Person:Simeon Edgerton (2)

EDGERTON, Capt. SIMEON, Jr., m. Elisabeth, sister of Rev. John Griswold, and succeeded to the homestead. He was deacon of the Congregational church 22 years. He held many responsible offices, and was beloved by all who knew him. He died in 1862, aged 88; his wife 1861, aged 81. They left six children, Porter, John G., Betsey, Charlotte, Henrietta and Elizabeth. Porter m. Sylvania, da. of David Andrus, who died in 1863, aged 53. He removed to Castile, N. Y., in 1864. John G. m. Charlotte Wyman, and removed to Fort Ann, N. Y. Betsey m. Silas Gregory. Charlotte in. Erasmus D. Cook, who succeeded to the homestead. Henrietta m. Philo Sheldon, and Elizabeth, Willis Felch, both of Castile, N. Y

Simeon Edgerton II was born in Hebron, Connecticut on August 1, 1774, the son of Simeon and Abiah (Hough) Edgerton. The family removed to Pawlet, Vermont when Simeon was seven years old. Simeon resided in Pawlet for the remainder of his life. He made his living primarily as a farmer.

Simeon’s wife was Elizabeth Griswold, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Porter) Griswold of Lebanon, New Hampshire. No record has been found of their marriage, but it is presumed to have taken place in Pawlet circa 1801/1802. Simeon and Elizabeth had a family of seven children: three sons, Porter, John Griswold and Simeon Jr.; and four daughters, Betsey Ellis, Henrietta, Elizabeth and Charlotte Maria. The five eldest children were recorded together in the vital records of Pawlet (Book I, page 17); the two younger children were not recorded.

It should be noted that the record of the family on the Pawlet town books (VR I:17) lists the second daughter of Simeon and Elizabeth as “Harriet” rather than “Henrietta”. This is believed to be an error. There is no other record whatsover of a daughter Harriet, whereas there is substantial proof of a daughter Henrietta. Henrietta’s marriage in 1830 indicates that she was born around 1810; and furthermore, the order of the children’s listing in the baptismal record at the Pawlet Church shows that Henrietta was the next elder sibling than John. Hiel Hollister’s Pawlet for One Hundred Years (1867, pg. 186), lists a family of only six children for Simeon and Elizabeth, that is: “Porter, John G., Betsey, Charlotte, Henrietta and Elizabeth. Porter m. Sylvania, da. of David Andrus, who died in 1863, aged 53. He removed to Castile, N.Y., in 1864. John G. m. Charlotte Wyman, and removed to Fort Ann, N.Y. Betsey m. Silas Gregory. Charlotte m. Erasmus D. Cook, who succeeded to the homestead. Henrietta m. Philo Sheldon, and Elizabeth, Willis Felch, both of Castile, N.Y”

Simeon Edgerton resided in Pawlet throughout his life. He succeeded to the homestead on which his father had first settled in 1781. He was a prominent member of the First Congregational Church of Pawlet, of which his brother-in-law, John Griswold, was the first pastor. Simeon was a deacon of the Church for twenty-two years; and his five youngest children were baptized there on September 14, 1827. Also baptized on this date was an Andrew Jackson Hyde, “a boy given to Mr. and Mrs. Edgerton to bring up.”

Simeon was an influential member of the Pawlet community. He was a town selectman for eleven years, from 1819 to 1829. According to Hiel Hollister’s Pawlet for One Hundred Years (1867, pg. 186), “he held many responsible offices and was beloved by all who knew him.” Simeon Edgerton Jr. was a Captain of the Infantry Company of the Pawlet Militia, a position previously held by his older brother, Jedediah.

The household of Simeon Edgerton was recorded in the 1810 Federal Census of Pawlet, Rutland County, Vermont (pg. 124), with the following enumeration: 2 males “of 26 and under 45” (Simeon and brother David); 2 males “of 16 and under 26” (?); 1 male “of 10 and under 16” (?); 2 males “under 10 years of age” (sons Porter and John);

1 female “over 45 years of age” (mother Abiah); 1 female “of 26 and under 45” (wife Elizabeth); 2 females “of 16 and under 26” (?); 1 female “of 10 and under 16” (?) and, 2 females “under 10 years of age” (daughters Betsey and Henrietta).

The household of Simeon Edgerton was recorded in the 1820 Federal Census of Pawlet, Rutland County, Vermont (pg. 238), with the following enumeration: 2 males “of 45 years and upwards” (Simeon and ?);

1 male “of 16 and under 26” (?);

2 males “of 10 and under 16” (sons Porter and John);

2 females “of 45 years and upwards (mother Abiah and mother-in-law Elizabeth);

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

2 females “of 16 and under 26” (daughter Betsey and ?).

1 female “of 10 and under 16” (daughter Henrietta); and,

2 females “under 10 years of age” (daughters Elizabeth and Charlotte).

The household of Simeon Edgerton was recorded in the 1830 Federal Census of Pawlet, Rutland County, Vermont (pg. 83), with the following enumeration: 1 male “of 50 and under 60” (Simeon); 1 male “of 15 and under 20” (son John); 1 male “of 5 and under 10” (son Simeon Jr.); 1 female “of 80 and under 90” (mother-in-law Elizabeth); 1 female “of 50 and under 60” (wife Elizabeth); 2 females “of 20 and under 30” (daughters Betsey and Henrietta); 1 female “of 15 and under 20” (daughter Elizabeth); and, 1 female “of 10 and under 15” (daughter Charlotte).

The household of Simeon Edgerton was recorded in the 1840 Federal Census of Pawlet, Rutland County, Vermont (pg. 111), with the following enumeration: 1 male “60 and under 70” (Simeon); 1 male “20 and under 30” (son John); 1 female “60 and under 70” (wife Elizabeth); 1 female “30 and under 40” (daughter Betsey); 1 female “20 and under 30” (daughter Charlotte); and, 1 female “15 and under 20” (?).

The household of Simeon Edgerton was recorded in the 1850 Federal Census of Pawlet, Rutland County, Vermont (pg. 292; dwelling #2010; family #2211; enum. Oct. 30, 1850), as follows: Simeon Edgerton 76 b. CT farmer $5,000 real estate Elizabeth 70 b. NH Hepsoh 46 b. VT This third individual listed in the household, “Hepsoh”, was probably Simeon’s eldest daughter, Betsey Ellis Edgerton (then aged 46), who was still single at this time. (She didn’t marry until 1858.) Enumerated next on the census roll and listed as residing in the same dwelling as Simeon was the family of his younger son, John Griswold Edgerton.

By the time of the 1860 Federal Census, Simeon’s son-in-law, Erasmus Cook (husband of his youngest daughter, Charlotte) had succeeded to the family homestead in Pawlet and was listed as a head of household in Pawlet, Rutland County, Vermont (pg. 215; dwelling #1544; family #1511; enum. August 10, 1860). The family was enumerated as follows: Erasmus Cook 45 b. VT farmer $4,700 real estate / $1,500 pers. estate Sharlot 42 b. VT Simeon 17 b. VT Simeon Edgerton 86 b. CT Elizabeth 80 b. NH John Burgos 24 b. Canada Henrietta Weller 20 b. VT

Mrs. Elizabeth (Griswold) Edgerton died at Pawlet, Vermont on December 22, 1861. The Pawlet death record (VR II:2) states that she died of “congestion of the lungs, aged 82” (sic – her gravestone inscription correctly records her age as 81). Simeon Edgerton survived his wife by less than a year, dying in Pawlet on October 2, 1862. His death record (VR II:2) lists the cause of death as “infirmity of old age”, and correctly states his age as “88 years, 2 months, 1 day”. Simeon and Elizabeth were buried side-by-side at Northeast Cemetery, in Pawlet. Two of their children, Porter and Charlotte, were also buried at Northeast Cemetery, along with their respective spouses.

Simeon Edgerton left a Last Will and Testament, dated December 16, 1861, which was proved at Castleton, Vermont on December 1, 1862. In the will, Simeon mentions his wife, Elizabeth, and six children, “Betsey E. Gregory, Porter Edgerton, Henrietta Sheldon wife of Philo Sheldon, John G. Edgerton, Elizabeth E. Felch and Charlotte M. Cook wife of E. D. Cook”. Apart from household furniture (left to his daughter, Charlotte), and some farm equipment (left to his son-in-law, Erasmus D. Cook), the entire estate consisted of notes signed by his son, Porter, and by his son-in-law, Erasmus D. Cook. In the will, Simeon gave detailed instructions as to the payment of these notes to his heirs. He named his nephew, Sheldon Edgerton, to be executor of the will. The latter accepted the appointment and executed a bond with surety on December 1, 1862. Simeon’s will, along with various other probate documents relating to the estate, were recorded at the Fair Haven Probate District; Volume 26, pg. 233, pp. 249 – 252, and pp. 398 – 400..