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Volney Edgerton, son of Amos and Zerviah (Graham) Edgerton.

Martha Sheriff, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Lazenby) Sheriff.

Children:

1. Mary Jane, b. January 21, 1841; Phelps, Ontario Co., NY.
2. Franklin Phelps, b. November 27, 1842; Phelps, Ontario Co., NY.
3. Cornelia Zerviah, b. September 13, 1844; Michigan.
4. Washington Irving, b. September 21, 1846; Michigan
5. Ruth A., b. September 1848; Phelps, Ontario Co., NY.
6. Albert S., b. July 9, 1853; Phelps, Ontario Co., NY.

Volney Edgerton was born at Cazenovia, New York on June 15, 1815, the son of Amos and Zerviah (Graham) Edgerton.  He was raised in Cazenovia and later Ontario County, New York, where his family had removed following his father’s death in 1824.  Volney resided first in Phelps Township and later in Hopewell.  An elder brother, Franklin, also settled in Phelps around this time, and it appears from census records that their homesteads were adjacent or at the least very nearby each other.

Volney Edgerton was married to Martha Sheriff, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Lazenby) Sheriff, of Ontario County, New York.  Volney and Martha had six children:  Mary Jane, Franklin Phelps, Cornelia Zerviah, Washington Irving, Ruth A. and Albert S.  Two of the children – Cornelia and Albert – died in childhood.  Both of Volney Edgerton’s elder sons, Franklin and Washington Irving, served in the Union Army during the Civil War – Franklin in the 126th New York Infantry Regiment, and Washington in the 3rd New York Artillery Regiment.  They both returned home.

The household of Volney Edgerton was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Phelps, Ontario County, New York (pg. 372; dwelling #82; family #88; enum. August 2, 1850), as follows:

The household of Volney Edgerton was recorded in the 1860 Federal Census of Phelps, Ontario County, New York (dwelling #122; family #122; enum. June 21, 1860), as follows:

The household of Volney Edgerton was recorded in the 1870 Federal Census of Hopewell, Ontario County, New York (pg. 212; dwelling #60; family #60; enum. June 1, 1870), as follows:

At the time of this census, Volney was residing next to his mother-in-law, Mary Sheriff, whose household was enumerated directly afterwards on the census roll (dwelling #61; family #61).

The household of Volney Edgerton was recorded in the 1880 Federal Census of Hopewell, Ontario County, New York (pg. 282; dwelling #248; family #260; enum. June 18, 1880), as follows:

The household of Volney’s son-in-law, Albert Vrooman (husband of his eldest daughter, Mary Jane) was enumerated as the next household on this census roll (dwelling #249; family #261).

According to the Ontario County online records (<http://raims.com>), Volney Edgerton and his family were recorded in the New York State and Federal Censuses of 1855, 1860, 1865 (in Phelps) and 1870 (in Hopewell).  The same site references the death of Volney Edgerton in Hopewell, New York on December 3, 1893.  In addition, the Surrogate Court Records indexed on this site indicate that two of Volney’s children, “Frank P. Edgerton” and “Ruth A. Edgerton”, died at Hopewell in 1916 and 1927, respectively.

The following biography of Volney Edgerton is excerpted from Biographical Sketches of the State Officers and Member of the Legislature of the State of New York in 1858 (William D. Murphy; Albany:  J. Munsell; 1858; pg. 169)

“VOLNEY EDGERTON.

Mr. Edgerton was born in 1815, in Cazenovia, Madison county, N.Y., and is of English and Scotch descent.  His parents, who are now dead, came from Connecticut and settled in Madison county, about forty-five years ago.  After his father’s death, his mother removed to the town of Phelps, Ontario county, where he now resides.  He has had the advantages of an academical education, which he received wholly through his own exertions, after he was twenty years of age, at the Lima seminary, in Livingston county.  At the age of twenty-four he married Miss Martha Sheriff, and about the same time, engaged in teaching, which he followed till 1843, when he removed to Michigan.  He remained in that state four years, engaged in the manufacture of the oil of peppermint, and then returned to Ontario county, where he has since been chiefly occupied as a farmer.  He has held various town offices; is now Justice of the Peace; and in 1857 was the successful competitor for the seat he now holds.  He was formerly a Democrat; supported Van Buren, in 1848, and Hale in ‘52, and is now an industrious and influential member of the Republican party.  He is a member of the Methodist church; stands high in the community where he resides; and is a very useful member of the House.”

Mrs. Martha (Sheriff) Edgerton died at Manchester Center, New York on January 7, 1882.  The following obituary notice was published in the Ontario County Journal on January 20, 1882:

“DIED… In Manchester Center, January 7, 1882, Martha Edgerton, aged 62 years.”

Volney Edgerton died at Hopewell, New York on December 3, 1893.  A copy of his death certificate was filed with the New York State Department of Health (year 1893; certificate #50221).  The following obituary notice was published in the Ontario County Journal on Friday, December 8, 1893:

“DIED… At Clifton Springs, December 3, Hon. Volney Edgerton, aged 77 years.”

A similar notice was also published was in the Ontario Repository & Messenger on Thursday, December 7, 1893; and a detailed obituary was published in the Northern Christian Advocate (Syracuse, New York) on Wednesday, January 10, 1894.

Volney and Martha Edgerton, along with four of their children, were buried at the Orleans Cemetery in the town of Phelps, New York.

Original Source Documents:

1850 Federal Census – household of Volney Edgerton; Phelps, Ontario Co., NY.

1860 Federal Census – household of Volney Edgerton; Phelps, Ontario Co., NY.

1870 Federal Census – household of Volney Edgerton; Hopewell, Ontario Co., NY.

1880 Federal Census – household of Volney Edgerton; Hopewell, Ontario Co., NY.

Obituary – Volney Edgerton; Northern Christian Advocate (Syracuse, New York) – Wednesday, January 10, 1894.