The

Edgerton

Database

Index

Sources

Christopher H. Edgerton, son of Ebenezer S. and Agnes (Martin) Edgerton.

born:	~1828; New York. (CR NY1850 Little Falls – “ae 22y”)
died:	December 3, 1866; Hartford, Washington Co., NY.

married:

November 22, 1849; Little Falls, Herkimer Co., NY. (MA Evangelical Magazine 12/14/1849)

Lucy Ann Chase

born:	October 1830; New York.
died:	February 19, 1904; Poultney, Rutland Co., VT.

Children:

Agnes May, b. September 1850; Little Falls, Herkimer Co., NY.
Harriet Julie, b. March 6, 1852; Little Falls, Herkimer Co., NY.
Henry Fox, b. February 3, 1855; Little Falls, Herkimer Co., NY.

Christopher H. Edgerton was born at Albany, New York circa 1828. Although his parentage has not yet been documented, it is fairly certain that he was a younger son of Ebenezer S. and Agnes (Martin) Edgerton, who resided in Albany and Little Falls, New York. The fact that Christopher named his eldest daughter Agnes provides some circumstantial evidence to this theory. It is also worth noting that Christopher was a methodist minister, and Ebenezer S. Edgerton was active in the formation of the Methodist Church at Little Falls in 1832. Furthermore, it is significant that Christopher named his only son, Henry Fox Edgerton, apparently after his brother-in-law, Henry W. Fox, husband of Alice A. Edgerton.

The first record of Christopher Edgerton is from the 1850 Federal Census of Little Falls (see below). Also recorded residing in Little Falls at this time was Ebenezer Sherman Edgerton, who is believed to have been Christopher’s elder brother. Both Christopher and this younger Ebenezer were listed as painters, and both also later removed to eastern New York State – Christopher to Hebron (Washington County) and Ebenezer to Petersburg (Rensselaer County).

Christopher H. Edgerton was married at Little Falls, New York on November 22, 1849 to Lucy Ann Chase. The following announcement was printed in the Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate on December 14, 1849:

“EDGERTON-CHASE. At Little Falls on 22 Nov by Rev. J. H. Harter, Christopher H. Edgerton and Lucy Ann Chase, both of Little Falls.”

Christopher H. Edgerton and his wife were recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Little Falls, Herkimer County, New York (pg. 224; dwelling #358, family #366; enum. July 26, 1850). They were residing in the household of Simeon and Julia Markham and were enumerated as follows:

Christopher Edgerton	22	b. NY	painter
Lucy	19	b. NY

By 1860, the family had removed from Little Falls to Hebron, New York – in the far eastern portion of the state. The household of Christopher Edgerton was recorded in the 1860 Federal Census of Hebron, Washington County, New York (pg. 187-8; dwelling #22; family #23; enum. June 12, 1860), as follows:

Christopher Edgerton	32	b. NY	methodist minister $350 personal estate
Lucy	29	b. NY
Agnes	10	b. NY	attended school
Harriet	8	b. NY	attended school
Henry	5	b. NY

Christopher H. Edgerton served as a chaplain in the Union Army. He enlisted at Hartford, New York on January 23, 1861, “aged 34”, and served in the 13th New York Infantry Regiment. He was discharged on May 3, 1862. Christopher’s widow, “Lucy A. Knapp”, later applied for a Civil War widow’s Pension on June 21, 1880. The application cited Christopher’s service as a chaplain in the 13th Regiment, New York Infantry (see National Archives Pension Applications; Application #271461, Certificate #271653).

According to affidavits in his military pension file (#271653), Christopher H. Edgerton died on December 3, 1866, presumably at Hartford, New York. He left a widow and three children.

The household of Mrs. Lucy Edgerton was recorded in the 1870 Federal Census of Hartford, Washington County, New York (pg. 361; dwelling #333; family #347; enum. June 24, 1870). The enumeration of the household a that time was as follows:

Lucy A. Edgerton	37	b. NY	keeping house $400 real estate
Agnes	19	b. NY	keeping house
Harriet J.	18	b. NY
Henry F.	15	b. NY

Mrs. Lucy Edgerton was remarried on September 25, 1877 at Hartford, Washington County, New York to Albert Eaton Knapp, and later removed with him to the town of Poultney in Rutland County, Vermont. According to documents in Christopher H. Edgerton’s pension file, Albert Eaton Knapp died at Poultney on December 6, 1890 and his widow, Lucy, died there February 19, 1904. At the time of the 1900 Federal Census, Lucy was residing alone in Poultney, Rutland County, Vermont (pg. 51; dwelling #151; family #179; enum. June 7, 1900). She was enumerated as “Lucy A. Knapp, widow, aged 65, b. October 1834 in New York (both parents born in New York”. According to the enumeration, Lucy was the mother of three children, all of whom were still living.

Christopher and Lucy Edgerton’s three children were each married. The eldest daughter, Agnes May, was married to Henry Clay Carpenter of Troy, New York and resided in Lewes and Rehoboth, Sussex County, New Jersey; they had three children: Marion Alice, Charles Edgerton and Helen G. The younger daughter, Harriet Julie, was married to Russell J. Smith and resided in Hartford, New York. The only son, Henry Fox (aka. “Harry”), was married to Sarah E. Mundy and resided for a short time in Granville, Washington County, New York before settling in Chestertown, Warren County, New York; he had two sons: William Mundy and Christopher H.

Original Source Documents:

1850 Federal Census – household of Simeon Markham; Little Falls, Herkimer Co., NY.

1860 Federal Census – household of Christopher H. Edgerton; Hebron, Washington Co., NY.

1870 Federal Census – household of Mrs. Lucy Ann (Chase) Edgerton; Hartford, Washington Co., NY.

1900 Federal Census – household of Mrs. Lucy Ann (Chase) Edgerton; Poultney, Rutland Co., VT.