Log Notes:
Children of Am asa Bigelow and his first wife Ruth Richardson, both born New Braintree, Worcester co, MA:
16117.81 Mary, b l5 July 1807;d 19 Sept 1810.
16117.82 Henry, b 28 Aug 1809;d 19 Sept 1810.
Children of Amasa Bigelow by Hannah (Lee) Harding, all born New Braintree, MA:
16117.83 Henry Harding,b 12 Feb 1829; d 16 Oct 1856 Bridgeport, CT; unm.
16117.84t Mary Richardson, b 18 Jan 1831; d 1 Jan 1861 Galesburg, IL; m 29 Oct 1850 Rev. Charles H. Pierce. 4 children.
16117.85 George Augustus, b 13 Aug 1832; d 26 Apr 1870 Boston, MA; m 24 Oct 1858 Julia Harrington; he was a sea-faring man and a captain in the merchant service. No issue. (see below)
16117.86t Helen Maria, b 19 Sep 1834; d ____ ; m (1)15 Feb 1854 Dr. Albert Kendall; (2)26 Apr 1866 William Mixter; (3) Thomas E. Chapin. 2 children.
Sources:
Bigelow Society,The Bigelow Family Genealogy, Vol I, pg 293;
Howe, Bigelow Family of America.
Built for Thomas B. Wales, she was 1184 tons; 193
feet long with a beam of 36 feet and draft of 25 feet. Her speed record set
1859-1860...New York to San Francisco was 167 days. The clipper ship's owners
at the time Bigelow was master are noted in logs as Messrs Curtis and Peabody.
Three logbooks belonging to George A. Bigelow: one of the books is identified
as Private Journal / of / Geo. A. Bigelow / from / Sept. 27th 1867. Another
is labeled Private Log of Geo. A. Bigelow / Master of Ship / "Zephyr" /
from / Nov. 18th 1864. The same book also contains the entry, Bark "Pursuit"
/ Capt. Geo. A. Bigelow / left the end of Battery Wharf / Boston / Feb.
22nd 1866 - at 1-30 P. M. / Bound for / Melbourne-Australia. One of the
books contains a list of "...ships and vessels which Geo. A. Bigelow has
been to sea in..." Eighteen vessels are listed, beginning with the bark "Kate
Hastings" and concluding with the bark "Pursuit".
As is to be expected, most of the logs are taken up with readings, reports
on weather and types of cargo. However, there are also a number of entries,
some only a sentence long, which tell a great deal about life at sea and
what it was like to be a ship's master. There is enlightening and exciting
reading... he notes "Wife very low - & daily losing strength & flesh.
Am anxious about her!" Later he is able to write, "My Wife is more comfortable
today though very weak & low Rum & Whisky baths & Belladonna
plaster are doing her good..." On one occasion Bigelow notes that he; had
a row with Irish Stewardess - the Cook's wife..." about the quality and efficiency
of her work. He notes that he insisted she do things as he directed, to which
she declared, "...She would begin her work and do it just when & how
it pleased her to do so..." With no one aboard to vent his frustration and
anger the bemused Captain concludes his description of the incident with
the heavily underlined exclamation, "I think I shall have my orders obeyed!"
It is May of 1861 before Bigelow learns that compromise was something that
his fellow countrymen were unable to achieve. He receives some London newspapers
from a passing ship and receives "...first news of civil war in United States..."
Bigelow notes that "...The States are always making asses of themselves
in the eyes of the whole world - both sides are to blame, & I hope they
will both get a good drubbing & then come together again as they ought
to, and be...the smartest nation on airth [sic]!!" In spite of his vexation
with both sides, Bigelow's loyalty to the Union becomes obvious by 1862 when
he "...Saw a small schooner who avoided me - and after passing, at long range,
hauled up for Mobile. He was evidently intending to run the blockade - Wish
I had a single small gun - I would have taken him any how..." On July 4,
1865 Bigelow writes "Hurrah for the Union!! Confusion, perdition and punishment
to all traitors !!!!!! May they meet their reward & doom!!!" Since Bigelow
was in England when the war ended in April, he must have been aware of its
outcome when he entered this rather strong epithet in his personal log.
The three books are in overall good condition. The binding on the smallest
book is missing along the spine, but the folios remain intact and the covers
are still held on with the original linen strips. There are a few loose
pages, which have newspaper clippings of interest to mariners pasted on
them, and the list of Bigelow's service is also on a separate sheet of paper
in the small volume. The medium volume has splits along the spine and some
pages that are coming loose. It has a green label on the inside cover which
reads: J. L. FAIRBANKS, / STATIONER / and / ACCOUNT BOOK MANUFACTURER /
136 Washington St., Boston. The third volume is in the best condition, with
minor damage to the spine but very tight overall. Small notes have been
placed between pages to mark pages containing interesting passages.
rodbigelow@netzero.net 
