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Robert Edgerton, son of Robert and Anna (Bull) Edgerton.                                                                                                          PHOTO

 

born:

January 22, 1797; Wallingford, Rutland Co., VT.  (from age at death, GI  – “ae 62y, 8m, 8d”)

died:

October 1, 1859; North Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.  (VR 1:29:19) (GI)

buried:

Freedlyville Cemetery; North Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.  (GI)

 

married:

November 7, 1822; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.  (FG1)

 

Abigail Bowen, daughter of Peleg and Polly (Andrews) Bowen.                                                                                                     PHOTO

 

born:

October 4, 1798; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.  (from age at death, GI – “ae 73y, 5m, 12d”)

died:

March 16, 1872; North Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.  (GI)

buried:

Freedlyville Cemetery; North Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.  (GI)

 

Children:

  1. Hiram R., b. June 14, 1823; Wallingford, Rutland Co., VT.
  2. Manora, b. January 13, 1826; Wallingford, Rutland Co., VT.
  3. Robert, b. March 19, 1828; Wallingford, Rutland Co., VT.
  4. Leonard B., b. May 27, 1830; Wallingford, Rutland Co., VT.
  5. Anna H., b. October 9, 1832; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.
  6. Peleg Bowen, b. January 7, 1835; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.
  7. Bradford, b. July 13, 1838; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.
  8. Charles Henry, b. October 22, 1840; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.
  9. Mary E., b. February 11, 1843; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.

 


Robert Edgerton II was the eldest son of Robert and Anna (Bull) Edgerton.  He was born in Wallingford, Vermont on January 22, 1797.  The Edgerton Family Genealogy (Ida F. Welch, et.al., 1967), as well as a handful of other genealogies, list Robert’s birthdate as June 22, 1797; but this is believed to be either a transcription or calculation error.  Robert’s death record (Dorset VR 1:29:19) and his gravestone both record his death on October 1, 1859, aged 62y, 8m, 8d, which corresponds precisely with a birthdate of January 22, 1797.  It is easy to see how an error could have been made, probably between “Jan.” and “Jun.”, especially considering some of the handwriting in these old records.

 

Robert grew up on West Hill in Wallingford.  Like his father, he made his living as a farmer.

 

Robert Edgerton was married on November 7, 1822, to Abigail Bowen, daughter of Peleg and Polly (Andrews) Bowen, of Dorset, Vermont.  Abigail was born in Dorset on October 4, 1798.  Robert and Abigail resided initially in Wallingford, Vermont, where their elder four children were born.  Robert was listed as a “fenceviewer” in the Wallingford Town Meeting Notes of February 1824, and was also named as a potential juror.   Robert earned his livelihood as a farmer and laborer. 

 

Robert’s father died in 1824 without leaving a will, and from the settlement of the estate (April 1826), Robert inherited a portion of his lands on West Hill.  It was probably not long after this (c. 1830-31) that Robert left Wallingford and moved south to Dorset, Bennington County, Vermont, where he resided for the remainder of his life.  Robert Edgerton was first listed in the Federal Censuses of Dorset in the year 1840.  Robert and Abigail’s five younger children were born in Dorset.  In all, they had a total of nine children – six sons and three daughters.  All but one of the children – son Leonard – survived to adulthood. 

 

The household of Robert Edgerton was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Dorset, Bennington County, Vermont (pg. 225), with the following enumeration:

 

1 male “40 – 50”  (Robert);

1 male “15 – 20”  (son Hiram);

1 male “10 – 15”  (son Robert);

1 male “5 – 10”  (son Peleg);

1 male “under 5”  (son Bradford);

1 female “40 – 50”  (wife Abigail);

1 female “10 – 15”  (daughter Manora); and,

1 female “5 – 10”  (daughter Anna).

 

At the time of this census, Robert was residing adjacent to his father-in-law, Peleg Bowen, whose household was enumerated directly afterwards on the census roll.  Also residing nearby were the families of Allen and Jarvis Andrus, cousins of Robert’s wife, Abigail (Bowen) Edgerton.

