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Everett Wheeler Edgerton, son of Eleazer and Patience (Wheeler) Edgerton.

Jane Fields, daughter of Samuel and Jeanette (Lackey) Fields.

Children:

1. Samuel Fields, b. July 20, 1828; New Haven, New Haven Co., CT.
2. Edward Sebring, b. August 1, 1832; Charleston, Charleston Co., SC.
3. James Everett, b. September 22, 1835; Charleston, Charleston Co., SC.
4. Jane Ives, b. July 3, 1838; Charleston, Charleston Co., SC.

Mary Maria Walker, daughter of Caleb and Abigail (Drummack) Walker.

Children:

5. Henry Walker, b. January 16, 1841; Charleston, Charleston Co., SC.
6. Everett Cromwell, b. November 24, 1842; Charleston, Charleston Co., SC.
7. Augustus Walker, b. May 22, 1845; Charleston, Charleston Co., SC.
8. Mary Maria, b. May 22, 1845; Charleston, Charleston Co., SC.
9. Joel Ives, b. January 7, 1849; Charleston, Charleston Co., SC.

Everett Wheeler Edgerton was born at Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut on January 17, 1805.  His parentage has not yet been conclusively documented; however, it is almost certain that he was the only son of Eleazer and Patience (Wheeler) Edgerton.  Eleazer and Patience are the only Edgerton family known to have resided in Bridgeport – or Fairfield County – at this time.  They were members of the First United Congregational Church of Bridgeport and the records there make mention of six daughters, although no son is mentioned.  However, since the first mention of the Edgerton family at the Church was in the year 1808, it is probable that Everett’s birth occurred before Eleazer and Patience had joined the congregation.  Furthermore, the 1810 Federal Census enumeration of Eleazer’s household (Stratford, Fairfield County, Connecticut, pg. 17) confirms that Eleazer and Patience did have a son born between 1800 and 1810.  A further piece of circumstantial evidence is found in the fact that Everett’s middle name was Wheeler (presumably after his mother maiden name) and that two of Everett’s grandchildren also bore the middle name Wheeler:  Everett Wheeler Edgerton  (only son of James Everett Edgerton) and Maria Wheeler Edgerton (eldest daughter of Everett Cromwell Edgerton).

The first mention of Everett W. Edgerton are found in the records at New Haven, Connecticut, located about thirty miles northeast of Bridgeport. He was admitted to the First Congregational Church of New Haven on December 31, 1820 (Church Records, Vol. 4, pg. 260).  He was later dismissed and recommended to the Presbytarian Church at Charleston, South Carolina in July 1839 (Church Records, Vol 4, pg. 225).  This was probably just subsequent to or in anticipation of his second marriage (see below).

Everett Wheeler Edgerton made his living as a clothing merchant and tailor.  He was married twice.  His first wife was Jane Fields, daughter of Samuel and Jeanette (Lackey) Fields of New Haven, whom he married at New Haven on May 6, 1827.  A notice of the marriage was published in the Connecticut Herald on Tuesday, May 15, 1827.  Jane was born in the year 1806 (presumably at New Haven, Connecticut), and was baptized, together with three of her siblings, at the First Congregational Church of New Haven on June 24, 1809.

Everett and Jane (Fields) Edgerton had three sons, Samuel Fields, Edward Sebring and James Everett; and one daughter, Jane Ives.  The family resided first in New Haven, Connecticut and later Charleston, South Carolina.  The eldest son, Samuel Fields, was recorded as a head of household in the 1860 Federal Census of Charleston; he died in the Civil War, leaving a widow and infant son.  The second son, Edward Sebring, died in London, England on September 15, 1853.  The youngest son, James Everett, was married to Lucretia Reeve, and resided in Charleston.  The only daughter, Jane Ives, was never married.

Everett W. Edgerton was listed as a head of household in the 1830 Federal Census of New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut (enumerated on pg. 64 according to the census index).  The enumeration of his household at that time was as follows:

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

1 male “under 5”  (son Samuel); and,

1 female “of 20 and under 30”  (wife Jane).

Mrs. Jane (Fields) Edgerton died at Charleston, South Carolina on October 4, 1838, “aged 32”.  A notice of the death of “Mrs. Jane Edgerton, consort of E. W. Edgerton of New Haven” at Charleston, South Carolina, was printed in the New Haven Palladium on October 20, 1838.  According to the inscription on her tombstone (see below), Jane had died on October 3rd, aged 32 years and 6 months.

Everett W. Edgerton was remarried on July 31, 1839 at Charleston, South Carolina to Mary Maria Walker, daughter of Caleb and Abigail (Drummack) Walker of Charleston (and formerly of Willington, Connecticut).  A notice of the marriage of “E. W. Edgerton” to Mary Maria Walker on July 31, 1839 was printed in the New Haven Palladium on August 20, 1839.  The following notice was published in The South Carolinan (Columbia, South Carolina) on August 9, 1839:

“On the 31st ult., Mr. E. W. Edgerton to Miss Mary Marla Walker, all of Charleston.”

The household of “E. W. Edgerton” was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Charleston (Ward 1), Charleston County, South Carolina (pg. 7), with the following enumeration:

1 male “20 and under 30”  (Everett – actually aged 35);

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

2 males “under 5”  (sons James and ?);

1 female “20 and under 30”  (second wife Maria); and,

1 female “under 5”  (daughter Jane).

