USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 9 > Part 14
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Hannah Edwards was the daughter of Rev. Timothy and Esther (Stoddard) Ed- wards and descended from Richard Ed- wards, who went from Wales to London, where he was long a clergyman in the time of Queen Elizabeth. Richard's widow married James Coles, with whom she came to Hartford, Connecticut, where she died. William Edwards, son of Richard Edwards, lived in Hartford, where he was a merchant. His wife, Anne, came from England. Their son, Richard (2) Edwards, born in May, 1647, in Hartford, lived there and was a prom- inent member of the Presbyterian church.
He married Elizabeth Tuttle, baptized November 9, 1645, in New Haven, died April 20, 1718. She was the third daughter of William and Elizabeth Tuttle, founders of one of the largest New England fam- ilies. Rev. Timothy Edwards, son of Richard (2) and Elizabeth (Tuttle) Ed- wards, and a distinguished New England clergyman, was the father of Hannah Ed- wards, wife of Judge Seth Wetmore, as previously mentioned. Her mother, Esther Stoddard, born in 1672, was the daughter of Rev. Solomon and Esther (Warham) Stoddard, and granddaughter of Anthony Stoddard, who came from England to Boston, and his wife, Mary Downing.
(IV) Deacon Oliver Wetmore, second son of Seth and Hannah (Edwards) Wetmore, was born in May, 1752, on Stad- dle hill, and baptized on May 24. He was fitted for college, but because of ill- health did not pursue a college course. He lived on a part of the paternal home- stead, which he inherited, and was a very generous, cheerful and amiable Christian. He joined the First Church, November 8, 1772, and was deacon there from March 4, 1784, until his death, December 1, 1798. He was buried in Washington Street Cemetery. He married, October 13, 1773, Sarah Brewster, born November 20, 1754, died July 5, 1827, third daughter of Cap- tain Elisha and Lucy (Yeomans) Brew- ster, of Middletown, Connecticut (see Brewster VI).
(V) Chauncey Wetmore, fourth son of Deacon Oliver and Sarah (Brewster) Wetmore, was born June 5, 1790, on Stad- dle hill, inherited part of the homestead of his grandfather, Seth Wetmore, and lived in the house built by the latter in 1746, where Philip P. Wells now resides. Chauncey Wetmore was an independent farmer, was long a member of the First Church of Middletown and died in 1872, widely regretted. He married, October
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9, 1817, Rebecca Hubbard, and their youngest child, Mary Ellen Wetmore, be- came the wife of Lewis G. Wells (see Wells IX ).
(The Brewster Line).
The Brewster family has been traced to William Brewster, who lived at Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England, as early as 1570-71, in which year he was assessed in that town on goods valued at three pounds. Five years later, he was ap- pointed, by Archbishop Sandys, receiver of Scrooby, and bailiff of the manor house in that place, belonging to the bishop, to have life tenure of both offices. Some dozen years subsequently, he was appointed postmaster under the crown and was known as the "Post" of Scrooby, and was master of the court mails, which were accessible only to those connected with the court. He died in the summer of 1590. His wife's name was Prudence, and they were the parents of Elder Wil- liam (2) Brewster.
(II) Elder William (2) Brewster, son of William (1) and Prudence Brewster, was born during the latter part of the year 1566, or the first part of the year fol- lowing, as shown by an affidavit made by him at Leyden, Holland. The place of his birth is not known, but is supposed to have been Scrooby, whose parish registers do not begin until 1695. He was a mem- ber of the oldest of the fourteen colleges grouped in the University of Cambridge, December 3, 1580, but does not appear to have taken his degree. He is next found as a "discreete and faithfull" assistant of William Davison, Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth, and accompanied that gentleman on his expedition to the Neth- erlands in August, 1585, and served under him at court until his downfall in 1587. Brewster returned to Scrooby, where he did much good "in promoting and further- ing religion." On the death of his father,
in 1590, he was appointed administrator of his estate and succeeded him as post- master, which position he held until Sep- tember 30, 1607. He lived in an old manor house, where the members of the Pilgrim church were accustomed to meet on Sun- day. Brewster was among those impris- oned when they attempted to move to Holland, in 1607, and was the greatest loser financially. After reaching Hol- land, he endured many unaccustomed hardships, not being fitted for the hard labor which was their common lot. He increased his income there by teaching and by operating a printing press, which he set up in Leyden. He was chosen elder of the church at Leyden and was a member of the company which crossed the ocean on the "Mayflower" and landed at Plymouth, in 1620. He was accom- panied by his wife, Mary, and two sons. As is well known, he was a very important member of the colony, of which he was the spiritual leader and chief civil adviser, until his death, which occurred April 10, 1644, in Plymouth. His wife, Mary, died April 17, 1627, at sixty years of age. Only two of his children were then living.
(III) Love Brewster, son of Elder Wil- liam (2) and Mary Brewster, was the sec- ond of the two children living at the time of their mother's death. He was made freeman of the Plymouth Colony, March 2, 1636, and lived on the paternal farm in Duxbury, of which he inherited a part. He was a soldier under Captain Miles Standish in the Pequot War, and was one of the proprietors of Bridgewater, in 1645, but did not live there. The inven- tory of his estate, made January 30, 1650, placed its value at £97 7s. Id. He mar- ried, in Plymouth, May 15, 1634, Sarah Collier, daughter of William Collier, who was one of the promoters of Massachu- setts colonies and came from England in 1633.
(IV) Deacon William (3) Brewster,
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second son of Love and Sarah (Collier) Brewster, lived in Duxbury, Massachu- setts, where he died November 3, 1723, aged "near seventy-eight years." He was a large land-holder and was made free- man in 1689. He married, January 2, 1672, Lydia Partridge, daughter of George and Sarah (Tracy) Partridge, who died February 2, 1742.
(V) William (4) Brewster, second son of Deacon William (3) and Lydia (Part- ridge) Brewster, was born May 4, 1683, lived most of his active life in Duxbury, whence he removed to Wrentham, Mas- sachusetts, and soon after to Lebanon, Connecticut, where he died at the home of a son. He married, in Duxbury, May 20, 1708, Hopestill Wadsworth, daughter of Deacon John and Abigail (Andrews) Wadsworth, and granddaughter of Chris- topher and Grace (Coe) Wadsworth.
(VI) Captain Elisha Brewster, young- est child of William (4) and Hopestill (Wadsworth) Brewster, was born Octo- ber 29, 1715, removed from Duxbury, Massachusetts, to Middletown, Connecti- cut, before 1742, was an extensive mer- chant and inn-keeper, residing on the west side of Main street, a little north of Court street, where he died March 26, 1789. He married, September 30, 1742, Lucy Yeomans, who was baptized Sep- tember 15, 1722, died August 15, 1775, daughter of Jonathan and Sybil (Harris) Yeomans, of Middletown. They were the parents of Sarah Brewster, who became the wife of Deacon Oliver Wetmore, of Middletown, Connecticut. (See Wetmore IV).
EDGERTON, Francis Daniels, Physician, Surgeon.
Among the successful and highly hon- ored physicians of Middlesex county the late Dr. Edgerton enjoyed a high reputa-
tion as a citizen as well as a healer, and was held in confidence and esteem by all his contemporaries, professional and non-professional. Dr. Edgerton was de- scended from a very old Connecticut fam- ily, which was founded by Richard Edger- ton, of Norwich, a first settler of that place. Richard Edgerton came from Eng- land and was located first in Massachu- setts, whence he removed to Norwich, and married, April 7, 1653, Mary Sylves- ter, and their eldest son, John Edgerton, was born June 12, 1662, in Norwich, and died there in May, 1692, near the close of his thirtieth year. John Edgerton mar- ried, March 20, 1690, Mary Renalls (Rey- nolds), who was born in April, 1664, a daughter of John Renalls, of Norwich. She married (second), December 30, 1697, Samuel Lothrop.
John Edgerton, only child of John and Mary (Renalls) Edgerton, was born Feb- ruary 26, 1691, and married, December 28, 1714, Ruth Adgate, who was born March 27, 1693, in Norwich, eldest child of Thomas and Ruth (Brewster) Adgate, the latter born September 16, 1671, third daughter of Benjamin and Anne (Adis- Dart) Brewster. Benjamin Brewster was born January 17, 1633, and died Septem- ber 14, 1710, in Norwich. His wife, Anne (Adis-Dart) Brewster, died May 9, 1709.
Jonathan Brewster, father of Benjamin Brewster, was born August 12, 1593, in Scrooby, England, and died in 1659, in Connecticut. He married, April 10, 1624, Lucretia Oldham, of Darby, England. Jonathan Brewster was the eldest child of Elder William Brewster of the famous "Mayflower" emigration, the organizer and head of the Plymouth Pilgrims of 1620.
The name of Brewster appears among the oldest families, in the reign of Ed- ward III., as ranking among the English landed gentry, and as early as 1375 John Brewster lived in the parish of Henstead
Conn -- 10-7
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n Suffolk, England, and in the reign of Richard II. John Brewster was of God- wich, in the County of Norfolk. By mar- riage, the Norfolk branch was connected with several distinguished houses of Nolkham. One Robert Brewster owned lands in Henstead and, from the Suffolk branch, lines are established at Castle Hedingham of Essex, where it was con- nected with several knightly families. It is supposed that Elder William Brewster, probably of this connection, was born at Scrooby, in Nottinghamshire, where he was active in the organization of dissen- ters from the established church. In 1607 he was imprisoned at Boston, in Lincoln- shire, for his activity against the estab- lished religious order. With great diffi- culty and expense his release was secured and he went to Leyden, whence he came with the Pilgrim band to Plymouth, Mas- sachusetts. In early life he held a respon- sible position in the service of William Davidson, one of Queen Elizabeth's em- bassadors, and after, a Secretary of State. From this service he went to Scrooby, which is supposed to have been his native village, and there aided in forming the company which first settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts. His eldest son, Jonathan, born at Scrooby, some thirteen miles dis- tant from Doncaster, in Yorkshire, came to Plymouth in 1621, and in June, 1636, had command of the Plymouth trading house on the Connecticut river. He gave notice to Governor John Winthrop of the evil designs of the Pequots. Later he set- tled at Duxbury, Massachusetts, which he represented in the General Court in 1639. Before 1649 he was a resident of New London, Connecticut, where he was select- man in that year, and where he died before September. His wife, Lucretia (Oldham) Brewster, was the mother of Benjamin Brewster.
Benjamin Brewster, son of Jonathan
and Lucretia (Oldham) Brewster, settled on his father's homestead at Brewster Neck, which he acquired by purchase, the former originally in the town of New London, now in Ledyard, then a part of the former town. He was much in the public service; long deputy to the Gen- eral Court; lieutenant of the New Lon- don troop; later, captain of the Norwich military company. He married, February 28, 1660, Anne (Adis) Dart, who was probably the widow of Ambrose Dart, of Boston; she was the daughter of Wil- liam Adis, of Cape Ann.
Ruth Brewster, third daughter of Ben- jamin Brewster, became the wife of Thomas Adgate, and the mother of Ruth Adgate, who married John Edgerton, of Norwich.
Her second son, Elisha Edgerton, was born February 28, 1727, in Norwich, and married there, May 9, 1753, Elizabeth Lord, born August 24, 1731, eldest daugh- ter of Ciprian and Elizabeth (Backus) Lord.
Simon Edgerton, eldest child of Elisha and Elizabeth (Lord) Edgerton, was born December 14, 1753, in Norwich, and mar- ried there, February 7, 1792, Lucy Gris- wold, who was born February 26. 1765, second daughter of Abel and Ruth (Avery) Griswold, descendants of two prominent families of the New London section.
Francis G. Edgerton, third son of Simon and Lucy (Griswold) Edgerton, was born March 23, 1797, in Norwich, and died at East Hampton, Connecticut, in 1870. He began the study of medicine with Dr. Philomen Tracy, and was later with Dr. William P. Eaton, both of Nor- wich, and after attending courses of lec- tures at New Haven in 1824 and 1825, received his diploma. The death of Dr. Richmond, of East Hampton, left a va- cancy, and Dr. Edgerton located there,
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where he continued in practice until the end of his life, becoming one of the best known physicians of his section. He was a man of commanding presence, standing over six feet in height, with weight in proportion, and by his intellectual force and personal probity gained the esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens. He was a supporter of the Congregational church, one of the most public-spirited of citizens, and acted in political movements with the Republican party. Dr. Edger- ton married Marietta Daniels, probably a native of Norwich, though not recorded in that town. She was a woman of much independence and originality, and after the death of her husband she continued to manage the homestead farm for a period of thirty years, dying there in 1900, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years.
Dr. Francis Daniels Edgerton, the only child of Dr. Francis G. and Marietta (Daniels) Edgerton, was born August 26, 1838, at East Hampton. He was reared under intelligent direction, enjoying su- perior educational privileges, of which he made excellent use. At the age of twelve years he entered the celebrated prepara- tory school of Daniel H. Chase, in Mid- dletown, and was subsequently a student at Wilbraham Academy and the academy at East Greenwich, Rhode Island. In 1857 he entered Wesleyan University at Middletown, Connecticut, and was grad- uated four years later from its classical course. His early life had been passed in the home of a busy physician, and after completing his college course he settled down to a systematic study of medicine under his father's instruction. Later, he attended the regular course of lectures at Berkshire Medical College in Massachu- setts, and in the medical department of the University of Vermont, from which institution he received his first diploma as a medical doctor. About this time the
Civil War engaged his attention, and he passed an examination and became as- sistant surgeon to the Twenty-first Con- necticut Volunteer Infantry, and was duly commissioned. Circumstances over which he had no control prevented his entering active service, and during the winter of 1863-64 he attended a course of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, a branch of Columbia Univer- sity, from which he was graduated in the spring of the latter year, receiving a sec- ond diploma. In April of that year he passed a competitive examination under the commissioners and continued eighteen months in the service of the city of New York, in Bellevue Hospital, and in the hospitals on Blackwell's Island. Having thus completed a very thorough prepara- tion, Dr. Edgerton located in Middletown, July 6, 1866, succeeding Dr. John Ellis Black, who had removed to New York City. Dr. Edgerton's superior qualifica- tions were soon manifest to the medical profession, as well as to a multitude of patients, and his practice extended rapidly until his time was very closely occupied. In fact, it is probable that his death, which occurred in 1905, was hastened by his close application to the demands of his numerous patients. For twenty-four years he was located on Washington street, and in 1890 purchased the house which is now No. 101 Broad street, and continued to reside there afterward. His success was the natural result of his intelligent appli- cation and industry. He was never idle, and when not actively engaged with pa- tients he was devoted to study or to some effort for the promotion of the public interest. His genial disposition and in- variable cheerful demeanor, coupled with his faithful attention to his patients, not only gained their confidence and love, but was a powerful element in aiding their recovery. His very courteous and gen-
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erous treatment of his contemporaries made him much sought after in consulta- tion, and it is probable that no other prac- titioner in Middlesex county had such an extensive list of patients or the ability to make a greater number of daily visits. In manner modest and quiet, his judgment was ever ready, and his success was re- markable. In the various medical asso- ciations of the community he was active and useful, serving from 1873 to 1877 as clerk of the Middlesex County Medical Society, and from 1876 to 1882 as treas- urer of the State Medical Society, and under his administrations both these or- ganizations were greatly advanced in a financial way as well as in all other de- partments. On the organization of the State Industrial School for Girls at Mid- dletown, Dr. Edgerton was appointed at- tending physician, and continued in that service until the end of his life. In 1878 he was chosen to deliver the annual ad- dress before the graduating class of Yale Medical School. For three years he was a member of the State Pharmacy Com- mission. In 1893 he was elected vice- president of the State Medical Society, and in the following year was made its president. Very active in the local medi- cal association, he was made president of the Middlesex County Hospital Society, whose project for the establishment of a hospital in Middletown was happily car- ried to success during his lifetime. He was seldom absent from the meetings of any of the societies with which he was identified, and contributed largely to the literature of the profession. Among his valuable papers was one read at the Cen- tennial of the State Society, May 27, 1892, at New Haven, in which he discussed his successful treatment of a case of diph- theric croup. His services were repeat- edly in demand on commissions appointed by the Governor to determine the mental
soundness of State prisoners. As becomes every patriotic citizen, Dr. Edgerton en- tertained a lively interest in the conduct of public affairs. His first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln, and he continued a constant supporter of Re- publican principles, though never accept- ing a nomination for any civic office. In the midst of his great activities, Dr. Edgerton found temporary recreation in music, and made occasional trips to New York City and Boston, where he was en- abled to hear some of the greatest per- formers of his day. This did not cause any neglect of patients, because he always returned on an early train and resumed without break his daily round of visits. About every third year he made a short summer trip to Europe and in this way crossed the ocean many times. In most of these trips he was accompanied by some member of his family, and during the later visits he placed his sons under favorable surroundings for the comple- tion of their professional equipment. Like his father, Dr. Edgerton was tall in stature and of heavy weight, but was quick and light of foot, due largely to his careful and correct living. He was a total abstainer from the use of stimulants, and always brought to bear upon cases in his charge a pure and strong mind in a healthy body. A contemporary physician once said of him: "I never heard him utter one word of detraction or disparagement of a brother practitioner." Of easy and agree- able manners, a pleasing speaker, choice in language and convincing in argument, his public addresses were highly appre- ciated.
Dr. Edgerton married, November 5, 1868, Amelia Dupont Cruger, a native of New Orleans, daughter of Henry C. and Henrietta (Cruger) Cruger, descended from some of the oldest and best families in New York. The children of Dr. and
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7. W. Goodrich
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Mrs. Edgerton are justifying the promise of such excellent parentage, and the edu- cational opportunities afforded them, and are as follows: I. Henry Cruger, born May 21, 1870; graduated from Wilson's School on High street, in Middletown, and is now tilling the old family home- stead in East Hampton; he married An- nie -, who died, leaving one daugh- ter. 2. Francis C., who graduated from Trinity College, Hartford, in 1894, from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1898, and was for two years house sur- geon at Bellevue Hospital in New York; he continued his studies under tutors in Berlin, Germany, and, returning to New York City, began practice there as a phy- sician. He was resident physician at the Sloane Maternity Hospital; was subse- quently elected assistant surgeon of the Cornell University Medical Clinic, and is now established on Fifty-eighth street, near Fifth avenue. He married, June 4, 1903, Edith Hopkins Arnold, whose mother was a sister of Senator Clarke and a descendant of Esek Hopkins, first com- mander-in-chief of the United States navy. Dr. and Mrs. Edgerton are the parents of a daughter, Frances Cruger Edgerton, born November 21, 1908, in New York City. 3. John Warren, who graduated from Trinity College in 1894, receiving the degrees of B. A. and M. A., subse- quently taking the latter degree from Yale. In the latter institution he com- pleted three years of post-graduate work, was graduated from Yale Law School in the class of 1900, with the degree of LL. B. cum laude. At the time of his gradua- tion he was a tutor, and also delivered lec- tures on legal subjects before the New York Bankers' Association. He was also engaged to lecture at the West Point Mil- itary Academy, and in attempting to fill all these engagements broke down his health so that he was obliged to abandon
much of his work. He married Marion Gallaudet, of Hartford, youngest child of the late Dr. Edward Miner Gallaudet, of that city, who receives extended men- tion in this work. Of the five children of John W. Edgerton, two sons and two daughters are now living.
GOODRICH, Frederick Welles, Tobacco Grower, Coal Dealer.
Frederick W. Goodrich belongs to one of the oldest families of the State and his ancestry is treated at length in this work (see Goodrich, Charles C.). The family is one of the oldest in Wethersfield and through intermarriages with families in that town, carries the blood of many pioneers. William Goodrich was among the early residents of the town, as was his son, William Goodrich, who married Grace Riley.
Lieutenant Joseph Goodrich, son of William and Grace (Riley) Goodrich, married, December 23, 1714, Mehitable Goodwin, born about 1690, daughter of Nathaniel and Mehitable (Porter) Good- win, of Hartford. Nathaniel Goodwin was a descendant of Ozias Goodwin, one of the pioneers of Hartford. Ozias Good- win was a resident of Hartford as early as 1639 and died before April, 1683. He was not among the original proprietors, but was granted privileges and became a permanent resident. His wife, Mary Woodward, was a daughter of Robert Woodward, of Braintree, England. Their eldest child, William Goodwin, born about 1629, was a freeman at Hartford, May 21, 1657, and was appointed sexton of the meeting house at a salary of £7 per annum, besides special fees for digging graves and ringing the bell on special occasions. He died October 15, 1689. Nothing can be learned concerning his wife, except that her maiden name was
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Fruen. Nathaniel Goodwin, second son of William Goodwin, was born about 1660, was a shoemaker by occupation, and was deacon of the First Church in Hart- ford from 1734 until his death, November, 1747. He married Mehitable Porter, who was born September 16, 1673, in Hadley, Massachusetts, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Stanley) Porter, a descendant of John Porter, who come from Warwick- shire, England, and was a resident of Windsor as early as 1639. He was prob- ably a member of the colony which organ- ized the Windsor Church, and came to Dorchester in 1630. In 1640 he had a land grant at Windsor, with various offices, including that of deputy to the General Court, and died April 21, 1648. His home was near the Little river (Tunxis), near its junction with the Connecticut river, and he left a large estate. He was of the sixteenth generation in descent from Wil- liam de la Grande, a Norman knight, who came with William the Conqueror to Eng- land in 1066 and acquired lands near Kenilworth in Warwickshire. His son, Ralph Porter, was "Grand Porteur" to Henry I. (1120-1140), hence the name "Porter." John Porter's wife bore the baptismal name of Rose, and their second son, Samuel Porter, born in 1626, in Eng- land, was a merchant in Hadley, Massa- chusetts, where he died September 6, 1689. He married, in 1659, Hannah Stan- ley, who was born in England and died December 18, 1702, in Hadley, daughter of Thomas Stanley, who came from Eng- land in the ship "Planter" to Lynn in 1635. The next year he removed to Hart- ford, and in 1659 to Hadley, where he died. Their second daughter, Mehitable Porter, became the wife of Nathaniel Goodwin and the mother of Mehitable Goodwin, wife of Joseph Goodrich, as above noted.
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