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Gordon Henry Edgerton, son of Josiah Wright and Permelia S. (Benedict) Edgerton.

Elva Ellen Bird, daughter of Charles H. and Abigail (Benedict) Bird.

Children:

1. Arthur J., b. January 29, 1878; Little Blue Twp., Adams Co., NE.
2. Goldie Abigail, b. July 6, 1881; Little Blue Twp., Adams Co., NE.
3. Faye Elva, b. March 26, 1889; Little Blue Twp., Adams Co., NE.

Gordon H. Edgerton, of Walnut Grove, Illinois, enlisted on January 24, 1865 for service in the Union Army.  He served as a private in the 112th and 65th Illinois Infantry Regiments.  Gordon’s elder brother, Rollin H. Edgerton, also served in the Illinois Infantry (see Illinois: Roster of Officers and Enlisted Men, 1900).

Following the War, Gordon Edgerton removed to Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska.  He was recorded there in the Federal Census of 1870, residing in the household of Joseph Mehan (pg. 128; dwelling #299; family #305; enum. September 30, 1870).  He was enumerated as “Gordon Edgerton, aged 28, born in New York”; his occupation was listed as “Farming”, and he was credited with $1,600 in real estate and $2,000 in personal estate.

The household of “G. H. Edgerton” was recorded in the 1880 Federal Census of Little Blue, Adams County, Nebraska (pg. 110; no dwelling or family # listed; enum. June 10, 1880), as follows:

The household of Gordon H. Edgerton was recorded in the 1900 Federal Census of Hastings Township (Hastings City, Ward 3), Adams County, Nebraska (pg. 110; dwelling #59; family #59; enum. June 2, 1900), as follows:

According to the above census record, Elva was the mother of four children, two of whom were still living.  Gordon’s occupation was listed as “grain merchant” and Faye was noted as “at school”.  The family was residing at 748 North Lincoln Avenue.

The following biography of Gordon H. Edgerton is excerpted from History of the State of Nebraska - Part 11 (The Western Historical Publishing Company, A. T. Andrews; Chigago, Illinois; 1882):

“GORDON H. EDGERTON, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Hastings, was born in Essex County, N. Y., May 10, 1842.  At four years of age, removed with his parents to Knox County, Ill., and resided on a farm until he enlisted, in January, 1865, in the One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois Infantry.  Served until mustered out in the following June.  He then went to Colorado, where he was employed in mining, etc.  In 1867, he went to Omaha, Neb., and was for two years employed as a teamster following the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad, afterward teaming in Boonesboro, Iowa; Emporia, Kan., and other places for several years.  In April, 1871, he returned to Nebraska and homesteaded 160 acres of land in Little Blue Precinct, on which he since resided.  He now owns 320 acres, and in connection with his farming pursuits is largely engaged in breeding Durham cattle and Poland-China hogs.  Mr. Edgerton has been a member of the District School Board since 1875, and was elected a Commissioner of Adams County, for a term of three years, in the fall of 1881.  He was married at his present residence in March, 1876, to Elva Bird, a native of Iowa.  They have two children – Arthur and Goldie.”

Nebraska Pioneer Reminiscences (Nebraska Chapter – D.A.R.; 1916; pp. 11-12, 17) presents the following excerpts regarding Gordon H. Edgerton:

“Gordon H. Edgerton, now a resident and prominent businessman of Hastings, when a young man, in 1866, was engaged in freighting across the plains, over the Oregon trail that entered the county where the Little Blue crosses its eastern boundary and continued in a northwesterly direction, leaving its western line a few miles west and a little north of where Kenesaw now stands, and so is familiar with its early history.  There has already been some who have questioned the authenticity of the story of an Indian massacre having taken place where this trail crosses Thirty-two Mile creek, so named because it was at this point about thirty-two miles east of Fort Kearny.  This massacre took place about the year 1867, and Mr. Edgerton says that it was universally believed at the time he was passing back and forth along this trail.  He distinctly remembers an old threshing machine that stood at that place for a long time and that was left there by some of the members of the party that were killed.”

“The first agricultural society was organized at Kingston and the first agricultural fair of which there is any record was held October 11 and 12, 1873.  The fair grounds were on the southeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 32-5-9 on land owned by G. H. Edgerton, and quite a creditable list of premiums were awarded.”

Gordon H. Edgerton applied for a Civil War invalid pension on June 27, 1892.  The application was filed from the state of Nebraska and cited Gordon’s service in the 112th Illinois Infantry (Co. E).  Jacob Bailey was listed as the representing attorney.  Gordon’s widow, “Elva E. Edgerton” applied for a Civil War widow’s pension on December 31, 1923.  She was residing in Nebraska at the time of the application (see National Archives Pension Applications; Application #1118647, Certificate #861457; and Application #1213768, Certificate #945751).

Original Source Documents:

1880 Federal Census – household of Gordon Henry Edgerton; Little Blue, Adams Co., NE.

1900 Federal Census – household of Gordon Henry Edgerton; Hastings Twp. (Hastings City, Ward 3), Adams Co., NE

Death Certificates – Mrs. Elva Ellen (Bird) Edgerton; Arizona State Death Certificates, #46.

Obituary – Mrs. Elva Ellen (Bird) Edgerton; The Lincoln Star – Thursday, August 19, 1926.