The

Edgerton

Database

Home

Index

Sources

Search

Researchers

Notes...

Contact info

Photos

Links

Credits…

William Edgerton, son of Samuel and Alice (Ripley) Edgerton.

Lydia Barstow, daughter of Job and Rebecca (Bushnell) Barstow.

Children:

1. Asa, b. March 28, 1736; Norwich, New London Co., CT.
2. Submit, b. May 15, 1738; Norwich, New London Co., CT.
3. Martha, b. April 2, 1739; Norwich, New London Co., CT.
4. Zerviah, b. August 8, 1741; Norwich, New London Co., CT.
5. Alice, b. August 23, 1744; Norwich, New London Co., CT.
6. Rebecca, b. April 3, 1747; Norwich, New London Co., CT.
7. Lebbeus, b. July 12, 1749; Norwich, New London Co., CT.
8. Ezra, b. January 17, 1752; Norwich, New London Co., CT.
9. Lavinia, b. July 26, 1754; Norwich, New London Co., CT.
10. Ariel, b. October 8, 1757; Norwich, New London Co., CT.

William Edgerton was born April 25, 1710, at Norwich, Connecticut, the son of Samuel and Alice (Ripley) Edgerton.  He had a twin brother, John, who died in 1730, aged 20.  William grew up in Norwich, in the district later to become the township of Franklin.  He was married there, on November 6, 1733, to Lydia Barstow, daughter of Job and Rebecca (Bushnell) Barstow.  William and Lydia resided in Norwich (Franklin) for the entirety of their lives.  They had a total of ten children – four sons and six daughters.

William and Lydia Edgerton were members of the Congregational Church at Franklin.  They were both admitted to the Franklin Church “on profession” on June 27, 1736 (ChR 1:28).  Their marriage had taken place there on November 6, 1733 (ChR 1:382) and all but the two youngest children (Lavinia and Ariel) are recorded among the baptisms at the church  (ChR 1:312-316).

William Edgerton died at Norwich (Franklin), Connecticut on December 1, 1760, and was buried in the Old Franklin Plains Cemetery, where his headstone was inscribed, “William Edgerton, died Dec. 1, 1760, aged 50 years”.  Just prior to his death (on November 19, 1760), he had made his Last Will and Testament, in which he mentions his “loving and faithful wife Lydia”, and nine surviving children – “Asa Edgerton, Martha Willes, Zerviah Edgerton, Alice Edgerton, Rebekah Edgerton, Lebeus Edgerton, Ezra Edgerton, Lavinia Edgerton and Ariel Edgerton.”  The will, witnessed by William’s brother, Samuel Edgerton, and nephew, Zebulon Edgerton, was subsequently proved in Norwich on December 17, 1760, before Isaac Huntington, clerk.  A detailed distribution of the estate, according to the terms of the will, was later filed in Norwich Probate Court on November 1, 1761, by Ebenezer Hartshorn, David Hartshorn and James Elderkin, administrators of the estate.

Mrs. Lydia (Barstow) Edgerton survived her husband by fifteen years, residing in Norwich, on her “dower third” as stipulated by her husband’s will.  She died at Norwich (Franklin) on May 7, 1769, and was buried beside her husband in the Old Franklin Plains Cemetery.  Her gravestone was inscribed:  “Lydia, wife of William Edgerton, died May 7, 1769, aged 53 years”.  Two of William and Lydia’s children – daughter Zerviah and son Lebbeus – are also buried in the family plot there.

A distribution of the estate of “Mrs. Lydia Edgerton, late of Norwich” was returned to the Norwich Probate Court on March 18, 1771 (by Eben Hartshorn, James Elderkin and Ebenezer Lathrop Jr., administrators of the estate), dividing her property equally among the six surviving children.  Also filed with the probate records, dated April 5, 1774 (“5th day of April in the 14th year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the 3rd”), was a bond of guardianship signed by Joshua Edgerton (principal) and John Edgerton Jr. (surety), appointing guardianship over William and Lydia’s youngest son, Ariel (then aged 16), to his uncle Joshua.