The

Edgerton

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Porter Edgerton, son of Josephus and Lorenda (Reed) Edgerton.

born:	~1831; West Granby, Hartford Co., CT. (from age at death, GI & CemR 24:479 – “ae 33y”)
died:	March 9, 1864; Meriden, New Haven Co., CT. (GI) (CemR 24:479 – sic, “March 8”)
buried:	West Granby Cemetery; West Granby, Hartford Co., CT. (GI) (CemR 24:479)

The following excerpt from Historic Record of the Town of Meriden, Connecticut (1906, Vol 1, pp. 385-6), tells of the catastrophic fire (March 9, 1864) in which Porter Edgerton was killed:

“DESTRUCTIVE FIRE - $72,000 WORTH OF PROPERTY DESTROYED - ONE MAN KILLED: TWO SERIOUSLY INJURED

The most destructive fire our town ever witnessed occurred Wednesday morning [March 9], consuming five buildings, seventy-two thousand dollars’ worth of property and burning seventeen different firms and families out of doors. The fire originated in Andrews Exchange Building and was first discovered by George A. Fay shortly after two o’clock (midnight) when he saw the reflection of the fire upon his walls. He immediately arose and before he had succeeded in getting dressed the light disappeared. He watched some five minutes to see if anything more could be discovered; but seeing nothing he again retired. It did not at that time occur to him that it might be a fire and he took no notice of the matter till some twenty minutes afterwards when the fire was again reflected with considerable brilliancy. Upon going to the window, he could plainly see sparks and brands of fire dropping through the second floor into H. T. Wilcox & Co.’s grocery store directly beneath. He immediately dressed, gave the alarm and rushed down to Lyman Clark’s and caused the steam whistle to be sounded. At this time and for half an hour afterwards, an ordinary fire engine would have saved the adjoining buildings on either side. Mr. Fay now set himself about getting out the safe and stock of Mr. D. F. Southwick who was absent in New York and also made an effort to secure the valuable library of Hon. O. H. Platt whose office he reached by ascending the water conducting pipes. But the intensity of the atmosphere rendered it impossible for him to penetrate the room and he was obliged to give over the undertaking. The flames soon generated a gas among the chemicals, and when the walls of the buildings became sufficiently weakened, they were suddenly thrown outward. Some twenty persons were standing in front of the building, on or near the walk, where the walls fell over, when they all rushed back, receiving trifling injuries, but three men were seriously injured. Mr. Porter Edgerton, engraver, was struck on the head by the falling walls and rendered senseless. He was dragged from the ruins and carried to the depot and expired in half an hour. The buildings destroyed by this fire were Conklin’s, or Near’s hotel, the Collins block, Andrews’ Exchange, and the building standing where Mosher's Drug store is located, at that time occupied by W. A. Butler.”

Porter Edgerton’s body was returned to Granby and buried at the West Granby Cemetery, where his gravestone was inscribed: “Porter Edgerton / Died Mar. 9, 1864 / Aged 33yrs”. Porter’s death was recorded in the record book of the “West Granby Burying-Ground” (pg. 24, no. 479), as follows:

“[1864]…March 8…Porter son of Josephus Edgerton…killed by exposion in time of fire…[age] 33…[lot] 20”