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Jacob Edgerton, son of Jacob and Hannah (Sheldon) Edgerton.

Narcissa Henrietta Gregory

Children:

1. William Gustavus, b. July 5, 1830; Pawlet, Rutland Co., VT.
2. Julia Lumbard, b. August 4, 1831; Pawlet, Rutland Co., VT.
3. Catherine Narcissa, b. April 6, 1833; Pawlet, Rutland Co., VT.
4. Rollin Strong, b. August 20, 1836; Pawlet, Rutland Co., VT.

Jacob Edgerton Jr. was born on August 26, 1800 at Pawlet, Vermont, the son of Jacob Edgerton Sr. and his second wife, Hannah Sheldon.  Jacob was raised in Pawlet and was married there on September 22, 1829 to Miss Narcissa Henrietta Gregory, also of Pawlet.  Jacob and Narcissa’s marriage was recorded both in the Pawlet Vital Records (Book 1, pg. 166) and at the First Congregational Church of Pawlet (Vol. I).  An announcement of the marriage was published in the Vermont Chronicle on October 9, 1829.

Mrs. Narcissa (Gregory) Edgerton’s parentage has not been determined, but it is suspected that she may have been a daughter of Sylvanus and Mary (Hosford) Gregory, who had come to Pawlet from Suffield, Connecticut.  A birthdate of April 12, 1805 is provided by Narcissa’s gravestone inscription at Evergreen Cemetery (see below).  The pedigree chart of Dan Erskine Edgerton (see Edgerton Family Records ca. 1598-1901) lists Narcissa’s parents as John Gregory and Mary Sears, but this has not been investigated.  What is known is that Narcissa’s mother was named Polly Gregory (married name), and that Narcissa was raised by Phineas and Anne (Field) Strong of Pawlet.  An entry in Phineas Strong’s family Bible (see NGS Quarterly, Volume 18) reads as follows:

“Narcissa Henrietta Gregory, who was given us to educate and bring up by Polly Gregory, her mother and which we shall here give the appellation of daughter, was born in Pawlet on 12th day of April, A.D. 1805, Thursday.”

Jacob and Narcissa’s marriage was also noted in the Strong Family Bible, as follows:

“Narcissa H. Gregory and Jacob Edgerton, Jr. were married, ceremony by Rev. Fayette Shepherd at Pawlet, Vt.”

Jacob and Narcissa Edgerton resided variously in Rutland and Pawlet, Vermont.  They had four children – William Gustavus, Julia Lumbard, Catherine Narcissa, and Rollin Strong.  Two of the children, Julia and Rollin, died in childhood.  Jacob and Narcissa’s younger daughter, Catherine, was married to Phineas Harmon Strong, the son of Narcissa’s adopted parents.  The eldest son, William G., was married to Lucy Seymour of Middlebury, Vermont and fought in the Union Army during the Civil War.

Jacob (along with his brother, Sheldon) was a co-founder of the Flower Brook Manufacturing Company.  The Company was incorporated in November, 1836, and Jacob was chosen as clerk at the first meeting of the Company in January of 1837.  The factory was in business manufacturing cotton and wool for about eight years.

Jacob Edgerton was elected the 14th Sheriff of Rutland County in 1830, a position he held for twenty-two years.   He also served as Pawlet Sheriff for twenty-one years (from 1840 to 1861) having previously served as Deputy Sheriff, and was later Collector of Internal Revenue during the administration of President Lincoln.  He was Municipal Judge of Rutland for two years.

The household of “Jacob Edgerton Jr.” was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Pawlet, Rutland County, Vermont (pg. 107), with the following enumeration:

1 male “30 and under 40”  (Jacob);

1 male “20 and under 30”  (? – probably a younger brother);

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

1 female “50 and under 60”  (?);

1 female “30 and under 40”  (wife Narcissa); and,

1 female “5 and under 10”  (daughter Catherine).

The household of Jacob Edgerton was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Rutland, Rutland County, Vermont (pg. 30; dwelling #341; family #396; enum. August 6, 1850), as follows:

The household of Jacob Edgerton was recorded in the 1860 Federal Census of Rutland, Rutland County, Vermont (pg. 321; dwelling #714; family #811; enum. June 20, 1860), as follows:

The household of Jacob Edgerton was recorded in the 1870 Federal Census of Rutland, Rutland County, Vermont (dwelling #538; family #652; enum. July 20, 1870), as follows:

The household of Jacob Edgerton was recorded in the 1880 Federal Census of Rutland Village, Rutland County, Vermont (pg. 330; dwelling #356; family #505; enum. June 19, 1880), as follows:

At the time of this census, the family was residing at 72 Main Street.

Jacob Edgerton died on December 20, 1886, either in Rutland, Vermont or Buffalo, New York (sources disagree).  He was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Rutland, Vermont.  His wife, Narcissa, had predeceased him on August 10, 1886 and was also buried at Evergreen Cemetery.  The large Edgerton monument erected on the cemetery plot bears the following inscription:

Original Source Documents:

Marriage record – Jacob Edgerton & Narcissa Henrietta Gregory; Records of the Congregational Church in Pawlet; Vol. I.

Marriage announcement – Jacob Edgerton & Narcissa Henrietta Gregory; Vermont Chronicle – Friday, October 9, 1829.

1840 Federal Census – household of Jacob Edgerton; Pawlet, Rutland Co., VT.

1850 Federal Census – household of Jacob Edgerton; Rutland, Rutland Co., VT.

1860 Federal Census – household of Jacob Edgerton; Rutland, Rutland Co., VT.

1870 Federal Census – household of Jacob Edgerton; Rutland, Rutland Co., VT.

1880 Federal Census – household of Jacob Edgerton; Rutland Village, Rutland Co., VT.

Gravestone photo – Jacob Edgerton & Mrs. Narcissa Henrietta (Gregory) Edgerton; Evergreen Cemetery; Rutland, Rutland Co., VT.