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The Edgerton Database |
Hezekiah Edgerton, son of Hezekiah and Marcia (Brigham) Edgerton.
Mary “Polly” Colman, daughter of Nathan and Deborah (Turner) Colman.
Children:
Hezekiah Edgerton IV was
born in Franklin, Connecticut on August 12, 1791, the eldest son of Hezekiah
Edgerton III and his first wife, Marcia Brigham. Hezekiah’s birth was not entered in the vital records at Franklin,
nor has any primary record of his birth been found elsewhere. The date listed here is derived from the
exact age at death reported in Hezekiah’s death record (Coventry Vital
Records, Book 4, pp. 19 – 20).
Hezekiah was raised in Franklin and later, Coventry, Connecticut,
where his father settled shortly before the turn of the century. Prior to 1816, Hezekiah
was referred to in the Coventry records (military, census, etc.) as “Hezekiah
Edgerton 3rd”, in order to distinguish him from his father (“Hezekiah Edgerton
Jur.”) and his grandfather (“Hezekiah Edgerton Sr.”), who both also resided
in Coventry at this time. After the
latter’s death in June of 1816, Hezekiah became “Hezekiah Edgerton Jur.” and
his father simply “Hezekiah Edgerton”.
In terms of actually chronology, Hezekiah was the fourth to bear the
name. “Hezekiah Edgerton 3rd”
served as a private in Capt. Asa Copeland’s regiment of the Connecticut
Militia during the War of 1812. His
period of service was noted from September 14, 1813 to November 1, 1813. Hezekiah’s uncle, Joseph, also fought in
the same company. (see Record of
Service of Connecticut Men, Part II, War of 1812, pg. 48) Hezekiah Edgerton was
married at Coventry, Connecticut on October 26, 1818 to Mary (aka. “Polly”)
Colman, the daughter of Nathan and Deborah (Turner) Coleman, also of
Coventry. Mary was born in Coventry
on January 25, 1791, and was baptized at the First Congregational Church of
Coventry (South Society) in July 1792.
She was the elder sister of William Colman, who married Hezekiah’s
sister, Lucia Edgerton, and also the sister of Phebe Colman, who married
Hezekiah’s uncle, Joseph Edgerton.
She appears to have gone mainly by the nickname of “Polly”. Hezekiah and Polly Edgerton resided in Coventry
their entire lives. There are
currently records of only two children born to them, both daughters – Mary
Augusta, who died at the age of five weeks; and Charlotte S., who was
unmarried and resided most of her
life in Coventry. Hezekiah’s wife, Polly, was mentioned in the will
of her father, Nathan Colman (dated June 12, 1828), in the following context: “…My other daughters (viz) Sally White Polly Edgerton Phebe Edgerton decd Wealthy Barrows & Deborah Lyons together with what I have above directed to sd Deborah have all received their portions equal to the legacies which I have directed to be paid to my other daughters.” The household of “Hezekiah Edgerton Jr.” was
recorded in the 1820 Federal Census of Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut
(pg. 949), with the following enumeration: 1 male “of 26 and under 45” (Hezekiah); and, 1 female “of 26 and under 45” (wife Polly). The household of “Hezekiah
Edgerton Jr.” was recorded in the 1830 Federal Census of Coventry, Tolland County,
Connecticut (pg. 264), with the following enumeration: 1 male “of 30 and under 40” (Hezekiah); 3 males “of 20 and under 30” (? – one possibly his younger brother Ward); 1 female “of 30 and under 40” (wife Polly); and, 1 female “under 5 years of age” (daughter Charlotte). The household of Hezekiah Edgerton was recorded in
the 1840 Federal Census of Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut (pg. 99),
with the following enumeration: 1 male “40 and under 50” (Hezekiah); 1 female “40 and under 50” (wife Polly); and, 1 female “10 and under 15” (daughter Charlotte). The household of Hezekiah
Edgerton was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Coventry, Tolland County,
Connecticut (pg. 308; dwelling #9; family #11; enum. July 24, 1850), as
follows:
The household of Hezekiah Edgerton was recorded in the 1860 Federal Census of Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut (pg. 345; dwelling #244; family #269; enum. June 29, 1860), as follows:
Mrs. Mary (Colman)
Edgerton died at Coventry, Connecticut on September 14, 1860. The record of her death at Coventry (VR
4:11-12), lists her name as “Polly Edgerton”, and reports that she was “aged
69 years, 7 months, 20 days, born in Coventry, Connecticut”. Her occupation was listed as “housework”,
and the cause of death was given as “euteritis”. Hezekiah Edgerton IV died
at South Coventry, Connecticut on September 29, 1862. According to the record of his death at
Coventry (VR 4:19-20), he was a “carpenter, aged 71 years, 1 month, 17 days,
born in Franklin, Connecticut”. The
cause of death was listed as “paralysis”. The following obituary
notice for Hezekiah Edgerton was printed in the Willimantic Journal on
October 10, 1862: “EDGERTON, Hezekiah Capt., died at South Coventry on Sept. 29, age 71” Hezekiah and Polly were
buried next to each other at the Nathan Hale Cemetery in South Coventry. Their two daughters – Mary and Charlotte –
were also buried in the family plot there. |