Joseph Ketchum Edgerton (February 16, 1818 – August 25, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

from 1863 to 1865.

Early life and career

Born in

Vergennes, Vermont Vergennes is a city located in the northwest quadrant of Addison County, Vermont, United States. The municipality is bordered by the towns of Ferrisburgh, Vermont, Ferrisburgh, Panton, Vermont, Panton, and Waltham, Vermont, Waltham. As of the 2 ...

, Edgerton attended the public schools of

Clinton County, New York Clinton County is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 79,843. Its county seat is the city of Plattsburgh. The county lies just south of the border with the Cana ...

. He graduated from Plattsburgh Academy, which his older brother

Alfred Peck Edgerton Alfred Peck Edgerton (January 11, 1813 – May 14, 1897) was an American businessman. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio for two terms, from 1851 to 1855. Early life and career Edgerton was born in Pl ...

had also attended. Joseph Edgerton read the law with an established firm and was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

. In 1839 he commenced practice in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. In 1844 Edgerton moved to

Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne is a city in Allen County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 at the 2020 census ...

, where he continued to practice. In 1854 he became a member of the board of directors for the

Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Lati ...

, and later was selected as its president. Edgerton also served as president of the

Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad at its height provided passenger and freight railroad services between Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, USA. The company was formed on January 18, 1854. Beginnings After grapp ...

and the Ohio Railroad, which were constructed to connect major cities of the Midwest, especially the booming industrial city of Chicago, through which many natural resources flowed to the East.

Congress

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

, Edgerton was elected to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

in 1862 and served in the Thirty-eighth Congress, March 4, 1863, to March 3, 1865. His vote on the Thirteenth Amendment is recorded as nay. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1864 and returned to his business interests.

Death

Edgerton died in

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, on August 25, 1893. His body was returned to Indiana, where he was interred at Fort Wayne's Lindenwood Cemetery.

Family

His older brother

was elected to Congress for two terms from Ohio. After his death in 1897, his family arranged for his burial to also occur in Lindenwood Cemetery.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Edgerton, Joseph Ketchum 1818 births 1893 deaths People from Vergennes, Vermont People from Clinton County, New York Politicians from New York City Politicians from Fort Wayne, Indiana New York (state) lawyers Indiana lawyers Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives