The

Edgerton

Database

Index

Sources

Washington Irving Edgerton, son of Volney and Martha (Sheriff) Edgerton.

born:	September 21, 1846; Michigan.
died:	November 8, 1921; Littleton, Arapahoe Co., CO.
buried:	Littleton Cemetery; Littleton, Arapahoe Co., CO. (GI)

married:

March 19, 1874; Delphos, Ottawa Co., KS.

Mary Cecelia Gilmour, daughter of William Whitley and Mary Robinette (Taliaferro) Gilmour.

born:	May 14, 1855; Kirkwood, Warren Co., IL
died:	December 29, 1934; Littleton, Arapahoe Co., CO.
buried:	Littleton Cemetery; Littleton, Arapahoe Co., CO. (GI)

Children:

William Volney, b. November 13, 1876; Delphos, Ottawa Co., KS.
Whitley F., b. April 21, 1883; Lake City, Hinsdale Co., CO.
Jessie Ruth, b. January 27, 1890; Lake City, Hinsdale Co., CO.

Washington Irving Edgerton was born on September 21, 1846, the second son of Volney and Martha (Sheriff) Edgerton. According to several census enumerations (eg. 1850, 1860, 1900, 1920) and a biography of his father written in 1858, Washington was born in the state of Michigan; however there is currently no evidence of which locality in that state his parents resided. Washington was raised in the town of Phelps in Ontario County, New York. He was no doubt named after the American author, Washington Irving (1783 – 1859).

Washington Irving Edgerton, “aged 18”, enlisted at Canandaigua, New York on September 3, 1864 for service in the Union Army. He served as a private in the New York 3rd Light Artillery Batallion, Company E., which was active in batlles in Virginia from May through December 1864. Washington was mustered out at Richmond, Virginia on June 23, 1865.

Washington Irving Edgerton was familiarly known as “Irve”. He was married to Mary Cecelia Gilmore, daughter of William Whitley and Mary (Taliaferro) Gilmour, of Kirkwood, Illinois. Mary was born at Kirkwood on May 14, 1855. Washington and Mary had three children: William Volney, Whitley F., and Jessie Ruth. The two sons both died young – the first at the age of just two weeks.

Following their marriage, Washington and Mary resided briefly in Delphos, Kansas. Their eldest son was buried in at Hall Cemetery in Delphos in November 1876. Soon after, they removed to Lake City, Hinsdale County, Colorado, where they were enumerated in the 1880 Federal Census (pg. 176). Washington was a businessman and operated a variety of coal and grain businesses in Lake City. He was also a county judge of Hinsdale county for a time. They later removed to Littleton, Arapahoe County, Colorado.

The household of Washington I. Edgerton was recorded in the 1900 Federal Census of Lake City (Precinct #1), Hinsdale County, Colorago (pg. 149; dwelling #20; family #20; enum. June 1, 1900), as follows:

Name	Rel.	Birthdate & place		Age	Marital	Parents’ birthplace
					Status	Father	Mother
---------------------------------	------	----------------------		------	-----------	----------	----------
Washington I. Edgerton	head	Sept. 1846	MI	53	M 26y	CT	MD
Mary C.	wife	May 1855	IL	45	M 26y	KY	VA
Jessie R.	dau.	Jan. 1890	CO	10	S	MI	IL

According to the above census record, Mary was the mother of three children, one of whom was still living. Washington’s occupation was listed as “news dealer”, and Jessie was noted as “at school”.

In 1902, Washington Edgerton removed with his family to Littleton, Colorado (now a suburb of Denver), where he resided for the remainder of his life.

Washington Edgerton applied for a Civil War invalid pension on October 3, 1908. The application was filed from the state of Colorado and cited his service in the 3rd US Light Artillery Batallion (E Co.). Washington’s widow, “Mary C. Edgerton”, applied for a widow’s pension on December 10, 1921, also from Colorado (see National Archives Pension Applications; Application #1304705, Certificate #1077221; and Application #1182558, Certificate #914360).

The household of “W. I. Edgerton” was recorded in the 1910 Federal Census of Littleton, Arapahoe County, Colorado (pg. 156; dwelling #279; family #291; enum. April 28-29, 1910), as follows:

Name	Rel.	Age	Birthplace	Marital	Parents’ birthplace
				Status	Father	Mother
-----------------------------------	--------	--------	-----------	----------	----------	----------
W. I. Edgerton	head	62	MI	M 36y	CT	MD
Mary C.	wife	55	IL	M 36y	KY	VA
J. Ruth	dau.	20	CO	M	MI	IL

According to the above census record, Mary was the mother of three children, one of whom was still living. Washington’s occupation was listed as “Salesman – retail”. The family was residing at this time on Santa Fe Avenue.

The household of Washington I. Edgerton was recorded in the 1920 Federal Census of Littleton, Arapahoe County, Colorado (pg. 107; dwelling #312; family #312; enum. January 19, 1920), as follows:

Name	Rel.	Age	Birthplace	Marital	Parents’ birthplace
				Status	Father	Mother
-----------------------------------	--------	--------	-----------	----------	----------	----------
Washington I. Edgerton	head	73	MI	M	NY	MD
Mary C.	wife	65	IL	M	KY	VA
Charles Stephenson	s-i-l	31	CO	M	OH	OH
Ruth	dau.	29	CO	M	MI	IL
Ruth L.	gdau.	11/12	CO	S	CO	CO

Washington Irving Edgerton and his wife were buried at the Littleton Cemetery in Littleton, Colorado, along with their daughter, Jessie Ruth, and her husband, Charles Emmett Stephenson.

Original Source Documents:

1900 Federal Census – household of Washington Irving Edgerton; Lake City (Precinct #1), Hinsdale Co., CO.

1910 Federal Census – household of Washington Irving Edgerton; Littleton, Arapahoe Co., CO.

1920 Federal Census – household of Washington Irving Edgerton; Littleton, Arapahoe Co., CO.