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Lorin R. Edgerton, son of Andrew Jackson and Clarissa (Coburn) Edgerton.

Eliza Jane Graves, daughter of Joseph and Clara Graves.

Children:

1. Charles Lorin, b. April 20, 1849; Boston, Suffolk Co., MA.
2. Joseph Andrew, b. August 26, 1850; Georgetown, Essex Co., MA.
3. infant, b. July 5, 1854; Danvers, Essex Co., MA.

Angenette Mary Cummings, daughter of Henry and Sarah (Cheney) Cummings.

Lorin R. Edgerton (aka. “Loring R. Edgerton”) was born August 31, 1822 at Cabot, Vermont.  He was the only son of Andrew Jackson Edgerton and his first wife, Clarissa Coburn.  Lorin’s mother died when he was very young and his father was remarried shortly afterwards to Mrs. Mary (Hoyt) Atkins.  Lorin was raised in Cabot, Vermont and later Hookset, New Hampshire, where his father settled in the early 1830’s.  Lorin was a tailor and resided for the majority of his adult life in Massachusetts – first in Boston (Suffolk County) and later in Natick (Middlesex County).

Lorin’s first wife was Eliza Jane Graves, daughter of Joseph and Clara Graves of York County, Maine.  According to the age at death inscribed on Eliza’s gravestone (see below) it is calculated that she was born in June 1823.  Lorin and Eliza were married at Boston, Massachusetts on November 25, 1847.

According to family accounts, Lorin and Eliza Edgerton had two sons – Charles Lorin, born in Boston on April 20, 1849; and Joseph Andrew, born in Georgetown on August 26, 1850.  The vital records of Danvers, Massachusetts also mention an infant son of “Lorin and Eliza Edgerton” who was born and died July 5, 1854.  The various census enumerations of Lorin’s family (see below), list other children, who may have been adopted children or wards.

The following biographical excerpts are taken from two drafts of a letter written by Lorin’s grandson, Arthur Lorin Edgerton in February 1940:

“My grandfather Lorin R. Edgerton, of whom I also have a photo…[was] born in 1822 and died in 1877.  Lorin R. Edgerton was a tailor by trade and built up quite a business in Natick Massachusetts.  They had something like 40 women employed besides a large number of men.  My father was associated in this business.  I have understood that my great-grandfather bound out these three sons in their early life, which seemed to be the custom in those days.

I do not have much history of my grandfather, when or whom he married, but know that he had two sons, one Joseph who as a young man wished to take a trip on a sailing vessel going to Alaska and that is the last my father ever knew of him.  It may be that because the family scattered that a connection was never made.  The next son to Lorin R. Edgerton was my father Chas. Lorin Edgerton, born April 20, 1849 in Boston Mass”

[authors handwritten correction: “Joseph was the younger son.”]

The household of Lorin R. Edgerton was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Boston (Ward 4, East Boston), Suffolk County, Massachusetts (pg. 10; dwelling #122; family #151; enum. August 2, 1850), as follows:

At the time of this census, Lorin and his family were residing in the same dwelling as the family of Samuel D. Hadley.

By the year 1855, Lorin R. Edgerton had removed from Boston and settled in the town of Natick, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.  The household of “Loren R. Egerton” was recorded in the 1855 Massachusetts State Census of Natick, Middlesex County (pg. 27; dwelling #134; family #214; enum. August 1, 1855), as follows:

The household of “Loring R. Egerton” was recorded in the 1860 Federal Census of Natick, Middlesex County, Massachusetts (dwelling #911; family #1098; enum. June 20, 1860), as follows:

According to the Massachusetts Index to Deaths 1856 – 1860, Mrs. Eliza J. (Graves) Edgerton died at Natick, Massachusetts in the year 1860.  The record of Eliza’s death at Natick (VR 139:154) states that she died December 16, 1860, aged 37 years.  Her birthplace was listed as “York, Maine” and her parents as “Joseph and Clara Graves”.  The inscription on Eliza’s gravestone (see below) also lists her date of death as December 16, 1860 and gives her age as 37 years, 6 months.

Loren R. Edgerton’s second wife was Angenette Mary Cummings, daughter of Henry and Sarah (Cheney) Cummings of Groton, New Hampshire.  Lorin and Angenette were married at Natick, Massachusetts on March 3, 1864.

