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The Edgerton Database |
Nathan Edgerton, son of Nathan and Lucy (Smith) Edgerton.
Sally Belshaw
Children:
Nathan Edgerton Jr. was born
at Nathan Edgerton was married
at The marriage of Nathan
Edgerton and Sally Belshaw was recorded at the Franklin Congregational Church
(ChR 1:385). The date listed in this
marriage record (May 2, 1784) is curious in that it postdates the birth of
their eldest son, Erastus, on December 20, 1783. This latter date may be in error, although
it is corroborated by two separate gravestone inscriptions in Shortly after his marriage,
Nathan removed from On September 21, 1805, “Nathan Edgerton Jr.” of Franklin, purchased 164 acres of land from Robert Bowne of New York City. The property was described as beginning at the SW corner of the 300 acre Samuel Sherwood lot, 164 3/4 acres and 4 rods. On October 1, 1805, Nathan purchased 108 acres of land in Franklin from Herman LeRoy, merchant, of New York City. Both deedds were recorded on January 27, 1806 in the Delaware County Book of Deeds, Vol. B, pp. 212-217. The household of “Nathan Edgerton Jr.” was recorded in the 1800 Federal Census of Franklin, Delaware County, New York (pg. 281), with the following enumeration: 1 male “of 26 and under 45” (Nathan); 2 males “of 10 and under 16” (sons Erastus and Thomas); 3 males “under 10 years of age” (sons Nathan, Gurdon and John); 1 female “of 26 and under 45” (wife Sally); and, 1 female “of 10 and under 16” (daughter Sally). Nathan Edgerton and his
wife, Sally, were admitted to the First Congregational Church of Franklin, New
York in the year 1807. The deaths of
Nathan’s mother, Lucy, and his wife, Sally, were later recorded at the
Franklin Church (see Foley, Janet Wethy; Early Settlers of New York State;
Volume I; The Genealogical Publishing Company, The household of “Nathan
Edgerton Junr” was recorded in the 1810 Federal Census
of Franklin, Delaware County, 1 male “of 45 years and upwards” (Nathan); 1 male “of 16 and under 26” (son Nathan); 1 male “of 10 and under 16” (son Gurdon); 1 male “under 10 years of age” (should be two – sons John and Henry); 1 female “over 45 years of age” (wife Sally); and, 1 female “of 16 and under 26” (daughter Sally). The elder sons, Erastus and Thomas, were presumably out on their own by this time, although neither appears as a head of household on the Delaware County Census rolls. The household of Nathan
Edgerton was recorded in the 1820 Federal Census
of Franklin, Delaware County, 1 male “of 45 years and upwards” (Nathan); 2 males “of 16 and under 26” (sons John and Henry); 1 female “of 45 years and upwards” (wife Sally); and, 1 female “of 16 and under 26” (?). This was the first (and
only) census in which Nathan was not designated as “Jun.” – his father having
apparently died in the previous decade.
At the time of this census, Nathan was residing adjacent to his
son-in-law, Erastus Waters, and his mother, Lucy, whose households were
enumerated just before and after him on the Franklin Census Roll. Nathan’s four elder sons were already out
on their own at this time. They were
each listed as heads of households in the 1820 Federal Census of New York: Erastus in Franklin ( The History of Delaware County, New York (W.W. Munsell & Co.; New York, New York, 1880; pp. 171-172) provides the following biographical account of Nathan Edgerton and his family: “Nathan Edgerton, one of the pioneer settlers of the
town, moved into the Ouleout valley in the year 1787, at the age of
twenty-five years. He came from Previous to the building of the Sidney grist-mill the settlers of the valley were obliged to go to Cherry Valley for their flour, and Mr. John Edgerton says his father would then get a canoe and paddle it up the river to Cooperstown, take a bushel of rye on his back, carry it to Wattles Ferry; then take the grain, carry it to Cherry Valley, wait till it was ground; then return by the same route, usually being a whole week making the journey. Mr. Edgerton was the father of eight children, viz.: Erastus, Thomas, Sally, Nathan, Guerdon, John, Henry and Polly, who died in infancy. Sally married Erastus Waters. The children are all dead, excepting John, who resides on the “old homestead.” Nathan Edgerton, sen., was an enterprising business man, and did much toward encouraging the settlement of the town by building mills, shops, etc., and assisting the early settlers. His son Thomas was the first white child born in the town. He was born April 1st, 1787, and lived in the town till he grew to manhood; then was married, and moved to Geneseo, Livingston county; he afterward went to Cattaraugus county where he died in 1831. Nathan Edgerton, sen., died August 4th, 1822, aged 60 years. Erastus, the eldest son, was born before they moved from Connecticut.” Nathan Edgerton died at Franklin, New York on August 4, 1822. The following obituary notice was published on August 7, 1822 in the Delaware County Gazette: “Nathan Edgerton, 65 years, at Franklin on the 4th, early settler of this county – was several years ago sheriff” Nathan’s wife, Sally, survived him a number of years. She died at Franklin, New York in August of 1848, “aged 88”, as recorded at the First Congregational Church of Franklin. Nathan and Sally were buried in the small enclosed “Douglas-Edgerton” plot at the rear of the Old Congregational Church Cemetery in Franklin Village. The only markers at their graves are two small footstones bearing the names “Nathan Edgerton” and “Sally Edgerton”. There are identical footstones adjacent to them bearing the names “Lucy Edgerton” (probably Nathan’s mother or sister), “Roswell Edgerton” (probably Nathan’s younger brother) and “Helen Edgerton” (?). Unfortunately, none of the footstones bear any dates. Five of Nathan and Sally’s sons (all excepting Thomas) lived in Delaware County, New York, where they married and raised their families. A number of grandchildren and other descendants also resided in the area. The Delaware County census rolls of the 1800’s list numerous Edgerton households, residing in Franklin, Delhi, Sidney and Walton. Original Source Documents: 1800 Federal Census – household of Nathan Edgerton; Franklin, Delaware Co., NY. 1810 Federal Census – household of Nathan Edgerton; Franklin, Delaware Co., NY. 1820 Federal Census – household of Nathan Edgerton; Franklin, Delaware Co., NY. |
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