Josiah ⁷ BIGELOW

Children of Josiah and Elizabeth (Burtt) Bigelow:

15591.311     Rosalie Abbott, b 18 May 1837 Waltham, MA at Mrs. Bruce's house; d  09 Mar 1850 of tuberculosis(see photo) .

15591.312     Eugene, b 28 Jan 1839 at No 3 Lower Place, Waltham, MA; d 02 March 1842 of scarlet fever at No 3 Lower Place; buried in Lot 138 Waltham burying grounds: age 3 yrs and 1 month.

15591.313    William Henry, b 10 Aug 1840 at No 4 Lower Place, Waltham, MA;(see whbig8.htm)(see photo) .

Sources:
Bigelow Society,The Bigelow Family Genealogy, Vol II, pg 116-117;
Bigelow Society,The Bigelow Family Genealogy, Vol I ;
Howe, Bigelow Family of America;
Addendum 2003; Loring Bigelow;
records of Bigelow Society genealogist.
Note:
Name: Mark Bigelow   mark.bigelow@upm-kymmne.com
 From: Wirral, England
 Time: 1999-06-05 00:29:29
 I have a great many facinating letters written mid to late 1800s from my ancestors, William Henry and Josiah Bigelow of South Natick, U.S.A., plus a family history record and an early " Dagurreotype " photograph of Rosalie Bigelow.
See Page 2..for scans of Family Record.
The following are photos from Mark Bigelow:

[rosebig1.jpg] [whbig1.jpg]
                        Rosalie Abbott Bigelow                                                  William Henry Bigelow
What follows is obituary and more from Mark Bigelow:

     Mrs. Stow's Oldtown folks lent a special interest to the village of South Natick, where some of the most remarkable personages in her story resided. The hero of Oldtown was , under another name, Mrs. Stows husband ,and one of the constant companions of his boyhood , was his cousin ,who, on the 22nd ult. put of the cord of Earth to try the mysteries of another world.
     Josiah Bigelow was born in Oldtown, near the close of the last century . He received such training as the district of his time afforded . He had a taste for literary pursuits as well as for hunting , fishing and the various sports of his day. He knew all the rivers, brooks and ponds for miles around, and could tell you what kind of fish, if any, they afforded. It was his delight to stroll, gun in hand, over hills and through valleys, and he could minutely describe forests where the woodman?s axe was seldom heard. Music, poetry and history were favourite amusements. In his youthful days he wrote some pieces that would reflect credit on a well trained composer. For the want, however, of industry, method and order, he failed to accomplish what he might have done for himself and society. Deeply interested in his native place, he failed to illustrate its history except by the production of ephemeral newspaper articles and some choice bits of poetry to which we shall refer. We last saw, ten days ago, under the very oak where he breathed his last. He was discussing with his venerable Uncle Col. Abraham Bigelow , aged nearly four score and ten years, some points in the history of the place. The earnestness of the conversation was interrupted only that they might survey with me the monuments of their ancestors in the cemetery near by, and glance at the spot where they thought soon to lie.
     Another meeting with Mr. Bigelow more then forty years ago, we delight to recall. He had on at the time which we refer, his millers frock and was in our youthful age personification of manly vigour. After our grist was in the hopper we expressed our appreciation of his hymn called Fourth at the Dedication , of the church in that village. This compliment  came from a mere stripling, which amused and delighted him. He drew from his pocket a paper and read to me a hymn which he was then
preparing for the first ordination which was soon to occur in that meeting house.
The first verse read thus :
          ? Here first, O Lord, the red man woke
          Their wild untutored song to thee,
          Their alter was the forest oak,
          Their temple, heavens high canopy. ?

The word canopy which he explained and illustrated belonged from that date .....

This is the end of the newspaper column, unfortunately the rest of the text is not available.

On the  next page is the transcript of a second newspaper cutting that we posses.

     There occurred on the afternoon of Tuesday the most painful incident that it has been the duty of your correspondent to  chronicle. Josiah Bigelow Esq., who has been for a few weeks afflicted by a very painful and an entirely incurable internal  disease  committed  suicide  by shooting himself in the head. The most distressing thing in connection with the affair is  that  the  act  was  entirely  premeditated  and  committed  with the utmost deliberation , and occurring as it did at midday and in the public street it has created a sensation which has not yet subsided. The  deceased  was  in  his  seventy  seventh  year  and was in many ways a very remarkable man. He was thoroughly independent in every respect, and entertained on many subjects, opinions which  were  evidently  formed after careful investigation and experience of the world and having also the power of giving expression to his  ideas in a....... and clear language and his opinions were generally unassailable. He evidenced a familiarity with  almost  every  subject,  which was remarkable and though over seventy six years old, his mental faculties were
 apparently  as vigorous as ever. Another noticeable quality in the deceased was his strong will, and a idea once formed could, only with the greatest difficulty be shaken. This  last deed of his is painful evidence of the quality and cool-...... with which.........  was planned will at once ......... all who knew him as being entirely characteristic.
It appears that several days previous, Mr. Bigelow spoke to Elijah Perry Esq. in relation to his speedy death and requested  him to attend to the disposition of his property. This did not excite suspicion, as many knew of the disease with which  he  was afflicted. Immediately before the shooting he went to the barbers and was shaved, and in paying the man, remarked  that  it was the " last debt he had contracted ", he then proceeded to the old oak, near the Unitarian Church, and on the spot auspicious in the History of our village , which he had often by his conversation and writing shed so much  light, he applied the muzzle of a double barrelled pistol to his head , discharged both barrels simultaneously, and died instantly.

The following letter was found after his death.
                                              South Natick, July 1873
          To  be  retained  by  Mr.  Elijah  Perry, and shown by him to Rev. Mr. Wiggin
                                                        J.B.
To the coroner,
          Dear Sir, you need not hold an inquest on what remains of me. This was a premeditated , determined act of mine.
Not on account of poverty or debt, or fear of any kind
Not  wholly to avoid pain to myself, but rather to prevent trouble to others and to leave what I posses to my beloved children.

          To Elijah Perry Esq.
     Dear  Sir, Please do as I have told you, subject to my son, William Henry's consent.

                                              JOSIAH BIGELOW

To the public,
          God  does not look upon our actions as men look upon them, he sees every secret spring and .......... agency,
 every  cause and every effect and He judges righteously and mercifully . To him I appeal in full confidence, faith and love.
                                              JOSIAH BIGELOW.
JULY 22 1873

PS. Love to my children and family , and forgiveness to my few enemies.
                                                   JB.

PS. God bless Mr. Robbins and his good wife.
                                                   JB.

     The  funeral  took place on Thursday, at 10 o? clock a.m. and was conducted by Rev. Mr. Wiggin, of Marlboro?
as was requested by the deceased.

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