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Edgerton

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William Edgerton, son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Haskins) Edgerton.

 

born:

January 17, 1744/5; Norwich, New London Co., CT.  (VRp I:91)

bapt:

February 3, 1744/5; First Cong. Church; Norwich, New London Co., CT.  (ChR 2:123)

died:

April 1790; Bozrah, New London Co., CT.

 

married:

April 27, 1775; Norwich, New London Co., CT.  (Bozrah Cong. ChR 3:39)

 

Lucy Birchard, daughter of John and Jane (Hyde) Birchard.

 

born:

July 4, 1748; Norwich, New London Co., CT.  (VRp I:274)

bapt:

September 11, 1748; Bozrah Cong. Church; Bozrah, New London Co., CT.  (ChR 3:7)

 

Children:

  1. Sarah, b. ~1775; Bozrah, New London Co., CT.
  2. Mary, b. ~1781; Bozrah, New London Co., CT.
  3. William, b. 1782; Bozrah, New London Co., CT.
  4. Lucy, b. ~1784; Bozrah, New London Co., CT.
  5. Fanny, b. ~1786; Bozrah, New London Co., CT.

 


William Edgerton was born at Norwich, Connecticut on January 17, 1744/5, the youngest son of Capt. Joseph and Elizabeth (Haskins) Edgerton.  He was baptized on February 3rd of the same year at the First Congregational Church of Norwich.

 

William was mentioned in the will of his bachelor uncle, Jacob Edgerton, dated March 29, 1772.  According to the will, William inherited a portion of Jacob’s lands in Bozrah, on the condition that he and his brother, Joseph, provide a support for their mother, Elizabeth, during her natural life.  William was also named as residual legatee of the estate.

 

William Edgerton was married to Lucy Birchard, daughter of John and Jane (Hyde) Birchard, on April 27, 1775 at the Bozrah Congregational Church in Bozrah (then Norwich), Connecticut.  Lucy was born at Norwich on July 4, 1748 and was baptized at the Bozrah Congregational Church on September 11, 1748.  She was descended from three of the founding families of Norwich – Birchard, Hyde and Backus.

 

The family of William and Lucy (Birchard) Edgerton was not recorded in the Vital Records of Norwich or Bozrah, but later census, land and probate records have established that they had a family of five children:  one son, William, and four daughters, Sarah (”Sally”), Mary (“Polly”), Lucy and Fanny.

 

A “William Edgerton” was listed as a “Grenadear” in the roster of Captain Waterman’s Company of the 20th Connecticut Militia Regiment, which was returned at Norwich on September 19,  1782 (see Record of Service of Connecticut Men, Part I, Connecticut Militia, 1775-1783, p. 588). 

 

William was almost certainly the “William Edgerton” who died in April 1790, as noted in the private records of Nehemiah Waterman, J.P., of Bozrah (Book I, page 55).  Other than this, no death record or burial site has been found for William.

 

William Edgerton had died without leaving a will.  On June 1, 1790, “Benjamin Throop and Nehemiah Waterman Junr of Bozrah” were appointed administrators on the estate of “Mr William Edgerton late of Bozrah, deceased”, and they duly executed a bond of administration to the Norwich District Probate Court in the amount of 300 pounds.  On March 17, 1791, the administrators exhibited an “Inventory of the Real & personal Estate of William Edgerton Late of Bozrah”, which totaled £268-10-6, and included in addition to numerous household and farming items, “44 Acres & 60 Rods of land” appraised at £177-10-0, and one dwelling house, valued at £35-0-0. 

 

At a subsequent probate hearing held in Norwich on March 26, 1791, David Hough and Elias West (both of Norwich) were appointed to distribute the estate of “Mr. William Edgerton, late of Bozrah, deceased”, and they subsequently made a return to the Probate Court, dated June 17, 1781, describing the land set out to “Lucy Edgerton, widow and relict of Mr. William Edgerton, late of Bozrah, deceased her dower or thirds in the real estate of the said deceased agreeable to law…”  The land set off to Lucy consisted of two parcels totaling “eleven acres and one hundred and forty seven rods”, both located in Bozrah.  The property was described as bordering lands of Richard Downer and William Throope.

 

When the 1790 Federal Census was taken, William Edgerton’s widow, “Lucy Edgerton”, was recorded as the head of household in New London County, Connecticut (pg. 137).  The enumeration of the household was as follows:

 

1 male “under 10 years of age”  (son William); and,

4 females  (Lucy, and daughters Mary, Lucy and Fanny).

 

Mrs. Lucy Edgerton was recorded as a head of household in the 1800 Federal Census of Bozrah, New London County, Connecticut (pg. 766).  The family at this time consisted of:

 

1 female “over 45 years of age”  (Lucy);

2 females “of 16 and under 26”  (daughters Mary and Lucy); and,

1 female “of 10 and under 16” (daughter Fanny).

 

The only son, William Jr. (then aged about 18), was not listed with the family in this census enumeration, so it is presumed that he was out on his own by this time, perhaps working on a neighboring farm.

 

Mrs. Lucy Edgerton was listed again as a head of household in the 1810 Federal Census of Bozrah, New London County, Connecticut (pg. 221).  The enumeration of her household was as follows:

 

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

1 female “over 45 years of age”  (Lucy);

2 females “of 26 and under 45”  (daughters Sarah and Mary); and,

1 female “of 16 and under 26”  (daughter Fanny).

 

On April 15, 1812, “Lucy Edgerton, William Edgerton, Sarah Edgerton, Polly Edgerton, Fanny Edgerton all of Bozrah in New London County & State of Connecticut and Lucy Macknell & Thomas Macknell of Ellington County of Tolland in said State...” sold two parcels of land including a dwelling house to Gurdon Meach, also of Bozrah.  The deed was signed (or marked) by all seven of the aforementioned individuals (Bozrah LR 3:287-9).  The property was similarly described as that previously set out as the dower to “Lucy Edgerton, widow and relict of Mr. William Edgerton, late of Bozrah”.   It was presumably at this time that Lucy moved from Bozrah into Norwich village, where her son, William Jr., resided for most of his lifetime.  To date, there is no record of the death or burial of Mrs. Lucy (Birchard) Edgerton.

 

The records of the Bozrah Congregational Church contain a number of entries relating to this Edgerton family.  As previously mentioned, William and Lucy had been married at the Bozrah Church on April 27, 1775 (ChR 3:39).  Their daughter, Lucy Edgerton, was married at the Church on September 22, 1807 to Thomas McNall (ChR 3:36).  Also listed among the church death records were the deaths of Fanny Edgerton, who died March 16, 1831, aged 45 years (ChR 4:73), and Sally Edgerton, who died June 2, 1841, aged 66 years (ChR 4:81).

 


 

Original Source Documents:

 

1790 Federal Census – household of Mrs. Lucy (Birchard) Edgerton; New London Co., CT.

1800 Federal Census – household of Mrs. Lucy (Birchard) Edgerton; Bozrah, New London Co., CT.

1810 Federal Census – household of Mrs. Lucy (Birchard) Edgerton; Bozrah, New London Co., CT.