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The Edgerton Database |
Elisha Edgerton, son of John and Ruth (Adgate) Edgerton.
Elizabeth Lord, daughter of Cyprian and Elizabeth (Backus) Lord.
Children:
Elisha Edgerton was born at Norwich, Connecticut on February 28, 1726/7, the second son and fifth child of John and Ruth (Adgate) Edgerton. He was baptized on March 12th of that year at the First Congregational Church of Norwich. Elisha was a farmer by trade and lived in Norwich all his life. He was married on May 9, 1753 to Elizabeth Lord, the eldest daughter of Cyprian and Elizabeth (Backus) Lord, also of Norwich. According to the Norwich Vital Records, Elizabeth was born on August 24, 1731 (VRp I:41). Elisha and Elizabeth had a family of eight children – four son and four daughters. The entire family was entered in the vital records of Norwich. All eight of the children were baptized at the First Congregational Church of Norwich. Elisha was an officer in the
Revolution and was listed as a Captain of Connecticut troops in the DAR
Patriot Index. He may also have been
the Elisha Edgerton who served earlier during the French and Indian War as an
ensign in John Perkin’s Company, which was “in service for the time of alarm for relief of Ft. Wm. Henry and
parts adjacent August 1757” (see Rolls of Connecticut Men in the
French and Indian War,
1755-1762; Albert C. Bates, ed., Connecticut Historical Society,
1903). A Daniel Edgerton, believed to be Elisha’s
younger half-brother, also served in this company. However, there was another contemporary
Elisha Edgerton (born in 1719, the son of Joseph and Experience Edgerton) who
was also an officer in the Revolution and may have been the Elisha Edgerton
in John Perkin’s Company. Since both
Elishas were Captains in the Connecticut militia from Norwich, it is
difficult to distinguish which military records refer to whom. Elisha Edgerton died at Norwich on August 22, 1782. He was buried in the Old Norwich Town
Cemetery, where his headstone was inscribed: In Memory of Capt Elifha Ed- gerton Who De- parted this Life Auguft 22d 1782 in ye 56th year of his Age Elisha Edgerton did not leave a will.
John Backus and Ebenezer Hyde were appointed to administer the “Estate
of Capt. Elisha Edgerton Junr., late of Norwich” A return was filed with the probate court,
dated at Norwich May 23, 1795, describing their distribution of the
estate. Accordingly, lands were set
out to Mrs. Elizabeth Edgerton, “the widdow & relict of said
deceased”. These included “two several
pieces of land with the bedroom on the lower floor, the back or northwesterly
side of the house where said deceased dwelt and the chamber over the kitchen
and a right in the kitchen to do her washing cooking and other necessary
business with a privelege in these rooms and to set a cubbard in the shed at
the west corner of the house with a privelege in the cellar and garret and
also privilege to pass to and from said different parts of said house to her
set as shall be necessary and convenient.”
Elizabeth was also granted a right in “one half of the stable” and
various other lands (totaling 41 acres and 137 rods), as well as personal
estate valued at 124 pounds, 12 shillings. The lands of Elisha Edgerton were distributed among “Simon Edgerton the eldest son of said deceased”, “Gurdon Edgerton a son of said deceased”, “Martin Edgerton a son of said deceased”, “Elisha Weston, the only heir of Betsey Weston eldest daughter of said deceased”, and “Sarah Davidson and Lydia Davidson the children and heirs of Sarah Davidson deceased daughter of said Elisha”. The above named (excepting Simon) each received a portion of the personal estate amounting to £31:3, as did the surviving daughters, Polly Huntington and Lucy Rogers. Simon, as the eldest son, was granted a double portion of the personal estate totaling £62:6. The lands set off to Simon included that on which the home farm was situated, and Simon presumably provided a home for his mother there, as stipulated by the estate distribution. Altogether the estate of Elisha Edgerton consisted of 132 acres & 119 rods of real estate, and £372:36 of personal estate. Attached is a transcript of the estate distribution.
Mrs. Elizabeth Edgerton survived her husband over thirty years. She was never remarried. Her eldest son, Simon, was listed as the head of the household in the 1790 Federal Census of New London County, Connecticut (pg. 277), at which time the household was enumerated with the following individuals: 2 males “of 16 years and upward” (Simon and younger brother Gurdon) 1 male “under 16 years of age” (youngest brother Martin); and, 2 females (mother Elizabeth and ?). Elizabeth is not accounted for in the 1800 New London County Census. The household of her son, Simon, was enumerated with only one female (his wife Lucy), and neither of the other two sons, Gurdon or Martin, were listed as heads of households. Mrs. Elizabeth (Lord) Edgerton died at Norwich, Connecticut on December 5, 1815. Her death was recorded at the First Congregational Church of Norwich as “Widow Edgerton, aged 82 years” (ChR 8:74). The following death notice was published in The Connecticut Courant (Hartford, Connecticut) on December 19, 1815: “DIED – At Norwich, on the 5th inst. After a short illness, Mrs. Elizabeth Edgerton, aged 85, relict of Mr. Elisha Edgerton; and on Wednesday evening following, her daughter, Mrs. Mary Huntington, aged 56, relict of Mr. Daniel Huntington.” Elizabeth was buried beside
her husband, Elisha, at the Old Norwich Town Cemetery. Her headstone
was inscribed: In memory of Elisabeth Edgerton Relict of Capt Elisha Edgerton who departed this life Decr 5th 1815, in
the 83d year of her Age Many of Elisha and Elizabeth’s children and descendants were buried nearby in the Old Norwich Town Cemetery. Original Source Documents: Gravestone photo
– Elisha Edgerton; Old Norwich Town Cemetery; Norwich, New London Co., CT. 1790 Federal
Census – household of Simon Edgerton; New London Co., CT. Obituary
– Mrs. Elizabeth (Lord) Edgerton; The
Connecticut Courant (Hartford, Connecticut) – December 19, 1815. |
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