The parentage and ancestry of John Giles Edgerton remain a mystery. According to census and marriage records, he was born in Vermont circa 1800. By 1821, he had migrated to Washington County, Ohio, where he was married on March 27, 1821 under the name “Giles Edgerton” to Dorcas Ross (see “Ohio Marriages” extracted from The Old Northwest Genealogical Quarterly; Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Maryland; 1980). According to the 1850 Federal Census (see below), Dorcas was born in Ohio circa 1802.

Shortly following their marriage, John and Dorcas settled in Wood County, West Virginia, which lay just across the state border from Washington County, Ohio and at the time was still part of the state of Virginia. John and Dorcas (Ross) Edgerton are known to have had at least four children: Mary Ross, b. circa 1824 (married William Meeks); Statira M., b. circa 1826 (m. Sanford K. Gist); Susan, b. circa 1828; and James W., b. April 5, 1833 (married first Hannah Mariah Phillips and second Martha E. Lee). The 1830 and 1840 Federal Census enumerations of the family (see below) indicate that there may have been other children who have not yet been identified.

John Giles Edgerton was probably the “Giles Edgerton” who was listed in the 1825 Tyler County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List. Tyler County lay just a short distance north of Wood County – also on the Virginia / Ohio border.

The household of John “Edington” was recorded in the 1830 Federal Census of Wood County, Virginia (pg. 383), with the following enumeration:

1 male “of twenty and under thirty” (John);

1 male “under five years of age” (son James);

1 female “of twenty and under thirty” (wife Dorcas);

2 females “of five and under ten” (daughters Mary and ?); and,

2 females “under five years of age” (daughters Statira and Susan).

At the time of the 1840 Federal Census, the family was residing in Simpson County, Kentucky, which lay along the southern border with the state of Tennessee. The household of “Jno G. Edgerton” was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Simpson County, Kentucky, with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 40 & under 50” (John);

2 males “of 5 & under 10” (sons James and ?);

1 female “of 30 & under 40” (wife Dorcas);

1 female “of 15 & under 20” (daughter Mary);

1 female “of 10 & under 15” (daughter Statira); and,

1 female “of 5 & under 10” (daughter Susan).

By the early 1840’s, John had settled with his family in central Kentucky, where he resided for the next three decades. His eldest daughter was married at Shelby County in March of 1842; and at the time of the 1850 Federal Census, John was residing in Washington County (just to the south of Shelby County). At the time of the 1870 Census, John’s family was recorded in the Raywick Precinct in Marion County, which borders Washington County on the south.

On October 5, 1848, John G. Edgerton signed a marriage bond for his daughter, Statira M. Edgerton, who was subsequently married on November 1st following to Sanford K. Gist (see Washington County, Kentucky Marriages, Book 2, #110 and Book 4, #135).

The household of John G. “Eggerton” was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Washington County, Kentucky (pg. 200; dwelling #979; family #979; enum.October 11, 1850) as follows:

John G. Eggerton	50	b. VT	School teacher
Dracus A. Eggerton	48	b. OH
James W. Eggerton	?	b. VA	none
Susan Eggerton	22	b. VA
William Meeks	28	b. MD	Saddler
Mary R. Meeks	26	b. VA
John L. Meeks	7	b. KY
Ann E. Meeks	4	b. KY
Catherine Meeks	2	b. KY

John G. Edgerton was married a second time on May 13, 1855 at Washington County, Kentucky to Mary Ellen Seay. According to the marriage record, John was aged 56, a widower and gave his birthplace as Vermont; Mary Ellen was aged 19, single, born in Anderson County. Mrs. Mary Ellen (Seay) Edgerton was listed as a legatee in the will of her father, Edmund B. Seay, which was dated September 2, 1858 and proved at Washington County on October 18, 1858 (see Kentucky Wills, Book K, #126).

John Giles Edgerton had at least six children with his second wife: Charles, b. circa 1856; Josephine, b. circa 1858; John, c. circa 1860; William Edgar, b. July 24, 1863; Lizzie, b. circa 1865; and Sallie, b. December 1869. The entire family was enumerated in the 1870 Federal Census of Raywick Precinct, Marion County, Kentucky.

The household of John “Egerton” was recorded in the 1870 Federal Census of Raywick Precinct, Marion County, Kentucky (pg. 153; dwelling #96; family #96; enum. August 19, 1870) as follows:

John Egerton	70	b. KY	Farmer
Mary E.	34	b. KY	Keeping house
Charles	14	b. KY	at home
Josephine	12	b. KY	at home
John	10	b. KY	at home
William	8	b. KY
Lizzie	5	b. KY
Sallie	6/12	b. KY	b. Dec.

John’s son by his first marriage, James, was also listed as a head of household in this census, along with his second wife, Martha Lee, and three children by that marriage.

By his two wives, John Giles Edgerton had quite an extensive family of descendants that are later found throughout central Kentucky, as well as in Floyd Co., Indiana, Coleman Co., Texas and Cass Co., Missouri.