1; enum. June 1, 1870).  He was enumerated as “Charles Edgerton, aged 71, born in Connecticut, gardener, $2,000 personal estate”.

Charles Edgerton died at Vienna, New Jersey on July 30, 1878, and was buried beside his first wife, Jane, at the Knowlton Presbyterian Cemetery.  According to the inscription on his gravestone, Charles was aged 80 years, 9 months and 20 days at the time of his death.  An alternate date of July 31, 1878 was listed in the probate documents of Charles’ will – see below.  The following obituary notice was published in the Belvidere Apollo on August 9, 1878 (pg. 2):

“Died... EDGERTON – July 30, at Vienna, N.J., Charles Edgerton, aged about 82 years.”

Charles Edgerton left a Last Will and Testament, dated January 23, 1878, which was proved at the Warren County Surrogate’s office in Belvidere on August 12, 1878, before George Lommasson.  In the will, Charles termed himself, “of the Township of Independence County of Warren and State of New Jersey”, and made reference to his seven children, that is, “Azel Edgerton, Justin P. Edgerton, James H. Edgerton, Rachel L. Huntsman, Marietta E. Worth, Sarah Josephine Cummins, and Martha A. Baker”.  Charles appointed his son, Justin P. Edgerton, “of Sussex County, New Jersey”, and John L. Spears, of Tallula, Illinois, as joint executors of the will.  The witnesses were Coursen H. Albertson and David Barton.  Charles’ will and the accompanying proofs and appointment of executor were filed with the Warren County Surrogate Court, Book of Wills, Volume 5, folio #480.

An inventory of Charles’ estate was filed with the Warren County Surrogate Court on August 12, 1878, by Justin P. Edgerton (executor), and Coursen H. Albertson and Ezra P. Gulick (appraisers).  The estate, consisting solely of various notes and cash, was valued at a total of $1544.65.  The inventory along with accompanying depositions was recorded in the Warren County Book of Inventories, Volume 11, Folio #757.  No further distributions or accounts were entered into probate.