The household of Lorin R. Edgerton was recorded in the 1865 Massachusetts State Census of Natick, Middlesex County (pg. 47; dwelling #374; family #424; enum. May 1, 1865), as follows:

The household of Lorin R. Edgerton was recorded in the 1870 Federal Census of Natick, Middlesex County, Massachusetts (pg. 10; dwelling #120; family #154; enum. June 4, 1870), as follows:

In September of 1873, Lorin Edgerton went into business with his elder son, Charles Lorin, at Cochituate Village in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.  According to the Articles of Co-Partnership, dated September 1, 1873:

“Loring R. Edgerton and Charles L. Edgerton both of Natick in the county of Middlesex and Commonweath of Massachusetts…have agreed to become partners in business and by these presents do agree to be co-partners together under and by the name or firm of C. L. Edgerton & co. for the purpose of traiding in clothing, furnishing-goods, hats and caps in the buying, selling and vending all sorts of goods, wares and merchandise to the said business belonging, and to occupy the store of Ambrose Bryant now used and ocupied for a Barbers Shop in the village of Cochituate in the Town of Wayland, county aforesaid, their partnership to commence on the first day of September 1873 and to continue for the space of three years, and to that end and purpose the said Loring R. Edgerton is to purchase all the goods and to sign the firms name to all notes that may be required to be given in the transaction of said business and no other person shall be permitted so to do, only by his direction and he shall not be required to give any more time than what is requisite to purchase said goods, the said Charles L. Edgerton is to give his whole and undivided time to said business and shall not draw exceeding twelve dollars per week for the support of himself and family and shall not take any more unless by the consent of his partner.  The said Loring R. Edgerton is to furnish all the capital used or to be used in said business and the profits are to be divided equally between the partners…And also, the said copartners, once in six months are to take count of stock and oftener is said Loring R. Edgerton shall require it to be so…And it is further agreed that the said firm shall close their business if at any time the said Loring R. Edgerton shall deem it expedient and for the interested of the parties concerned and the said Charles L. Edgerton shall deliver to the said Loring R. Edgerton, or his legal representative all books, accounts, monies, bonds, fixtures, leases or any other thing pertaining to said business valuble or otherwise the said Loring R. Edgerton making a demand therefor.”

The agreement was signed “L R Edgerton” and “C L Edgerton”, and sealed by each.

Lorin R. Edgerton died at Natick, Massachusetts on October 15, 1877.  According to the record of his death (Natick VR 293:143), he was a “Merchant tailor”, married, aged 55 years, 1 month, and 15 days.  His birthplace was listed as Cabot, Vermont and the cause of death was given as “general paralysis”.  His parents were listed as Andrew Edgerton (born at “Clearandin, Vt”) and Clarisa Coburn (born at “Cabot, Vt.”).  An obituary for “Loring R. Edgerton”, dated October 17, 1877, was published in History of Meridian Lodge, A.F. & A.M., of Natick Massachusetts (Charles C. Henry, et.al.; Natick, Mass.: Natick Citizen Company; 1892; pg. 45).

Lorin’s second wife, “Mary A. Edgerton”, died at Natick, Massachusetts on November 27, 1879.  According to the record of her death (Natick VR 311:235), she was a school teacher, widowed, aged 49 years and 6 months.  The record states that “Mary” was born in Groton, New Hampshire, the daughter of Henry Cummings and Sarah Cheney. The cause of death was given as pneumonia.  Angenette was presumably the “Mary A. Edgerton”, of Natick, Massachusetts, who was listed in the Middlesex County, Massachusetts Probate Index, 1871-1909.  An administration of her estate was filed in 1879 (file #3316).

The death of Mrs. Angenette Mary (Cummings) Edgerton was recorded in the 1880 Federal Census Mortality Schedule of “Persons who Died during the Year ending May 31, 1880” in Natick, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.  The listing was as follows:

Lorin R. Edgerton and his two wives were buried at the Old Dell Park Cemetery in Natick, Massachusetts.  According to the inscriptions on their gravestones there, “Lorin R. Edgerton” was born in 1822 and died in 1877; “Eliza J. Edgerton” died December 16, 1860, aged 37 years, 6 months; and “Angenette Edgerton” died November 27, 1879, aged 49 years.  Interestingly enough, on the curved part of the top of Lorin’s headstone is inscribed “Brother” and on top of Angenette’s, “Sister.”  The meaning of these epitaphs (religious or familial) is not known.  Our thanks are extended to Ms. Cindy Hall Koure, of Natick, Massachusetts, who has generously shared her first-hand research into the family of Lorin R. Edgerton – including the aforementioned abstracts from Old Dell Park Cemetery.

Original Source Documents:

1850 Federal Census – household of Lorin R. Edgerton; Boston (Ward 4, East Boston), Suffolk Co., MA.

1855 Massachusetts State Census – household of Lorin R. Edgerton; Natick, Middlesex Co., MA.

1860 Federal Census – household of Lorin R. Edgerton; Natick, Middlesex Co., MA.

1865 Massachusetts State Census – household of Lorin R. Edgerton; Natick, Middlesex Co., MA.

1870 Federal Census – household of Lorin R. Edgerton; Natick, Middlesex Co., MA.

Obituary – Lorin R. Edgerton; History of Meridian Lodge, A.F. & A.M., of Natick Massachusetts (Charles C. Henry, et.al.; Natick, Mass.: Natick Citizen Company; 1892; pg. 45).

1880 Federal Census Mortality Schedule – Mrs. Angenette Mary (Cummings) Edgerton; Natick, Middlesex Co., MA.