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Whiting Edgerton, son of Zebulon and Abigail (Palmer) Edgerton.

Huldah Benton, daughter of David and Mary (Hatch) Benton.

Children:

1. Huldah Alvira,  b. August 4, 1805; Pompey, Onondaga Co., NY.
2. Abigail Irene, b. April 8, 1809; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.
3. Elbert Whiting, b. May 4, 1811; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.
4. Polly Clarinda, b. January 20, 1813; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.
5. James Selleck , b. April 25, 1815; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.
6. Chester Benton, b. February 13, 1817; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.
7. Amanda Uretta, b. April 29, 1819; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.
8. Loly Maria, b. November 21, 1821; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.
9. Locy Bertrand, b. December 4, 1823; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.
10. George Brigham, b. March 28, 1828; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.

Mrs. Jane Wilson

Whiting Edgerton was born at Franklin, Connecticut (then part of Norwich) on February 28, 1785, the youngest son of Zebulon Edgerton II and Abigail Palmer.  Family records kept by Whiting’s descendants state the Whiting was born on February 20th, however this is believed to have been a copying error.  Whiting’s birth is recorded both in Norwich,Connecticut (VRp I:559) and in Franklin, Connecticut (VR 1:57), both of which list a birth date of February 28th.

Whiting was raised in Franklin, Connecticut.  Curiously, in 1800, Whiting (then aged 14-15) was not listed in the census enumeration of his father’s household.  He may have been out of the home at this time, possibly working on a neighboring farm.  Circa 1800-1802, Whiting removed along with the rest of his family to Pompey, in Onondaga County, New York.  The family settled in the southeastern section of town known as Delphi Falls.

Whiting was married at Pompey on October 14, 1804 to Miss Huldah (aka “Hulda”) Benton.  According to family records, Huldah was born in Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut on August 13, 1784.  The age at death listed on her gravestone indicates a birthdate of August 14, 1784.  Huldah’s parentage has not yet been conclusively documented, although it is fairly certain that she was the daughter of David and Mary (Hatch) Benton, who came to Pompey from Guilford, Connecticut.  David Benton died in 1806, and according to his will (dated May 23, 1806, and proved on August 21, 1806, filed in Onondaga County Wills, Liber A), he had a daughter named Huldah (see D.A.R. Bible Records. Volume 39; Caroline Edith Hall (comp.); Syracuse, NY; pp. 220-229).

Within a few years after his marriage, Whiting left Pompey and settled in Smithville, Chenango County, New York.  According to History of Chenango and Madison Counties, New York (James H. Smith, 1880; pg. 463), Whiting arrived in Smithville in 1808, and built the family homestead at “Lightenrod Hollow”.  Whiting was a farmer.

The land on which Whiting settled was located in the southwestern portion of Smithville Township.  On September 8, 1813, Whiting purchased of John Hornby sixty acres of land in Smithville for the price of $250.00.  The property was described as, “all that certain piece of land situate lying and being in lots # 34 and 47 of the 3rd township of the Chen. Triangle” (Hornby Deeds, Vol. BB, pg. 135).  A transcript of the deed is attached.  In 1822, Whiting purchased additional adjoining land in Lot 47.  (Hornby Deeds, Vol. DD, pg. 282)  Whiting and his descendants resided on this land for over a century.  Unfortunately, none of the original homestead remains; however a stream which runs through the property is still known as the “Edgerton Brook”.

Huldah and Whiting had a large family of ten children, all but the first of whom were born in Smithville.  In addition to those listed above, there were also two children who died young – a daughter born on July 21, 1807, who died the next day; and a son born on April 20, 1808, who died the same day.  The dates listed here regarding the marriage and family of Whiting and Huldah Edgerton children are provided by Mrs. Shirley (Edgerton) Halwig, a great-granddaughter of their youngest son, George Brigham Edgerton.  The handwritten transcript in her possession is said to be copied from the old family Bible of Whiting Edgerton.  The present location of this Bible is not known.

Most of Whiting and Huldah’s children resided in Chenango County (Smithville and German) where they raised their families.  The eldest daughter, Huldah Alvira, was mentioned in the will of her grandfather, Zebulon (dated December 2, 1819), in which she was left “the sum of twenty dollars or a good cow to be paid to her if she lives to the age of twenty-one”.  Curiously, none of the other children (nor any of her cousins) were mentioned in the will.

Whiting Edgerton was almost certainly the “William” Edgerton, whose household was recorded in the 1810 Federal Census of Smithville, Chenango County, New York (pg. 346).  There were no known “William Edgertons” of age residing anywhere in Chenango County at this time, and the enumeration of the household tallies exactly with the family of Whiting Edgerton; that is:

1 male “of 16 and under 26”  (Whiting);

1 female “of 26 and under 45”  (wife Huldah); and

2 females “under 10 years of age”  (daughters Huldah and Abigail).

The household of Whiting Edgerton was recorded in the 1820 Federal Census of Smithville, Chenango County, New York (pg. 214), with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 26 and under 45”  (Whiting);

3 males “under 10 years of age”  (sons Elbert, James and Chester);

2 females “of 10 and under 16”  (daughters Huldah and Abigail); and,

3 females “under 10 years of age”  (daughters Polly and Amanda, and ?).

