The

Edgerton

Database

Home

Index

Sources

Search

Researchers

Notes...

Contact info

Photos

Links

Credits…

Francis Monroe Edgerton, son of Chauncey and Frances Maria (Wetherell) Edgerton.                                                                    PHOTO

Mary Underhill Rumsey, daughter of John Wickliffe and Mary Agnes (Underhill) Rumsey.

Sara Frances Townsend, daughter of Edwin R. and Isabella (Stuart) Townsend.

Children:

1. Chauncey Townsend, b. March 10, 1879; Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY.
2. Myra Townsend, b. August 24, 1880; Poultney, Rutland Co., VT.
3. Francis Wetherell, b. April 29, 1882; Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY.
4. Walter Townsend, b. December 18, 1883; Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY.
5. Stuart Townsend, b. November 4, 1889; Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY.

Francis Monroe Edgerton was born at Poultney, Vermont on April 11, 1840, the only son of Chauncey Edgerton and his first wife, Frances Maria Wetherell.  Chauncey’s mother died giving birth to him and Francis’ father was subsequently remarried in 1845 to Emma Frisbie.

Francis M. Edgerton was twice married – first, to Mary Underhill Rumsey, daughter of John Wickliffe and Mary Agnes (Underhill) Rumsey, who died in 1873; and second to Sara Frances Townsend, daughter of Edwin and Isabella (Stuart) Townsend, by whom he had five children.

Francis Monroe Edgerton entered Middlebury College in 1860, but left the following year to enlist for service in the Civil War.  Referring to himself  “of Poultney, VT”, Francis enlisted on May 9, 1861 as a sergeant in the B Company, 2nd Infantry Regiment of Vermont.  The 2nd Infantry Regiment was active in over sixty battles from July 1861 to April 1865, first in Virginia, and later in Maryland and Pennsylvania as well.  The first of these was the famous Battle of Bull Run, fought in Virginia on July 21 1861.  The regiment also fought at the Battle of Lee’s Mills (Virginia), Antietem (Maryland), and Gettysburg (Pennsylvania) and was present at the final Battle of the War at Appomattox Court House.

Francis was promoted to Full 2nd Lieutenant on January 25, 1862, at which point he was transferred to Company F as Provost Marshall under General Smith’s staff.   On August 4, 1862, he was promoted to Full Adjutant and transferred to Company S; and in November was appointed Aid-de-camp to Brigadier General A.P. Howe, commanding the 2nd Division.  Francis was mustered out on June 29, 1864. 

Following the War, Francis lived in Brooklyn, New York, where he and his second wife, Sara Frances Townsend, were married on December 17, 1874.  Their five children were all born in Brooklyn.  Francis resided in Brooklyn the remainder of his life, returning regularly to East Poultney during the summer.

Leaves from the Edgerton Family Tree (Chauncey T. Edgerton, privately published), provides the following biographical excerpt for Francis Monroe Edgerton:

“[Francis M. Edgerton] entered Middlebury College in the fall of 1860.  When war broke out in the following spring, he helped to organize a company of volunteers from among the students, and volunteered himself for service, at Castleton, Vermont, on May 9, 1861.  He was mustered into service at Burlington, Vermont, on June 20, and was appointed 3rd Sergeant, Company B, Second Vermont Regiment of Volunteers.

On January 25, 1862, he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, Company F; and on August 4, 1862, was appointed Regimental Adjutant, with the rank of 1st Lieutenant.  Later in 1862 he was appointed Provost-Marshal, first of the Vermont Brigade and then of the Sixth Corps.  On January 15, 1863, he was appointed aide-de-camp to General A. P. Howe, commanding the Vermont Brigade.  During his service in that capacity, the Brigade took part in the 2nd battle of Fredericksburg (June 5, 1863), Gettysburg (July 3, 1863), Rappahannock Station (November 7, 1863), the Wilderness (May 5-10, 1864), and Spottsylvania (May 10-18, 1864).  He was relieved from duty and honorably discharged on June 19, 1864, at Brattleboro, Vermont, his term of service having expired.

Francis was present at the second inauguration of President Lincoln, and attended the Inaugural Ball, where Lincoln remarked to him jokingly that they two were probably the worst dancers on the floor.

After the war Francis settled in Brooklyn, N. Y., and affiliated with the Plymouth Church, where he met and married his second wife, Sara Townsend.  They were married by Henry Ward Beecher, who became their close friend and remained so until Beecher’s death.”

The following biography of Mrs. Sara Frances (Townsend) Edgerton is excerpted from Woman’s Who’s Who of America, 1914 – 1915 (John William Leonard, ed.; New York, New York: The American Commonwealth Company; 1914; pg. 269):

“EDGERTON, Sara Townsend (Mrs. Francis M. Edgerton), 4630 Central Av., Richmond Hill, N.Y.)

