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Asahel Edgerton, son of Jacob and Nancy (Lee) Edgerton.

Namah Bristol

Children:

1. Jacob, b. 1829; West Granby, Hartford Co., CT.
2. John, b. February 20, 1831; West Granby, Hartford Co., CT.
3. Lydia E., b. September 22, 1832; West Granby, Hartford Co., CT.
4. infant, b. October 1836; West Granby, Hartford Co., CT.
5. Savilla, b. 1838; West Granby, Hartford Co., CT.
6. Asahel, b. November 1842; West Granby, Hartford Co., CT.

Asahel Edgerton was born at West Granby, Connecticut circa 1799, the son of Jacob and Nancy (Lee) Edgerton.  Asahel was a farmer and resided in West Granby his entire life. 

Asahel Edgerton was married on May 28, 1828 at Barkhamsted, Connecticut to Namah (aka “Namy”) Bristol.  According to the marriage record (Barkhamsted VR, pg. 184), Asahel was “of Granby” and Namah was “of Barkhamsted”.  The parentage of Mrs. Namah (Bristol) Edgerton is currently unknown.  According to later census and burial records, it is estimated that she was born February 1806 in Connecticut (possibly Barkhamsted).  She may have been related to Lydia Adams, with whom she resided for many years following Asahel’s death.

Asahel and Namah Edgerton are known to have had six children:  Jacob, who died at the age of two years; John; Lydia E.; a child, name unknown, who died of whooping cough on July 30, 1837, aged 9 months; Savilla, who died in 1864, aged 25; and Asahel, who was born posthumously in November 1842 and died at the age of 15 months.  The children were all presumably born in West Granby, where Asahel was listed in the 1830 and 1840 Federal Censuses; however, no record of the family was entered in the Granby Vital Records.  There is no evidence that the family ever resided elsewhere.

The household of “Asel Edgerton” was recorded in the 1830 Federal Census of Granby, Hartford County, Connecticut (pg. 316), with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 30 and under 40”  (Asahel);

1 male “under 10 years of age”  (son Jacob); and,

1 female “of 20 and under 30”  (wife Namah).

The household of “Asel Edgerton” was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Granby, Hartford County, Connecticut (pg. 125), with the following enumeration:

1 male “40 – 50”  (Asahel);

1 male “30 – 40”  (?);

1 male “20 – 30”  (?);

1 male “5 – 10”  (son John);

1 female “30 – 40”  (wife Namah);

1 female “5 – 10”  (daughter Lydia); and,

1 female “under 5”  (daughter Savilla).

Asahel Edgerton died at West Granby, Connecticut on July 25, 1842, aged 43 years.  He was probably the “Mr. Edgerton” whose death was listed in the registers of the Granby Congregational Church under the date “1842” (ChR 4:206).  Asahel was buried at the West Granby Cemetery, and his death was entered in the Record Book  of the “West Granby Burying-Ground” (pg. 14, no. 281), as follows:

“[1842]…July 25…Asahel Edgerton….Peritorial inflamation…[age] 43…[lot] 33”

There is very little probate documentation for the estate of Asahel Edgerton.  He apparently did not leave a will, nor are any distributions found on his estate.  One of the few probate records filed was a bond of guardianship, dated at Granby on August 31, 1843.  According to the terms of the bond, “Namah Edgerton of Granby as principal and Lydia Adams as surety of Barkhamsted Litchfield County” were appointed guardians to “John Edgerton about thirteen, Lydia Edgerton about ten, Cevilla Edgerton about four and Asahel Edgerton about one years of age, all minors and children of Asahel Edgerton deceased.”  The bond was signed before Probate Judge Joel C. Holcomb, and was witnessed by J.D. Wilcox and Mary A. Edgerton.  [The identity of this latter witness – Mary A. Edgerton – is unknown; to date, there is no knowledge of any Miss Mary Edgerton or Mrs. Mary Edgerton connected with this family.]

Mrs. Namah (Bristol) Edgerton and her daughter, Savilla, were recorded together in the 1850 Federal Census of Barkhamsted, Litchfield County, Connecticut (pg. 179; dwelling #232, family #251; enum. November 14, 1850).  They were residing in the household of Lydia Adams, which was enumerated as follows:

Asahel and Namah’s daughter Lydia was probably the “Lydia Edgerton, aged 17, b. Connecticut” who was residing in Simsbury, Hartford County, Connecticut in the boarding house of Rosanna Bacon (Simsbury Twp., pg. 191; dwelling #73, family #74; enum. August 10, 1850).  The only surviving son, John (then aged 20), was probably out on his own by this time; he later married Lavilla A. Burr and resided in Bloomfield and West Hartford, Connecticut.

Mrs. Namah (Bristol) Edgerton and her daughter, Savilla, were recorded again in the 1860 Federal Census of Barkhamsted, Litchfield County, Connecticut (pg. 187; dwelling #252; family #246; enum. July 18, 1860).  They were still living with Lydia Adams, and were enumerated as follows:

Mrs. Namah (Bristol) Edgerton survived her husband by many years.  She later joined with the West Granby Methodist Church, where her death was registered as “Namy Edgerton widow of Asahel Died May 13, 1889 Aged 83 yrs”.   Namah was residing with her son, John, in West Hartford at the time of her death.  The West Hartford Vital Records (Book 2, pg. 9), list her death as “Nancy Edgerton, wife of Acil Edgerton, died May 11, 1889, aged 83 years, 3 months.”  The cause of death was listed as “central softening”.  A record of Namah’s death is also found in the register of the “West Granby Burying-Ground” (pg. 29, no. 599), as follows:

“[1889]…May 16…Namy Edgerton…Cerebral softening or old age…[age] 83…[lot] 33”

Namah was buried at the West Granby Cemetery, in the same plot as her husband, Asahel.

Namah Edgerton left a Last Will and Testament, dated at Barkhamsted on July 15, 1884.  The will was brief – after giving instructions for her burial in Granby, she bequeathed the entire estate to her only daughter, “Lydia E. Austin”.  The will was witnessed by P.H. Brown, Lucia Merrell and Sheldon Merrell, and was proved in Barkhamsted on May 21, 1889.

Original Source Documents:

1830 Federal Census – household of Asahel Edgerton; Granby, Hartford Co., CT.

1840 Federal Census – household of Asahel Edgerton; Granby, Hartford Co., CT.

1850 Federal Census – household of Mrs. Lydia Adams; Barkhamsted, Litchfield Co., CT

1860 Federal Census – household of Mrs. Lydia Adams; Barkhamsted, Litchfield Co., CT.