author
Joseph K. (Joseph Ketchum) Edgerton
1818–1893
A lawyer, railroad executive, and Indiana congressman, he moved easily between the worlds of business and public service in the mid-19th century. His life traces the growth of Fort Wayne and the expanding rail network that reshaped the American Midwest.
1 Audiobook
The Relations of the Federal Government to Slavery Delivered at Fort Wayne, Ind., October 30th 1860
by Joseph K. (Joseph Ketchum) Edgerton
About the author
Born in Vermont on February 16, 1818, Joseph Ketchum Edgerton was educated in New York, studied law at Plattsburgh Academy, and began practicing in New York City in 1839. In 1844 he moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he continued his legal career and became deeply involved in the city's civic and commercial life.
Edgerton built a varied career as both a lawyer and a railroad executive. He served as president of the Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad and later held leadership roles with other railroad companies, reflecting how closely his work was tied to the growth of transportation and trade in the region. He also served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat, representing Indiana from 1863 to 1865.
After his time in Congress, he returned to business interests rather than national politics. He died in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 25, 1893, and was buried in Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne, the city most closely associated with his career.