Born Troy, N.Y.; dau. Edwin R. and Isabella (Stuart) Townsend; ed. Troy Higb School; Emma Willard School; m. Brooklyn, N.Y., Dec. 16, 1874, Francis M. Edgerton; children: Chauncey T., Myra T., Francis W. T., Walter T., Stuart T.  For 20 years sec. and vice-pres. of the Brooklyn Home for Aged Colored People; for 10 years on the exec, board and now sec. of the Woman’s Home Missionary Union of N.T. State; for three years a manager of the Congregational Home for the Aged in Brooklyn.  Contributor of secretarial articles and papers for tbe press in the interest of tbe various organizations to which she belongs.  Interested in settlement work, Red Cross, Needlework Guild, Sunshine Soc., Charity Organization.  Founder of the Twentieth Century Club of Richmond Hill and mem. King Manor Ass'n of Long Island.  Recreations: Walking, china painting.  Congregational 1st.  Favors woman suffrage.”

The household of Francis M. Edgerton was recorded in the 1880 Federal Census of Brooklyn, Kings County, New York (pg. 448; dwelling #225; family #546; enum. June 10-11, 1880), as follows:

At the time of this enumeration, the family was residing at 159 Bergen Street.

“Francis M. Edgerton, real estate” was listed in the 1888-89 Directory of Brooklyn, New York (Lain & Co., publishers), residing at “183 Macon”, with a second address at “1229 Fulton”.  The following year, “Francis Edgerton, agent” was listed at the same address (ie. “183 Macon”).

The household of Francis M. Edgerton was recorded in the 1900 Federal Census of Queens (Ward 4), Queens County, New York (pg. 71; dwelling #70; family #74; enum. June 6, 1900), as follows:

According to the above census record, Sara was the mother of seven children, five of whom were still living.  Francis’ occupation was listed as “real estate broker”, Myra was listed as a “teacher”, Francis was listed as a “shipping clerk (clerical)”, Walter was listed as an “office boy (stock boxer)” and Stuart was noted as “at school”.

Alan M. Bourne, a great-grandson of Francis Monroe Edgerton, has provided a photograph from an Edgerton family reunion entitled “4 Generations”.  From the apparent age of the youngest subject – Francis’ granddaughter, Beatrice Taylor Edgerton (b. 1906) – it is surmised that this photo was taken during the summer of 1907, probably at East Poultney, Vermont where the Edgertons spent the summer months.

Francis Monroe Edgerton died on December 17, 1907 at Richmond Hill, New York.  He was buried at the East Poultney Cemetery in his hometown.  The following obituary appeared in The New York Times on Friday, December 20, 1907:

“FRIEND OF LINCOLN DEAD

F. M. Edgerton Was Guest at President’ s Second Inaugural Ball

Francis M. Edgerton, friend of Abraham Lincoln and Henry Ward Beecher, and prominent in public affairs in the old City of Brooklyn, is dead at his home, Walnut and Myrtle Streets, Richmond Hill, L.I.  Mr. Edgerton was born in East Poultney, Vt., and at the time of his death was in his sixty-eighth year.

In the early days of the civil war, Mr. Edgerton helped organize a company of volunteers from the students of Middlebury College, at Mlddlebury, Vt., where he was attending school, and he went to the front as their Second Lieutenant.  He soon became a staff officer under Gen. Howe.  At the close of the war his duties took him to Washington.  Mr. Edgerton was one of the guests at Lincoln’s second inaugural ball.

After he wae mustered out of service, Mr. Edgerton went to Brooklyn.  He joined Plymouth Church, and for thirty three years was an usher and a teacher in the Sunday School.  A strong friendship existed between him and Henry Ward Beecher, pastor of the church.

He was one of the organizers and an officer of the Brooklyn Republican League, and he was also one of the organizers of the Union League CIub.  He was for many years in the real estate business.

He is survived by his widow, four sons, and one daughter, and his mother, Mrs. Chauncey Edgerton of East Poultney, Vt.  Funeral services were held at the home last evening by the Rev. George A. Liggett, pastor of the Congregational Church, in Richmond Hill.”

The household of Mrs. “Sara F. Edgerton” was recorded in the 1910 Federal Census of Queens, Queens County, New York (pg. 206; dwelling #299; family #359; enum. April 25, 1910), as follows:

According to the above census record, Sara was the mother of seven children, five of whom were still living; and Lida was the mother of one child.  Myra’s occupation was listed as “Teacher – High School”, Walter was listed as an “Inspector – Public Service Co.”, Stuart was listed as a “Clerk – Bank” and Francis was listed as a “Special Agent – Census Bureau”.  The family was residing at 3225 Myrtle Avenue.

Mrs. Sara Frances (Townsend) Edgerton died at Richmond Hill, New York on April 1, 1915.  She was buried beside her husband at East Poultney Cemetery.

Original Source Documents:

Obituary – Mrs. Mary Underhill (Rumsey) Edgerton; The Brooklyn Daily Eagle – Friday, September 12, 1873.

1880 Federal Census – household of Francis Monroe Edgerton; Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY.

1900 Federal Census – household of Francis Monroe Edgerton; Queens (Ward 4), Queens Co., NY.

Obituary – Francis Monroe Edgerton; The New York Times – Friday, December 20, 1907.

1910 Federal Census – household of Mrs. Sara Frances (Townsend) Edgerton; Queens, Queens Co., NY.

Obituary – Mrs. Sara Frances (Townsend) Edgerton; The Brooklyn Daily Eagle – Friday, April 2, 1915.

Obituary – Mrs. Sara Frances (Townsend) Edgerton; The New York Times – Saturday, April 3, 1915.