Orrin Edgerton was born at Rome, New York on May 4, 1801, the son of Roswell and Sarah (Selden) Edgerton. He was raised in Rome. Upon his maturity, he settled in the nearby city of Utica and later removed west to Erie County, New York, residing first in the city Buffalo and then in Lewiston. Orrin made his living as a planemaker and farmer.

Orrin Edgerton was married twice. He married first on October 18, 1826 at Rome, New York, Almira Selden, daughter of Andrew and Charity Selden. Almira and Orrin were first cousins. They had four children: three daughters, Ellen R., Almira and Sarah Antoinette; and one son, Samuel Albert. Orrin and Almira were members of the First Presbyterian Church of Utica, and two of their children – Almira and Sarah – were baptized at the church.

The household of “Oren” Edgerton was recorded in the 1830 Federal Census of Utica, Oneida County, New York (pg. 45), with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 20 and under 30” (Orrin);

1 female “of 70 and under 80” (?);

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

1 female “under 5 years of age” (daughter Ellen).

The household of “Oren Edington” was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Buffalo, Erie County, New York (pg. 462), with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 30 and under 40” (Orrin);

1 female “of 40 and under 50” (wife Almira);

1 female “of 10 and under 15” (daughter Ellen); and,

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

Mrs. Almira (Selden) Edgerton died at Buffalo, New York on May 6, 1841. Orrin was subsequently remarried to Maria Louisa Hill, daughter of Henry and Lucy (Russell) Hill. Maria died at Buffalo on August 18, 1847. Janet Wethy Foley’s Early Settlers of New York State (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co.; 1934; Vol. I, pg. 401) provides the following two entries regarding the wives of Orrin Edgerton under the heading “Obituary Records of Former Residents of Erie County”:

“EDGARTON, Maria Louisa, w of Orrin, Aug. 18, 1847, 34y.”

“EDGERTON, Almira S., w of Orrin, May 6, 1841, 43y.”

Orrin Edgerton was listed in H. N. Walker’s 1842 Buffalo City Directory (Buffalo, New York: Steele’s Press; 1842) as follows:

“Edgerton Orrin, plane maker railroad c erie bd D W Williams”

The following notice of the death of Orrin Edgerton was published in the Oswego Daily Commercial Times on Thursday, May 31, 1849:

“FATAL ACCIDENT. – We are pained to record the sudden death of Mr. Orin Edgerton, a citizen of this city, under the following affecting circumstances. He was engaged on his farm a few miles from the village of Lewiston, Niagara county, with his team, when his horses took fright and ran. The wagon was heavily loaded, and he was thrown over the foreboard upon the horses’ heels, the wheels passing over his body and crushing him so that he did not survive but an hour. Mr. Edgerton was a worthy man, whose death will be deeply deplored. – Buff. Express.”

The following notice of the death of Orrin Edgerton was published in the Pennsylvania Inquirer and National Gazette on Saturday, June 2, 1849:

“Mr. Orrin Edgerton, formerly of Buffalo, was killed yesterday at his farm near Lewiston, by his horses running and throwing him out of his wagon, and the wagon passing over him, injuring him so that he died in about an hour after. – Buffalo Com.”

A similar death notice was published in the Vermont Gazette on Thursday, June 7, 1849.

Original Source Documents:

1830 Federal Census – household of Orrin Edgerton; Utica, Oneida Co., NY.

1840 Federal Census – household of Orrin Edgerton; Buffalo, Erie Co., NY.

Obituary – Orrin Edgerton; Oswego Daily Commercial Times – Thursday, May 31, 1849.

Obituary – Orrin Edgerton; Pennsylvania Inquirer and National Gazette – Saturday, June 2, 1849.

Obituary – Orrin Edgerton; Vermont Gazette – Thursday, June 2, 1849.