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Joseph Henry Edgerton, son of Zeno Cromar and Althea Elizabeth (Fitch) Edgerton.                                                                      PHOTO

Nancy Jenkins

Children:

1. Jennette, b. January 1, 1861; Almont, Lapeer Co., MI.

Mary Jane Foster, daughter of John and Roxanne Foster.

Children:

2. Minnie Mae, b. April 5, 1874; Imlay City, Lapeer Co., MI.

Most of the information included here regarding the family and descendants of Joseph Henry Edgerton has been provided by Diane Hosler of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Ms. Hosler is descended from Joseph’s daughter, Minnie Mae (Edgerton) Hosler, and has done extensive research into the various Edgerton families throughout the state of Michigan.

Joseph H. Edgerton, “aged 24, of Almont, Michigan”, enlisted on August 16, 1861 for service in the Union Army.  He served in L Company; 1st Michigan Cavalry Regiment.  He was transferred from Company L to Company E on November 17, 1865 and was mustered out at Salt Lake City, Utah on March 10, 1866.  He later resided at East Jordan, Michigan (see Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers 1861-65; 1903).

Diane Hosler provides the following account of Joseph’s Civil War service, derived from Military Records., National Archives and Michigan Volunteers, (Vol. 31, pg. 65):

“[Joseph] Enlisted in company L, First Cavalry, Aug. 16, 1861, at Almont, for 3 years, age 24.  Mustered Sept. 6, 1861.  Re-enlisted Dec. 21, 1863.  Mustered Dec. 21, 1863.  Transferred to company E, Nov. 17, 1865.  Mustered out at Salt Lake City, Utah, March 10, 1866.  Present residence, East Jordan Mich.

The 1st Calvary was mustered into U.S. service Sep. 13, 1861 and left for Washington D.C. Sep. 29, 1861.  They trained at Frederick MD, fought in Harpers Ferry (where Joseph's brother, George, joined regiment), Shenandoah Valley and Winchester Williamsport. In May he was a teamster.   370 men re-enlisted December 21, 1863 (including Joseph) and went home on 30-day furlough.  In May & June 1864 he was a Beaver Dam Station VA and May 11 Yellow Tavern VA, in July & Aug he was a teamster Post train, In Sep & Oct he was sick at Jarvis Hosp in Baltimore MD.  (In other place in file he received hospital treatment at Bolivar Heights Baltimore for 10 days, then Anapolis MD for 4 weeks, then Jervis Hosp until late fall 1864, then went home on furlough. -- the length of time at each place varies in the documents.) Jun & Jul 1865 he worked a driving team, in Oct he was on detached service (Co. A?) and Dec to Feb 1866 he was a teamester.  The entire regiment (including Joseph) was mustered out at Salt Lake City Utah, March 10 1866.  They were also sent to Ft. Leavenworth and Ft. Laramie, and were under the command of General Custer.”

On 10 May 1864 at Yellow Tavern VA. ‘While making a charge on enemy he was thrown from his horse and fell across a pole, receiving a severe injury of the back...’  In other places he suffered from hurt on small of back hurt in right hip shot through left food and general disability.”

The household of Joseph Edgerton was recorded in the 1860 Federal Census of Almont, Lapeer County, Michigan (pg. 875; dwelling #989; family #917; enum. July 7, 1860), as follows:

The household of Joseph Edgerton was recorded in the 1870 Federal Census of Imlay, Lapeer County, Michigan (pg. 25; dwelling #208; family #209; enum. September 22, 1870), as follows:

Joseph Henry Edgerton died at Comstock, Kalamazoo County, Michigan on August 2, 1930.  His death was entered in the Comstock Township Death Register (Kalamazoo County Vital Records, Deaths, Book 5, pg. 4, #35), with the following particulars:

The following obituary for Joseph Henry Edgerton was printed in the Kalamazoo Gazette on August 4, 1930 (transcript courtesy of Diane Hosler):

“JOS. H. EDGERTON ‘61 VETERAN, DIES

Comstock Man, Who Served Through Civil War, Expires at 94

Joseph H. Edgerton, 94, a veteran of the Civil war, died Saturday evening at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Lewis L. Hendrick, in South Comstock.  He had been a resident of Kalamazoo County since 1916, having lived most of the time with Mrs. Hendrick.  His wife died many years ago.

Enlisting in the Union army at the opening of the civil war, Mr. Edgerton took part in all the major battles on the Eastern coast, from Washington to Richmond, including Gettysburg and Appomattox.  He was a member of Companies I and C, First Michigan Cavalry, under General Custer.  For 18 months he was on Custer’s staff as a scout.  During the course of his army service he was wounded several times.  After having served as a soldier four years, six months and seven days in the Civil war, Mr. Edgerton re-enlisted and served with the army in Utah, putting down an uprising among Indians.  He finally was discharged from the army in March, 1866.

Mr. Edgerton was born in Canada, but came to Michigan with his parents when he was six months old.  They established a home in the Thumb district.  He was a farmer.

Besides his daughter, Mrs. Hendrick, Mr. Edgerton is survived by 12 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 Tuesday afternoon, with Elder E. F. Goodenough officiating.  Burial will be at Comstock.”

Joseph Henry Edgerton was buried at Comstock Cemetery in South Comstock, Michigan.  According to Diane Hosler,  “We researched the township burial records to find his gravesite.  In two very old handwritten books the name L L Hendricks appeared and in one of the books the entry was dated 8/19/30.  We therefore felt confident that this was Joseph’s grave because his son-in-law with whom he lived was Louis Lyle Hendricks,  Joseph died 8/2/1930, and there was no marker on the lot.  I ordered a military tombstone from the US government and it was placed on the site in spring, 2000.”  The tombstone which now marks Joseph gravesite bears the following inscription:

JOSEPH H. EDGERTON

PVT CO L

FIRST CAV

CIVIL WAR

JUL 15 1837

AUG 2 1930

Original Source Documents:

1860 Federal Census – household of Joseph Henry Edgerton; Almont, Lapeer Co., MI.

1870 Federal Census – household of Joseph Henry Edgerton; Imlay, Lapeer Co., MI.

Death Record – Joseph Henry Edgerton; Kalamazoo Co., MI Vital Records, Deaths,  Book 5, pg. 4, #35.

Gravestone photo – Joseph Henry Edgerton; Comstock Cemetery; Comstock, Kalamazoo Co., MI.

For the ancestry of Mary Jane (Foster) Edgerton, consult:

• Sullivan, Mary Foster; The Ancestry and Descendants of David Foster, Sr. (1758 – 1821) of Williamstown, Massachusetts;  privately published; Kansas City, Missouri; 1982.