The

Edgerton

Database

Index

Sources

Darius Edgerton, son of Joseph and Lucy (Lyon) Edgerton.

born:	December 13, 1762; Norwich, New London Co., CT. (VRp I:394)
bapt:	October 7, 1764; Bozrah Cong. Church; Bozrah, New London Co., CT. (ChR 3:10)
died:	1840; Ovid, Seneca Co., NY. (FG2)

married:

Mary Beckwith

born:	~1767. (from age at death, GI – “ae 56y”)
died:	March 28, 1823; Charlemont, Franklin Co., MA. (VRp 140) (GI)
buried:	Village Cemetery; Charlemont, Franklin Co., MA. (GI)

Children:

Eunice, b. May 13, 1788; Charlemont, Franklin Co., MA.
Betsey, b. June 3, 1790; Charlemont, Franklin Co., MA.
Gurdon, b. March 27, 1793; Charlemont, Franklin Co., MA.
Amy, b. May 30, 1795; Charlemont, Franklin Co., MA.
Anna, b. June 1, 1799; Charlemont, Franklin Co., MA.
Maria, b. September 12, 1808; Charlemont, Franklin Co., MA.

Darius Edgerton was born at Norwich, Connecticut on December 13, 1762, the eldest son of Joseph and Lucy (Lyon) Edgerton. He was baptized at the Bozrah Congregational Church on October 7, 1764. Circa 1778, Darius’ parents left Connecticut and settled in Hawley, Franklin County, Massachusetts.

Darius Edgerton was married – probably circa 1786-87 in Franklin County – to Mary “Polly” Beckwith. The parentage and ancestry of Mrs. Mary (Beckwith) Edgerton is not yet known. According to the age at death reported on her gravestone, she was born circa 1767.

Darius and his wife settled in the town of Charlemont, Franklin County (then Hampshire), Massachusetts. The family of Darius and Mary Edgerton was registered in the Vital Records at Charlemont, the record listing six children: Eunice, Betsey, Gurdon, Amy, Anna and Maria. Gurdon and Anna both died young, and their deaths were also noted in the Charlemont Vital Records.

Darius Edgerton was listed as a head of household in the 1790 Federal Census of Charlemont, Franklin County (then Hampshire County), Massachusetts (pg. 141). The enumeration of his household was as follows:

1 male “of 16 years and upward” (Darius); and,

3 females (wife Mary, and daughters Eunice and Betsy).

The household of “Darious Adjatent” was recorded in the 1800 Federal Census of Charlemont, Franklin County (then Hampshire County), Massachusetts (pg. 581), with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 26 and under 45” (Darius);

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

1 female “of 10 and under 16” (daughter Eunice); and,

3 females “under 10 years of age” (daughters Betsy, Amy and Anna).

“Adjatent” was a common misspelling of the surname Edgerton. It occurs quite often in early census records (also “Adjudant”, “Adjadent”, etc) and was no doubt a phonetic rendering of the name. Darius’ younger brother, Joseph, was listed in the 1800 Hampshire County Census as, “Joseph Adjatent”.

The household of “D. Edgerton” was recorded in the 1810 Federal Census of Charlemont, Franklin County (then Hampshire County), Massachusetts (pg. 724), with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 26 and under 45” (Darius – actually aged 47);

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

2 females “of 16 and under 26” (daughters Eunice and Betsey);

1 female “of 10 and under 16” (daughter Amy); and,

1 female “under 10 years of age” (daughter Maria).

Mrs. Mary (Beckwith) Edgerton died on March 28, 1823, “aged 56 years”, and was buried at the Village Cemetery in Charlemont. According to History of the town of Hawley, Franklin County, Massachusetts (Louise Hale Johnson; Mystic, Conn.: Charter Oak House; 1953), Darius subsequently removed to Ovid (Seneca County), New York and all his children were deceased by 1887.

Darius Edgerton may have been the “Darius Edgerton of Madison County, New York”, who was noted as being “on jail limits for debt in 1816” (see Tuttle, William H.; Names and Sketches of the Pioneer Settlers of Madison Co., New York; Heart of the Lakes Publishing Co.; Interlaken, New York, 1984; pg. 83).

Darius Edgerton reportedly died in 1840 – presumably at Ovid, New York. Very little is currently known his children or descendants. The two elder daughters – Eunice and Betsey – were married and removed from Massachusetts. It is not known what became of the two younger daughters, Amy and Maria.

Original Source Documents:

1790 Federal Census – household of Darius Edgerton; Charlemont, Franklin (then Hampshire) Co., MA.

1800 Federal Census – household of Darius Edgerton; Charlemont, Franklin (then Hampshire) Co., MA.

1810 Federal Census – household of Darius Edgerton; Charlemont, Franklin (then Hampshire) Co., MA.