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Charles Edgerton, son of Simon and Lucy (Griswold) Edgerton.                                                                                                 PHOTO

Mary Frances Slack, daughter of Samuel and Sally Matilda (Leeds) Slack.

Children:

1. Mary, b. October 23, 1829; Norwich, New London Co., CT.
2. Caroline E., b. November 2, 1831; Lebanon, New London Co., CT.
3. Huldah Maria, b. December 28, 1833; Lebanon, New London Co., CT.
4. Charles L., b. February 17, 1836; Lebanon, New London Co., CT.
5. Henry Loren, b. September 19, 1838; Lebanon, New London Co., CT.
6. John Leeds, b. September 19, 1838; Lebanon, New London Co., CT.
7. Martha Spicer, b. February 12, 1841; Lebanon, New London Co., CT.
8. Amos S., b. ~1843; Lebanon, New London Co., CT.
9. Sarah A., b. May 3, 1845; Lebanon, New London Co., CT.
10. Simon Daniel, b. November 14, 1847; Lebanon, New London Co., CT.
11. Lydia Ann, b. December 2, 1849; Lebanon, New London Co., CT.
12. Francis E., b. August 3, 1854; Jefferson, Jefferson Co., WI.

Charles Edgerton was born October 5, 1804 at Norwich, Connecticut, the youngest son of Simon and Lucy (Griswold) Edgerton.  He was baptized at the First Congregational Church of Norwich (together with his four elder brothers) on November 27, 1809.

Charles was raised in Norwich and was married there on November 23, 1828 to Miss Mary Frances Slack, daughter of Samuel and Sally Matilda (Leeds) Slack of Stonington, Connecticut.  A notice of the marriage was published in the Norwich Courier on December 3, 1828.  Mary was born in Stonington on August 16, 1807.

Within a year or two following their marriage, Charles and Mary settled in Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut (just to the north of Norwich), where all but the eldest and youngest of their twelve children were born.  Five children were recorded to Charles and Mary Edgerton at Lebanon – Caroline E., Huldah Maria, Charles L, and twins Henry Loren and John Leeds (Lebanon Vital Records, Book I, pg. 208).  The eldest daughter, Mary, was born in Norwich, and another five children – Martha Spicer, Amos S., Sarah A., Simon Daniel and Lydia Ann – were born at Lebanon, but were not included in the family record.  They were most likely born after the family record was entered in the Lebanon Vital Record Book.  The youngest son, Francis E. (“Frank”), was born after the family removed to Wisconsin.

The household of Charles Edgerton was recorded in the 1830 Federal Census of Norwich, New London County, Connecticut (pg. 124), with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 20 and under 30”  (Charles);

1 male “of 10 and under 15”  (?)

1 female “of 20 and under 30”  (wife Mary); and,

1 female “under 5 years of age”  (daughter Mary).

At the time of the 1840 Federal Census, Charles Edgerton was listed as a head of household in Franklin, New London County, Connecticut (pg. 230), which lay directly southeast of Lebanon.  Charles’ household was recorded with the following enumeration:

1 male “30 and under 40”  (Charles);

1 male “15 and under 20”  (?);

2 males “5 and under 10”  (son Charles and ?);

2 males “under 5 years”  (twin sons Henry and John);

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

1 female “10 and under 15”  (daughter Mary); and,

1 female “5 and under 10”  (daughters Caroline and Huldah).

In the spring of 1850, Charles removed with his family from Connecticut to Wisconsin.  The family settled first in Jefferson Township, Jefferson County, Wisconsin, where they resided for about six years before removing finally to Monroe County in the same state.

The household of Charles “Edgerson” was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Jefferson Township, Jefferson County, Wisconsin (pg. 141; dwelling #493; family #578; enum. August 16, 1850), as follows:

Two of Charles’ daughters, Caroline E. and Huldah Maria, were married in Jefferson County in the 1850’s.  Caroline E. married James H. Arity on April 15, 1851; and Huldah Maria married Wallace Edwin Newman on November 8, 1857.

