The
Edgerton
Database
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Robert Edgerton, son of Robert
and Anna (Bull) Edgerton. PHOTO
born:
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January 22, 1797; Wallingford, Rutland Co.,
VT. (from age at death, GI – “ae 62y, 8m, 8d”)
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died:
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October 1, 1859; North Dorset, Bennington Co.,
VT. (VR 1:29:19) (GI)
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buried:
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Freedlyville Cemetery; North Dorset,
Bennington Co., VT. (GI)
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married:
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November 7, 1822; Dorset, Bennington Co.,
VT. (FG1)
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Abigail Bowen, daughter of Peleg and Polly (Andrews) Bowen. PHOTO
born:
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October 4, 1798; Dorset, Bennington Co.,
VT. (from age at death, GI – “ae 73y,
5m, 12d”)
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died:
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March 16, 1872; North Dorset, Bennington Co.,
VT. (GI)
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buried:
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Freedlyville Cemetery; North Dorset,
Bennington Co., VT. (GI)
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Children:
- Hiram R., b. June 14, 1823;
Wallingford, Rutland Co., VT.
- Manora, b. January 13, 1826;
Wallingford, Rutland Co., VT.
- Robert, b. March 19, 1828;
Wallingford, Rutland Co., VT.
- Leonard B., b. May 27, 1830;
Wallingford, Rutland Co., VT.
- Anna H., b. October 9, 1832;
Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.
- Peleg Bowen, b. January 7,
1835; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.
- Bradford, b. July 13, 1838;
Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.
- Charles Henry, b. October
22, 1840; Dorset, Bennington Co., VT.
- 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
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53
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b. VT
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farmer
$600 real estate
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Abigail
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52
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b. VT
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Peleg
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16
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b. VT
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laborer
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Bradford
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12
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b. VT
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Charles H.
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10
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b. VT
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Mary
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7
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b. VT
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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:
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Robert Edgerton
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Age:
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62
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Sex:
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Male
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Month of Death:
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October
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Cause of Death:
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-----
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Occupation:
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Farmer
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State of Birth:
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Vermont
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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
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61
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b. MA
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widow
$700 real estate / $30 personal estate
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Peleg
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25
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b. VT
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Bradford
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21
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b. VT
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Minora
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34
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b. VT
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Charles
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19
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b. VT
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Mary
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17
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b. VT
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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
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71
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b. MA
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keeping house
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Charles
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29
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b. VT
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works on farm
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Minnie
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44
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b. VT
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keeping house
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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.
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