author
Joseph K. (Joseph Ketchum) Edgerton
1818–1893
A 19th-century lawyer, congressman, and railroad executive, he moved from Vermont to Indiana and became a notable figure in Fort Wayne's civic and business life. His career crossed law, politics, and transportation during a time of rapid change in the United States.
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 Vergennes, Vermont, on February 16, 1818, he was educated in New York, studied law at Plattsburgh Academy, and was admitted to the bar in 1839. After practicing in New York City, he moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1844, where he continued his legal career and became active in public life.
He served as a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana from 1863 to 1865, during the Civil War era. Beyond politics, he was also deeply involved in railroad development, serving in leadership roles that connected him to the expansion of transportation and commerce in the Midwest.
Later in life, he remained associated with business and regional development, and his name was remembered locally in places such as Edgerton, Indiana. He died in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 25, 1893.