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Gideon Eleazer Edgerton, son of Roswell and Sarah (Selden) Edgerton.

Nancy Hurlbut

Children:

1. Lovina, b. August 18, 1837; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.
2. Julia Amorilla, b. April 8, 1839; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.
3. Jay R., b. 1841; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.
4. Gurdon, b. December 13, 1842; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.
5. Francis E., b. March 12, 1845; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.
6. Lorenzo, b. March 17, 1847; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.
7. Orrin, b. March 31, 1849; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.
8. Charles, b. April 14, 1851; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.
9. James, b. September 25, 1855; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.

Gideon Eleazer Edgerton was born in Rome, New York on June 16, 1806.  He was the next-to-youngest son of Roswell Edgerton and Sarah Selden, who had settled in Rome around the turn of the century.  Gideon appears to have gone primarily by his middle name.  He was usually listed in census and land records as “Eleazer Edgerton”.  Gideon was raised in Rome and made his living as a farmer.

Gideon Eleazer Edgerton was married in 1833 to Nancy Hulbert, who was born in Connecticut on October 3, 1812.  This information is corroborated by the census and burial records cited below.  The parentage and ancestry of Mrs. Nancy (Hurlbut) Edgerton is currently unknown.  Her last name is found written variously as “Holbert”, “Hurlbut” and “Hurlburt”.  Nancy may have been a daughter of Gurdon Hurlbut, who was recorded adjacent to Gideon’s father, Roswell, in the 1830 Federal Census of Rome, Oneida County, New York (pg. 403).  The enumeration of Gurdon’s household shows that he did have a daughter born between 1810 and 1815; and the fact that Gideon and Nancy named one of their sons Gurdon provides some circumstantial evidence of a possibly family connection.  Nancy may also have been related to Polly Holbert, the first wife of Gideon’s elder brother, Sims.

Shortly after his marriage, Gideon removed from New York State and settled in the town of Sterling, in Macomb County, Michigan – in the eastarn part of the state, just north of the present city of Detroit.  He resided in Sterling for the remainder of his life.  Gideon and Nancy had a family of nine children:  two daughters, Lovina and Julia Amorilla; and seven sons, Jay R., Gurdon, Francis E., Lorenzo, Orrin, Charles and James.  Tragically, most of Gideon’s children died in their twenties; only two of the children (sons Gurdon and Orrin) were married and had children of their own.

Three land patents were registered for “Eleazer Edgerton” in Macomb County, Michigan.  They were recorded at the Federal Bureau of Land Management, as follows:

The following biography of Gideon Eleazer Edgerton is excerpted from History of Macomb County, Michigan (Chicago, Ill:  M.A. Leeson & Co.; 1882; pg. 849):

“ELEAZER EDGERTON, P.O. Utica, was born June 16, 1806, in Oneida County, N.Y.; is a son of Roswell and Sarah (Shelden) Edgerton.  He came to Michigan in 1829, returning the next winter to New York; in the spring of 1830, he came again to this county and located 160 acres of Government land.  He was married, in 1833, to Nancy Hurlbut; her parents were natives of Connecticut.  They had nine children – Lovina, born August 18, 1837, died December 21, 1863; Amorilla, April 8, 1838 [sic], died April 8, 1869 [sic]; Jay R., April 14, 1867, died same day [sic]; ----, December 13, 1842; Francis, March 12, 1845, died April 21, 1864; Lorenzo, March 17, 1847, died March 6, 1871; Orrin, March 31, 1849; James, April 14, 1851; Charles, September 25, 1855 [sic – birthdates for Charles and James reversed].  The latter went on a sea voyage for his health, and was obliged to leave the steamship at the Cape Verde Islands; this was the last intelligence from him, and it is supposed he died there or on the passage home.  Mr. Edgerton now owns 190 acres of Section 23.  He is a Democrat, and has held the office of Justice of the Peace several years; he is considered one of the substantial, reliable pioneer citizens of Macomb County; besides his farming interests, he is engaged in bee culture to a considerable extent.  Mr. Edgerton’s father died in New York, aged seventy years; his mother, at the age of seventy-five.”

The household of “Eleazer Edgerton” was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Sterling, Macomb County, Michigan (pg. 258), with the following enumeration:

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

2 female “of 30 and under 40”  (wife Nancy and ?); and,

2 females “under 5 years of age”  (daughters Lovina and Amorilla).

The household “E. Edgerton” was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Sterling, Macomb County, Michigan (pg. 323; dwelling #790; family #813; enum. August 23, 1850), as follows:

The household “Eleazer Edgerton” was recorded in the 1860 Federal Census of Sterling, Macomb County, Michigan (dwelling #731; family #677; enum. June 29, 1860), as follows:

The household “Eleazer Edgerton” was recorded in the 1870 Federal Census of Sterling, Macomb County, Michigan (pg. 114; dwelling #305; family #311; enum. June 30, 1870), as follows:

The household of “Eleazer Edgerton” was recorded in the 1880 Federal Census of Sterling, Macomb County, Michigan (pg. 553; dwelling #215; family #218; enum. June 15, 1880), as follows:

Gideon Eleazer Edgerton died at Sterling, Michigan on July 26, 1891.  According to his death record (Macomb Co. Vital Records, pg. 189, #216), Eleazer was a farmer, aged 85 years, 1 month and 10 days, married, and had been born in New York.  The cause of death was given as “Congestive Chill”.

Gideon, Nancy and most of their children are buried at the “Edgerton Cemetery”, located on Utica and Schoenherr Roads in the town of Sterling Heights, Michigan on what was originally a portion of the Edgerton farm. The Edgerton monument erected on the burial site contains inscriptions for Gideon and Nancy as well as several of their children.

Original Source Documents:

1840 Federal Census – household of Gideon Eleazer Edgerton; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.

1850 Federal Census – household of Gideon Eleazer Edgerton; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.

1860 Federal Census – household of Gideon Eleazer Edgerton; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.

1870 Federal Census – household of Gideon Eleazer Edgerton; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.

1880 Federal Census – household of Gideon Eleazer Edgerton; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.

Death record – Gideon Eleazer Edgerton; Macomb Co., MI Vital Records, pg. 189, #216.

Obituary – Gideon Eleazer Edgerton; Utica Sentinel – Saturday, August 1, 1891.

Burial notice – Gideon Eleazer Edgerton; Utica Sentinel – Saturday, August 1, 1891.

Gravestone photo – Gideon Eleazer Edgerton & Mrs. Nancy (Hurlbut) Edgerton; Edgerton Cemetery; Sterling, Macomb Co., MI.