Curiously, Whiting’s wife, Huldah (then aged 36), was omitted from this census enumeration.

The household of Whiting Edgerton was recorded in the 1830 Federal Census of Smithville, Chenango County, New York (pg. 107), with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 40 and under 50”  (Whiting);

2 males “of 15 and under 20”  (sons Elbert and James);

1 male “of 10 and under 15”  (son Chester);

1 male “of 5 and under 10”  (son Locy);

1 male “under 5 years of age”  (son George);

1 female “of 40 and under 50”  (wife Huldah);

1 female “of 15 and under 20”  (daughter Polly);

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

1 female “of 5 and under 10”  (daughter Loly).

The household of Whiting Edgerton was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Smithville, Chenango County, New York, with the following enumeration:

1 male “of 50 and under 60”  (Whiting);

1 male “of 15 and under 20”  (son Locy);

1 male “of 10 and under 15”  (son George);

1 female “of 50 and under 60”  (wife Huldah);

1 female “of 15 and under 20”  (daughter Loly);

Mrs. Huldah (Benton) Edgerton died at Smithville, New York on February 28, 1850.  She was buried first on the family farm, her body later being removed to the Delphi Falls Cemetery, where many of her in-laws are also buried.  According to the gravestone there, Huldah died on “February 28, 1850, aged 65 years 6 months and 14 days.” 

When the 1850 Federal Census was taken, Whiting was residing in Smithville in the household of his son, James S. Edgerton.  He was recorded as a “farmer, aged 65, born in Connecticut, with $4,800 real estate”.  Whiting was later remarried on July 6, 1851 in Greene, New York to Mrs. Jane Wilson, a widow.   Her maiden name is listed variously as Dilly and Conklin.  From the 1855 New York State Census, it is known that Jane was born in Dutchess County, New York, and had come to Chenango County circa 1845.  According to the age at death listed in Jane’s obituary, it is calculated that she was born in February 1791 (Chenango American, August 30, 1874 – “aged 83 years, 6 months”).

Whiting and his second wife, Jane,  were living in Pitcher, Chenango County, New York at the time of the 1860 Federal Census.  Their household (Pitcher, Chenango Co., NY; pg. 193; no family or dwelling # listed; enum. September 9, 1960) was recorded as follows:

Whiting Edgerton died at Greene, Chenango County, New York on March 24, 1865, aged 80 years; and his widow, Jane, on August 14, 1874, aged 83 (see History of Chenango and Madison Counties, New York).  Whiting, his second wife Jane, and his youngest daughter, Loly Maria, are buried side by side in Lot 37 of the Sylvan Lawn Cemetery.  Whiting is said to have been the first person buried at Sylvan Lawn Cemetery.  His gravestone was inscribed with the following epitaph:  “WHITING EDGERTON / DIED / MAR. 24, 1865 / Aged 80 years”.  A number of other descendants are buried throughout the Sylvan Lawn Cemetery.

The probate records of Whiting Edgerton’s estate are filed at the Chenango County Court in Norwich, New York (envelope 2923 A).  It is not known whether Whiting left a will; however a number of typewritten transcripts of various estate matters has been provided by Mrs. Shirley (Edgerton) Halwig.  Included among these were: a petition dated March 28, 1865, requesting that letters of administration be granted to Mrs. Jane Edgerton and Joshua G. Reynolds; a copy of the inventory of the estate of Whiting Edgerton, taken on April 13, 1865, by Frederick E. Barnard and Frederick L. Martin; a “General Inventory of Whiting Edgerton”, including a number of notes, bonds & mortgages held against various family members and neighbors; and a “Petition of Final Settlement”, dated February 6, 1867, listing the heirs and their shares in the estate.   According the probate record, Whiting left the following heirs:  widow Jane; sons Locey B., George B., Elbert W., Chester B., and James S.; daughters Polly Hendrick, Amanda Morton, and Huldah Mallory; and grand-daughter Sophronia E. Carpenter.  Under the final distribution of the estate, Jane received a share totaling $2,570.05, and each of the remaining heirs received a legacy of $615.14.  A transcript of these probate documents is attached.

Much of the information included here pertaining to the family and descendants of Whiting and Huldah (Benton) Edgerton has been provided by Marti Randall of East Weymouth, Massachusetts, who is descended through their son, James Selleck Edgerton.  Most of her data is derived from an old family document and therefore undocumented; however, most of the information has since been corroboroted by primary source documentation (eg. cemetery inscriptions, vital records, census enumerations, probate records, etc.).  We are also deeply indebted to Mrs. Shirley E. Halwig of Greene, New York, who is descended through Whiting Edgerton’s youngest son, George Brigham Edgerton.  Mrs. Halwig has graciously shared her years of research and correspondence regarding this extensive branch of the Edgerton family.  She has in her possession a number of original documents and family papers, passed down through the generations.

Original Source Documents:

1810 Federal Census – household of Whiting Edgerton; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.

1820 Federal Census – household of Whiting Edgerton; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.

1830 Federal Census – household of Whiting Edgerton; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.

1840 Federal Census – household of Whiting Edgerton; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.

1860 Federal Census – household of Whiting Edgerton; Smithville, Chenango Co., NY.