 

The household of Robert “Edgarson” was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Dorset, Bennington County, Vermont (pg. 88; dwelling #426; family #439; enum. Sept. 14, 1850), as follows:

 

Robert Edgarson

53

b. VT

farmer     $600 real estate

Abigail

52

b. VT

 

Peleg

16

b. VT

laborer

Bradford

12

b. VT

 

Charles H.

10

b. VT

 

Mary

7

b. VT

 

 

Three of Robert and Abigail’s sons – Hiram R., Bradford and Charles Henry – served in the Union Army during the Civil War.  Bradford and Charles served together in the 14th Vermont Infantry Regiment – they both enlisted in August 1862, Bradford on the 27th and Charles a day later.  Hiram enlisted the following year and served a year and a half in the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters Regiment.  All three returned home.

 

The Robert Edgerton homestead (as indicated on the Rice-Harwood map of Dorset, 1856) was located in in the area of North Dorset known as Freedlyville along Otter Creek, adjacent and east of Rte 7, and approximately 2 miles south of the Dorset Pond.  The 1869 F.W. Beers’ Bennington County Atlas Map of Dorset also records the same location as the residence of “Mrs. Edgerton”  (ie. Mrs. Abigail (Bowen) Edgerton, then a widow).

 

Robert Edgerton died in North Dorset, Vermont on October 1, 1859, the cause of death being listed in the Dorset death record (I:29:19) as “dropsy from enlargement of heart”.  He was buried at the Freedlyville Cemetery, in North Dorset, where his gravestone inscription records his death on  October 1, 1859, aged 62 years, 8 months, 8 days.  A granddaughter, Ann S. Edgerton, had previously been buried in this small family cemetery in the hills of North Dorset, as were Robert’s father-in-law and mother-in-law, Peleg and Polly (Andrews) Bowen.  Other members of the family may also have been buried in this family plot, although only a few stones were erected.

 

Robert Edgerton’s death was recorded in the Federal Census Mortality Schedule of 1860 (Bennington Co., VT; ID# MRT197 94250), with the following particulars:

 

Name:

Robert Edgerton

Age:

62

Sex:

Male

Month of Death:

October

Cause of Death:

-----

Occupation:

Farmer

State of Birth:

Vermont

 

The household of Mrs. “Abigal Edgerton” was recorded in the 1860 Federal Census of Dorset, Bennington County, Vermont (dwelling #449; family #461; enum. June 21, 1860), as follows:

 

Abigal Edgerton

61

b. MA

widow     $700 real estate / $30 personal estate

Peleg

25

b. VT

 

Bradford

21

b. VT

 

Minora

34

b. VT

 

Charles

19

b. VT

 

Mary

17

b. VT

 

 

The household of Mrs. Abigail Edgerton was recorded in the 1870 Federal Census of Dorset, Bennington County, Vermont (pg. 436; dwelling #395; family #386; enum. June 29, 1870), as follows:

 

Abigail Edgerton

71

b. MA

keeping house

Charles

29

b. VT

works on farm

Minnie

44

b. VT

keeping house

 

Mrs. Abigail (Bowen) Edgerton died in North Dorset, Vermont on March 16, 1872.  She was buried beside her husband at the Freedlyville Cemetery.  A joint gravestone for Robert and Abigail Edgerton, erected at their burial site, was inscribed with the following pair of epitaphs: 

 

ROBERT EDGERTON

DIED

OCT. 1, 1859.

AE. 52 YRS. 8 MO., 8 DS.

 

ABIGAIL

WIFE OF

ROBERT EDGERTON.

DIED

MAR. 16, 1872

AE. 73 YRS. 5 MO.

12 DS.

 


 

Original Source Documents:

 

1840 Federal Census – household of Robert Edgerton; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.

1850 Federal Census – household of Robert Edgerton; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.

1860 Federal Census – household of Mrs. Abigail (Bowen) Edgerton; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.

1870 Federal Census – household of Mrs. Abigail (Bowen) Edgerton; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.

Gravestone photo – Robert Edgerton & Mrs. Abigail (Bowen) Edgerton; Freedlyville Cemetery; North Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.