Everett and his second wife, Mary Maria, had five children, all born in Charleston, South Carolina:  Henry Walker, Everett Cromwell, Augustus Walker, Mary Maria and Joel Ives.  Three of the children – Henry, Augustus and Mary – died in infancy; the youngest son, Joel, died at the age of twenty-one.

The household of “E. W.” Edgerton was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of the Parish of St. Phillip & St. Michaels, Charleston County, South Carolina (pg. 137; dwelling #274; family #300; enum. September 5, 1850), as follows:

The following application  requesting issuance of passports was signed by Everett W. Edgerton and his son, Edward S. Edgerton, in April of 1853:

“Charleston, 18 Apr 1853

To the Hon W. L. Marcy

Secretary of State

Dear Sir

Will you favor us with passports – We contemplate visiting Europe this summer,

E. W. Edgerton – Citizen of the United States, resident in Charleston So Car. Aged Forty Eight – five feet six inches and a half high light complexion – Blue eyes – dark hair – large nose – round chin.

Edward S. Edgerton – Citizen of the United States – resident in Charleston aged twenty years – five feet ten inches high – light complexion – hazel eyes – brown hair – large nose sharp chin.

Very Respectfully

E. W. Edgerton

E. S. Edgerton”

A subsequent affadavit provided further physical particulars was filed on April 28, 1853 and passports were duly issued to Everett and Edward.  They presumably departed for Europe sometime during the summer.  They were visiting London when Edward died on September 15, 1853.  Details of his death and burial are not known.  A notice of the death of “Edward S. Edgerton, son of E. W. Edgerton of New Haven, at London, England” was published in The New Haven Palladium on October 5, 1853.

Everett W. Edgerton and his sons, James and Samuel, were listed in the 1860 Directory of the City of Charleston (W. Eugene Fersly; Savannah, Georgia as follows:

Edgerton, E W, of Edgerton, Richards & Co., boards 3 Orange St

Edgerton, J E, Clerk, Hyatt McBurney & Co., boards 3 Orange St

Edgerton, Richards & Co, Drapers & Tailors, 32 & 32 Broad St

Edgerton, S F, of Edgerton, Richards & Co, house 1 Trapman St

The household of “Edward Edgerton” (sic) was recorded in the 1870 Federal Census of Charleston (Ward 4), Charleston County, South Carolina (pg. 245; dwelling #552; family #772; enum. July 19, 1870), as follows:

Everett W. Edgerton and his second wife, Mary, later removed to Aiken Township, South Carolina.  Both were still living as of June 1880, when they were recorded in the Federal Census of that year residing in the household of their son, Everett C. Edgerton.

Everett Wheeler Edgerton died on March 13, 1883 at Aiken, South Carolina – probably at the home of his youngest son, Everett C. Edgerton.  His death was entered in the Charleston City Death Register, Vol 46:  “Return of Deaths within the City of Charleston, S.C. from the 26th of March To the 31st of March 1883”, with the following particulars:

Entry #: O.T. 14

Name:  E. W. Edgerton

Date of Death:  March 13th

Cause of Death:  Apoplexy

Place of Residence:  Aiken, S.C.

Place of Nativity:  Connecticut

Attending Physician:  Amory Coffin

Place of Interment:  Magnolia

An accompanying affadavit was filed by the attending physician, Amory Coffin.  It read as follows:

“Aiken  14 March 1883

I hereby certify that I attended Mr. E.

W. Edgerton in his last illness and that

he died at this place (Aiken) of

serious apoplexy on 13th inst

Amory Coffin M.D.”

Everett Wheeler Edgerton and his two wives were buried at the Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina.  A shared monument erected on the burial site contains the following inscriptions:

Original Source Documents:

Marriage announcement – Everett Wheeler Edgerton & Jane Fields; Connecticut Herald (New Haven, Connecticut) – Tuesday, May 15, 1827.

1830 Federal Census – household of Everett Wheeler Edgerton; New Haven, New Haven Co., CT.

1840 Federal Census – household of Everett Wheeler Edgerton; Charleston (Ward 1), Charleston Co., SC.

1850 Federal Census – household of Everett Wheeler Edgerton; Parish of St. Phillip & St. Michaels, Charleston Co., SC.

1870 Federal Census – household of Everett Wheeler Edgerton; Charleston (Ward 4), Charleston Co., SC.

Passport application – Everett Wheeler Edgerton; National Archives and Records Administration, Passport Applications 1795 – 1905.

Pardon application – Everett Wheeler Edgerton; National Archives and Records Administration, Confedeate Applications for Presidential Pardons, #2107.

Death record – Everett Wheeler Edgerton; Charleston City Death Register, Vol. 46.

Affadavit of death – Everett Wheeler Edgerton; Charleston City Death Register, #O.T. 14.

Gravestone photo – Everett Wheeler Edgerton, Mrs. Jane (Fields) Edgerton & Mrs. Mary Maria (Walker) Edgerton; Magnolia Cemetery; Charleston, Charleston Co., SC.

For the ancestry of Mary Maria (Walker) Edgerton, consult:

§         Walker, J. B. R.;  Memorial of the Walkers of the Old Plymouth Colony; Northampton, Mass.: Metcalf & Company, Printers; 1861.

§         Walkter, Howard Raworth; A Condensed History of the Family of Howard Raworth Walker; Augusta, Georgia: privately published; 1937.