In February 1857, Charles purchased land in Greenfield Township, Monroe County, Wisconsin and removed there shortly thereafter.  According to the Wisconsin Land Patent, Charles Edgerton purchased 158.78 acres of land in “Section 5, Township 18 North, Range 1 West” on February 20, 1857.

The following abstract from the Monroe County Heritage Book (pg. 143), has been provided by Arlyn M. Bernhardt (Kokomo, Indiana):

“Charles & Mary [Edgerton] came to Monroe County because he had ague and numerous other ailments and was advised to move to an area where pine woods were plentiful.  Charles was a very religious person who read a chapter from the Bible every morning, never swore, and always welcomed religious groups to meet in his home.”

Charles Edgerton was listed as a head of household in the 1860 Federal Census of Greenfield, Monroe County, Wisconsin (pg. 45; dwelling #1018; family #998; enum. July 10, 1860), and his family was enumerated as follows:

In August 1862, two of Charles’ sons, Charles L. and Henry L., enlisted for service in the Civil War, giving their residence as Lincoln, Wisconsin.  Both sons died of disease while in the army – Charles on August 19, 1863 at Helena, Arkansas and Henry on December 4, 1863 at Greenfield, Wisconsin.  A third son, John, enlisted in 1864; he returned home safely.  Mrs. “Mary F. Edgerton” applied for a Civil War Pension on February 7, 1891 on behalf of her son, Charles.   She was residing in the state of Wisconsin at the time of the application (see National Archives Pension Applications; Application #50108, Certificate #353899).

The household of Charles “Eggerton” was recorded in the 1870 Federal Census of Lincoln Township, Monroe County, Wisconsin (pp. 88-89; dwelling #144; family #171; enum. June 10, 1870), as follows:

The household of Charles Edgerton was recorded in the 1880 Federal Census of La Grange Township, Monroe County, Wisconsin (pg. 45; dwelling #35; family #35; enum. June 1, 1880), as follows:

Charles Edgerton died at La Grange Township, Wisconsin on May 12, 1886.  His wife, Mary, survived him a decade, dying on September 27, 1896.  Charles and Mary and many of their descendants were buried at the La Grange Cemetery on Elgin Street & Hwy M in La Grange Township, Wisconsin.

A photograph of the eight surviving children of Charles and Mary (Slack) Edgerton, taken circa 1902, was published in A Pictorial History of Monroe County Wisconsin (1976).  We are grateful to Arlyn M. Bernhardt of Kokomo, Indiana for providing a copy of this photograph, in addition to sharing extensive information on this branch of the Edgerton family.  For additional information on the family of Charles and Mary (Slack) Edgerton, please consult Genealogical Branches of Monroe County Wisconsin, Volume 2 (E. Carolyn Wildes Habelman, 1983).

Original Source Documents:

1840 Federal Census – household of Charles Edgerton; Franklin, New London Co., CT.

1850 Federal Census – household of Charles Edgerton; Jefferson Township, Jefferson Co., WI.

Land Patent – Charles Edgerton; Monroe Co., WI; Bureau of Land Management; La Crosse Land Office, certificate #7083.

1860 Federal Census – household of Charles Edgerton; Greenfield, Monroe Co., WI.

1870 Federal Census – household of Charles Edgerton; Lincoln Twp., Monroe Co., WI.

1880 Federal Census – household of Charles Edgerton; La Grange Twp., Monroe Co., WI.

Obituary – Charles Edgerton; Tomah Journal – Saturday, May 22, 1886.

Obituary – Mrs. Mary Frances (Slack) Edgerton; Tomah Journal – Saturday, October 3, 1896.

Obituary – Mrs. Mary Frances (Slack) Edgerton; Tomah Journal – Saturday, October 17, 1896.

Gravestone photo – Charles Edgerton & Mrs.  Mary Frances (Slack) Edgerton; La Grange Cemetery; La Grange Twp., Monroe Co., WI.