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Daniel Edgerton, son of Jedediah and Esther (DeWolf) Edgerton.

Jemima Foster, daughter of Nathaniel and Jemima (Streeter) Foster.

Children:

1. Marius, b. September 13, 1815; Columbia, Herkimer Co., NY.
2. Augustus A., b. June 26, 1817; Columbia, Herkimer Co., NY.
3. Jedediah, b. March 27, 1819; Antwerp, Jefferson Co., NY.
4. Jane, b. February 11, 1821; Antwerp, Jefferson Co., NY.
5. Nathaniel, b. June 21, 1823; Antwerp, Jefferson Co., NY.
6. Emeline E., b. July 20, 1827; Martinsburg, Lewis Co., NY.
7. John M., b. July 14, 1829; Martinsburg, Lewis Co., NY.
8. Eliza J., b. September 18, 1831; Martinsburg, Lewis Co., NY.
9. Mary L., b. February 10, 1834; Martinsburg, Lewis Co., NY.
10. Daniel DeWolf, b. July 1837; Ava, Oneida Co., NY.

Daniel Edgerton was born at Lyme, Connecticut on November 29, 1791, the eldest son of Jedediah and Esther (DeWolf) Edgerton.  When Daniel was quite young, his parents removed from Connecticut to New York State and resided successively in Albany, Schoharie and Herkimer Counties.  By the time of his maturity, the family had settled in Salisbury, Herkimer County, near the center of the state.

Daniel Edgerton was a farmer by trade.  He was married at Salisbury, New York (probably circa 1814) to Jemima Foster of Salisbury.  Jemima was the daughter of Nathaniel Foster, who according to family legend was the inspiration for the character “Natty Bumpo” in The Last of the Mohicans.  Daniel and Jemima had a large family of ten children:  six sons – Marius, Augustus A., Jedediah, Nathaniel, John M., and Daniel DeWolf; and four daughters – Jane, Emeline E., Eliza J., and Mary L.  The family resided succesively in Columbia (Herkimer County), Antwerp (Jefferson County), Martinsburg (Lewis County), and finally Ava (Oneida County) – all in New York State.

Daniel Edgerton was probably the “John Edgerton” who was listed as a head of household in the 1820 Federal Census of Antwerp, Jefferson County, New York (pg. 355).  No other Edgertons are known to have resided in Antwerp at this time.  The enumeration of the household was as follows:

1 male “of 26 and under 45”  (Daniel);

3 males “under 10 years of age”  (sons Marius, Augustus and Jedediah);

1 female “of 45 years and upwards  (? – possibly his mother, Esther);

1 female “of 26 and under 45”  (wife Jemima);

1 female “of 16 and under 26”  (?); and

1 female “of 10 and under 16”  (?).

The household of Daniel Edgerton was recorded in the 1830 Federal Census of Martinsburg, Lewis County, New York (pg. 403), with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 30 and under 40”  (Daniel);

3 males “of 10 and under 15”  (sons Marius, Augustus and Jedediah);

1 male “of 5 and under 10”  (son Nathaniel);

2 males “under 5 years of age”  (son John M. and ?);

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

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

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

The household of Daniel Edgerton was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Boonville, Oneida County, New York (pg. 251), with the following enumeration:

1 male “40 and under 50”  (Daniel);

3 males “20 and under 30”  (sons Marius, Augustus and Jedediah);

1 male “15 and under 20”  (son Nathaniel);

1 male “10 and under 15”  (son John);

1 male “5 and under 10”  (?);

1 male “under 5 years”  (son Daniel);

1 female “70 and under 80”  (? – possibly mother-in-law Jemima);

1 female “40 and under 50”  (wife Jemima);

1 female “15 and under 20”  (daughter Jane);

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

2 females “5 and under 10”  (daughters Eliza and Mary).

The household of Daniel Edgerton was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Ava, Oneida Co., New York (pg. 129; dwelling #176; family #177; enum. Oct. 2, 1850), as follows:

The family of Daniel Edgerton was recorded in more detail in the New York State Census of 1855 (Ava Township; pg. 8; dwelling #59, enum. June 8, 1855).  The enumeration was as follows:

The household of Daniel Edgerton was recorded in the 1860 Federal Census of Ava, Oneida County, New York (pg. 836; dwelling #1492; family #1496; enum. August 2, 1860), as follows:

The household of Daniel Edgerton was recorded in the 1870 Federal Census of Ava, Oneida County, New York (dwelling #118; family #123; enum. August 9, 1870), as follows:

Frederick Clifton Pierce’s Foster Genealogy (W.B. Conkey Co.: Chicago, Illinois; 1899; pg. 577-9), provides the following biography of Daniel Edgerton:

“Daniel Edgerton was born in the town of Lyme, New London county, Conn., Nov. 29, 1791.  His father, Jedediah Edgerton, formerly moved from the state of Rhode Island to Connecticut.  About the year 1806, he moved with his family to Schoharie, N. Y.  He bought a small farm, where the family resided until Daniel became of age.  He then went to Salisbury, Herkimer county.  Soon after he married Jemima Foster.  Then he bought a farm in the town of Columbia, Herkimer county.  At that time New York was a slave state, and with the farm there were two slaves, Black Molly and Tim.  When he sold this farm he gave them their liberty, a small house and two acres of land, where they lived until they died.  Daniel, at this time, had two children.  In the spring, 1818, he, with his family, moved to Antwerp, Jefferson county, where he remained about eight years, where he was nicely located and made some money.  For two or three years fever and ague was so prevalent he sold out and came as far as Pickney, where he remained one year.  Then he bought a farm in the town of Martinsburg and remained in that place seven years, when he sold out and came to Boonville (now Ava) in 1835, where he lived the remainder of his life.  His death occurred Nov. 21, 1870.  He had been a resident of Ava for thirty-five years; he had seen years of pioneer life and toil, and was one of those before whose strong arm and resolute will nature’s primeval elements gave way to make room for the light and blessings of civilization. In his domestic relations he was the kind and considerate husband, the mild, firm father; in his social circle, a firm, enduring friend.  His conversation, enlightened by his hearty laugh, and sweetened by the cheerful smile of green old age, rendered his last days pleasant and happy; in business, the upright man; as a citizen, dearly he loved and deeply he felt for his country, realizing that the sunlight of national blessing gleamed around the pathway of the humblest walk in life.  The Bible for his companion, and his interest in things heavenly and divine so sincere during the last years of his life, so tranquil and untroubled, led all to believe that his march was triumphant from the death river strand up to the eternal throne.  In politics, he was an ardent Republican; although the town was Democratic, he was elected to many prominent offices and in every case he discharged every duty very acceptably and with credit to himself and friends.

Of the eleven children of Jemima and Daniel Edgerton only five of that number raised families, viz.:  Jedediah had four that grew to be men of families.  D. O. Edgerton was called the boy preacher; he commenced at the age of seventeen years.  His knowledge of the Bible, control of language, and eloquence of speech was one of the wonders of the age; he died at the age of twenty-eight years.  Hon. F. A.; P. O address, Rochester, N. Y., Prof. E. E., and J. P. Edgerton, were the four sons of Jedediah Edgerton.  Nathaniel Edgerton has two children, Arthur and Jennie, address is Phelps, Ontario county, N. Y.   Emeline E., wife of D. D. Dickerson has one daughter, Mary, who married a man by the name, Truman; P. O. address is Volga, Brookings county, S. D.  John M. has five ch.; B. L. is with him in Utica; Rae A. is connected with the police in New York city; and three daughters, who are with him.”

Daniel and Jemima Edgerton were both buried at the Ava Corners Cemetery, in Ava, New York, where their headstones were inscribed:

Several family members and descendants are buried nearby in the Ava Corners Cemetery, including seven of Daniel and Jemima’s children – Marius, Augustus, Jedediah, Jane, John, Eliza and Mary –  along with their spouses and several grandchildren.

Much of the information present here regarding the immediate family and descendants of Daniel and Jemima (Foster) Edgerton has been supplied by Roy Crego, who is currently researching the family of Daniel’s son, John M. Edgerton (1829 – 1899).

Original Source Documents:

1820 Federal Census – household of Daniel Edgerton; Antwerp, Jefferson Co., NY.

1830 Federal Census – household of Daniel Edgerton; Martinsburg, Lewis Co., NY.

1840 Federal Census – household of Daniel Edgerton; Boonville, Oneida Co., NY.

1850 Federal Census – household of Daniel Edgerton; Ava, Oneida Co., NY.

1860 Federal Census – household of Daniel Edgerton; Ava, Oneida Co., NY.

1870 Federal Census – household of Daniel Edgerton; Ava, Oneida Co., NY.

Gravestone photo – Daniel Edgerton; Ava Corners Cemetery; Ava, Oneida Co., NY.

Gravestone photo – Mrs. Jemima (Foster) Edgerton; Ava Corners Cemetery; Ava, Oneida Co., NY.