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Edwin Edgerton, parentage unknown.

Mary Lewis, daughter of Timothy and Molly (Bradley) Lewis.

Children:

1. Sevilla, b. 1821; China, Genesee Co., NY.
2. Lucius, b. June 6, 1829; China, Genesee Co., NY.
3. Dorleski, b. March 2, 1835; China, Genesee Co., NY.
4. Frances, b. ~1848; Summit, Waukesha Co., WI.

The parentage of Edwin Edgerton is currently unknown.  According to the census records cited below, Edwin was born circa 1798 in the state of Connecticut.  It is very likely, therefore, that he was descended from Richard Edgerton of Norwich; however, the direct line of his ancestry remains undetermined.  According to the biography of Edwin’s son-in-law, Joseph M. Brown, found in History of Waukesha County (Chicago, Illinois: Western Historical Company; 1880), Edwin was a “native of Madison Co., N.Y.”.

A very likely possibility is that Edwin was one of the elder sons of John Edgerton of Simsbury, Connecticut and his second wife, Weatlhy Graham.   Census records indicate that John and Wealthy probably had at least two sons born circa 1794 – 1800, neither of whom have yet been identified.  Further credence is given to this theory by the fact that both John and Edwin named their eldest daughters Sevilla – a relatively uncommon name.  Circa 1813, John Edgerton removed from Connecticut and settled in Madison County, New York, where he resided for the remainder of his life.  An additional piece of circumstantial evidence is found in the fact that Edwin Edgerton’s son-in-law, Joseph M. Brown (husband of Sevilla), was born in Nelson, New York, where several members of John Edgerton’s family also settled.

The first definite references to Edwin Edgerton are found in the census records of China Township, in Genesee County (now Wyoming County), New York.  Edwin was listed as a head of household there in the 1830 and 1840 Federal Censuses.  The town of China (now Arcade) was originally part of Genesee County, but became part of Wyoming County, when that county was formed in 1841.  The name of the town was changed in 1866 from China to Arcade.  Portions of the original township are now located in Java and Eagle.

Edwin Edgerton was married – probably circa 1820 – to Mary Lewis, daughter of Timothy and Molly (Bradley) Lewis of Sunderland, Vermont.  According to later census and burial records (see below), Mary was born in Vermont in the year 1800.  Mary was probably related to Charles E. Lewis and Calvin Lewis, who was residing nearby Edwin Edgerton when the 1840 Federal Census of China, New York was taken.

Edwin and Mary (Lewis) Edgerton are known to have had four children:  Sevilla (1821 – 1895), who married Joseph M. Brown; Lucius (1829 – 1913), who married Thankful Stewart; Dorleski (1835 – 1909), who married George Prindle; and Frances (~1848 – 1934), who married Walter Birdsey.

The household of Edwin Edgerton was enumerated in the 1830 Federal Census of China, Genesee County, New York (pg. 155), with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 30 and under 40”  (Edwin);

1 male “under 5 years of age”  (son Lucius);

1 female “of 30 and under 40”  (wife Mary); and,

1 female “of 5 and under 10”  (daughter Sevilla).

The household of Edwin Edgerton was enumerated in the 1840 Federal Census of China, Genesee County, New York (pg. 74), with the following enumeration:

1 male “30 and under 40”  (Edwin – actually aged 42);

1 male “10 and under 15”  (son Lucius);

1 male “under 5 years”  (son ?);

1 female “30 and under 40”  (wife Mary);

1 female “15 and under 20”  (daughter Sevilla); and,

1 female “5 and under 10”  (daughter Doraleski).

The household of Edwin “Egerton” was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Summit, Waukesha County, Wisconsin (pg. 355; dwelling #23; family #26-27; enum. July 15, 1850), as follows:

Mrs. Mary (Lewis) Edgerton died in the year 1855, presumably at Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.  She was buried at La Belle Cemetery in Oconomowoc, where her gravestone was inscribed with the years of her birth and death.  Her daughter, Sevilla, and son-in-law, Joseph M. Brown, were later buried in the same plot.

The household of Edwin Edgerton was recorded in the 1860 Federal Census of Oconomowoc, Waukesha County, Wisconsin (pg. 906; dwelling #308; family #308; enum. June 16, 1860), as follows:

By the time of the 1870 Federal Census, Edwin Edgerton had removed to Mendon, Clayton County, Iowa, where he was recorded in the household of his son, Lucius (pg. 394; dwelling #110; family #112; enum. July 29-30, 1870).  The family was enumerated as follows:

Edwin Edgerton probably died prior to 1880, as he is not found anywhere in the 1880 Iowa Census.  Edwin’s son, Lucius Edgerton, and his daughter, Francis (Edgerton) Birdsey, were both recorded in the 1880 Federal Census of Mendon, Clayton County, Iowa.  Lucius was still residing in Mendon as of 1900, but later removed to Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, where he died in 1913.  Lucius and Frances were both buried in Cerro Gordo County (see Iowa Cemetery Records – Tombstone Records of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa; Works Projects Administration, Washington, D.C.).

Original Source Documents:

1830 Federal Census – household of Edwin Edgerton; China, Genesee Co., NY.

1840 Federal Census – household of Edwin Edgerton; China, Genesee Co., NY.

1850 Federal Census – household of Edwin Edgerton; Summit, Waukesha Co., WI.

1860 Federal Census – household of Edwin Edgerton; Oconomowoc, Waukesha Co., WI.

1870 Federal Census – household of Lucius Edgerton; Mendon, Clayton Co., IA.

Gravestone photo – Mrs. Mary (Lewis) Edgerton; La Belle Cemetery; Oconomowoc, Waukesha Co., WI.