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The Edgerton Database |
Azel Edgerton, son of Hezekiah and Bethiah (Peck) Edgerton.
Lucy Pember, daughter of Jacob and Lydia (Fillmore) Pember.
Children:
Parthena Dimmick, daughter of Daniel and Anna (Wright) Dimmick.
Children:
Azel Edgerton was born in Norwich (Franklin), Connecticut on December 10, 1770, the third son and fifth child of Hezekiah and Bethiah (Peck) Edgerton. He was raised in Franklin, where he married on March 6, 1797, Lucy Pember. Lucy was the eldest daughter of Jacob and Lydia (Fillmore) Pember of Franklin; she was born in Franklin, Connecticut circa 1767. Azel and Lucy’s marriage was recorded at the Franklin Congregational Church (ChR 1:388). Shortly before 1800, Azel removed from Franklin to the town of Coventry, in Tolland County, Connecticut. He was joined in this migration by his father, Hezekiah II, and elder brother, Hezekiah III. All three settled in the South Society of Coventry. Azel and Lucy (Pember) Edgerton had at least two children – sons, Charles and Justin Pember. There may have been a daughter born circa 1799, as indicated by the 1800 Federal Census enumeration of the family (see below), however there is currently no evidence of her identity. Azel Edgerton was first listed as a head of household in the 1800 Federal Census of Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut. The enumeration of his household then was as follows: 1 male “of 26 and under 45” (Azel); 1 male “under 10 years of age” (son Charles); 1 female “of 26 and under 45” (wife Lucy); and, 1 female “under 10 years of age” (daughter ?). Azel Edgerton was listed again as a head of household in the 1810 Federal Census of Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut (pg. 306). At that time, his household was enumerated as follows: 2 males “of 26 and under 45” (Azel and ?); 1 male “of 10 and under 16” (son Charles); 1 male “under 10 years of age” (son Justin); 1 female “of 26 and under 45” (wife Lucy); and, 1 female “of 16 and under 26” (?). Mrs. Lucy (Pember) Edgerton died in Coventry, Connecticut on October 3, 1812, her death being noted in the records of the First Congregational Church of Coventry as, “Wife of Azel Edgerton, 44 years”. She was buried at Nathan Hale Cemetery in Coventry, where her headstone was inscribed: “Lucy, wife of Azel Edgerton, died Oct. 3, 1812, aged 44 years”. Azel married second, in March of 1815 at Coventry, Parthena (aka. “Thena”) Dimmick, daughter of Daniel and Anna (Wright) Dimmick. Parthena was born in Coventry on April 9, 1789. A notice of the marriage of Azel Edgerton and Parthena Dimmick was printed in the American Mercury on April 5, 1815. Azel had at least six more children by his second wife: two sons, Austin and Loren; and four daughters Lucy Ann, Lucretia, Eliza D. and Jane. All six of the children survived to adulthood and were married; however the three elder daughters died in their twenties each shortly after their respective marriages. The younger son, Loren, died at the relatively young age of thirty-three. The household of “Asahel Edgerton” was recorded in the 1820 Federal Census of Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut (pg. 949), with the following enumeration: 1 male “of 45 years and upward” (Azel); 1 male “of 10 and under 16” (son Justin); 1 male “under 10 years of age” (son Austin); 1 female “of 26 and under 45” (second wife Parthena); and, 1 female “under 10 years of age” (daughter Lucy Ann). The household of Azel Edgerton was recorded in the 1830 Federal Census of Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut (pg. 277), with the following enumeration: 1 male “of 50 and under 60” (Azel); 1 male “of 15 and under 20” (son Justin); 1 male “of 10 and under 15” (son Austin); 1 male “of 5 and under 10” (son Loren); 1 female “of 40 and under 50” (second wife Parthena); 1 female “of 10 and under 15” (daughter Lucy Ann); 1 female “of 5 and under 10” (daughter Lucretia); and, 1 female “under 5 years of age” (daughter Eliza). At the time of this census, Azel was residing adjacent to his younger brother, Joseph Edgerton, whose household was enumerated directly after Azel’s on the Coventry Census Roll. Another brother, Hezekiah, was recorded elsewhere in Coventry. The household of “Asahel Edgerton” was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut (pg. 96), with the following enumeration: 1 male “60 and under 70” (Azel); 1 male “20 and under 30” (son Austin); 1 male “15 and under 20” (son Loren); 1 female “50 and under 60” (second wife Parthena); 2 females” 15 and under 20” (daughters Lucy Ann and Lucretia); 1 female “10 and under 15” (daughter Eliza); and, 1 female “5 and under 10” (daughter Jane). Azel Edgerton died at Coventry, Connecticut on July 14, 1849, and was buried at the Nathan Hale Cemetery beside his first wife, Lucy. His headstone there was inscribed: “Azel Edgerton, died July 14, 1849, aged 79 years”. Azel’s death was recorded at Coventry (VR 2:300-301), listing his age as “79 years” and giving the cause of death as “dysentery”. Azel Edgerton’s death was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census Mortality Schedule for Tolland County, Connecticut (ID #MRT197 94243), with the following particulars:
Azel Edgerton did not leave a will. Richard Rose, Edmund Freeman and Martin Lyman were appointed to distribute the estate, and two returns were susequently filed with the Probate Court. The first, dated May 13, 1850, authorized the sale of certain lands to pay “the debts and charges attending the settlement of said deceased estate”, which exceeded the personal estate by $874.08. The second return, dated July 13, 1850, described the distribution of Azel’s lands to the five heirs, namely Justin Edgerton, Charles Edgerton, Austin Edgerton, Lorin Edgerton and Jane Edgerton. The total value of the real estate described in the distribution was $500.00. The distribution frequently refers to lands set out to Azel’s widow, but she was not mentioned by name, nor is any return found among the probate records describing her dower. A transcript of the estate distribution is attached. Mrs. Parthena Edgerton survived her husband many years. She was listed as a head of household in the 1850 Census of Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut (pg. 310; dwelling #33; family #35; enum. July 25, 1850). The enumeration of the household was as follows:
The Maria A. Edgerton recorded in this census was presumably Parthena’s granddaughter, Maria Amanda, the only daughter of her eldest son, Austin, who had recently been widowed. At the time of the 1860 Federal Census, Mrs. Parthena Edgerton and her granddaughter, Maria, were residing in Andover, Tolland County, Connecticut, with Parthena’s daughter and son-in-law, Jane and John Brown. The household (pg. 869; dwelling #109; family #113; enum. June 26, 1860), was enumerated as follows:
At the time of the 1870 Federal Census, Parthena was still residing in Andover, Tolland County, Connecticut, where she was enumerated as “Parthena D. Edgerton, aged 81, born in Connecticut”. She died in Andover the following year, on February 1, 1871. The record of her death at Andover (VR 1:61) listed her name as “Parthena D. Edgerton” and stated that she was a widow, aged 81 years, 10 months, born in Coventry, Connecticut. Her occupation was listed as “housekeeping” and the cause of death was given as “pneumonia”. Parthena left a Last Will and Testament, dated June 26, 1869, in which she referred to herself as “of Andover”, and made bequests to her son, Austin Edgerton, granddaughter Maria A. Edgerton, and daughter Jane Brown. The will was witnessed by William Williams, Joseph Mathewson and B. B. Wilson. Most of Azel Edgerton’s children lived in Coventry throughout their lives. The eldest son, Charles, had moved to New Jersey as a young man. He was married there to Jane Utt in 1822 and raised a large family in Hardwick, Warren County, New Jersey. The other seven children were each married and are all buried at the Nathan Hale Cemetery in Coventry. |