Read the whole letter on Joel Bigelow letter.or below. It is dated October 10, 1871, and includes his own map of the burnt district.
16228.311 Joel 8 BIGELOW, a twin son of Hiram 7 ( Joel 6,Joel 5, Benjamin 4,Jonathan 3, Joshua2,John1) and Mary (ARMSTRONG) BIGELOW, was born at Tecumseh, Ontario on 09 November 1828. When he was 13 his parents moved to Lindsay, Ontario and helped his father in his business and in 1850 established a general store at Port Perry along with his twin brother for a time and later owning his own store. In 1864 he moved to Milwaukee, WI and some time later to Chicago, IL and entered the mercantile business. He was burned out in the great Chicago fire of 1871. His second store in Chicago was also wiped out by fire in 1874. He died in Chicago on 11 February 1896 owning considerable real estate. His marriage was on 19 April 1856 to Mary Ann DRYDEN , the daughter of James and Abiel (GROAT) (see below) DRYDEN of Whitby, Ontario where she was born 07 September 1829. She died on 20 February 1909.
Children of Joel and Mary (DRYDEN) BIGELOW:
16228.3111 Hiram 9, b 18 Jan 1860 Whitby, Ont.; d 18 Dec 1901 Chicago; an attorney in Chicago. (see below)
16228.3112 Sarah Eliza, b 03 Feb 1868 Chicago; m Elias PATTERSON; res Chicago.
Sources:
Bigelow Society,The Bigelow Family Genealogy Vol II, pg. 474;
Howe, Bigelow Family in America;
Forge, The Bigelow Society Quarterly; Jan 1999; Vol 28, No. 1; p
5;
and the above web link.
See: Great
Chicago Fire Page. for lots of letters of witnesses and photos. See
the map and a short excerpt below.
It is my painful duty to write to you and inform you of the sad misfortune that has befallen Chicago. The proud city of Sunday last was in 15 short hours reduced almost to ruins. The loss is perhaps the largest that has ever occurred to any city on the Globe not even excepting--the Great fire of London in 1660--or the burning of Moscow by Russia as a military necessity against Napoleon--the extent of which may be Judged--when it is known--that 200 churches fell a prey to the fire.
To begin with I may be thankful that last night I had a house to sleep
in, which was not the case with fully 75,000 people. I have prepared a rough
diagram of the "burnt" district on which is shown my residence on 4th Avenue
175 ft south of Harrison Street which is practically the Southern boundary
of the burnt district, there being on the North side of this street--not destroyed--a
farm building in rear of Jones School corner of Clark and Van Buren Sts,
a row of Brick houses 100 ft fronts--corner of 4th Ave & Harrison Sts,
the Methodist Church N.W. Corner of Wabash Ave & Harrison Sts--and then
between Wabash & Michigan Ave & North of Harrison Street one Block
to Congress St except about 3 houses on N.W. Corner of Block. With these
exceptions, Harrison Street from Lake West to Railway then South to Taylor
is the Southern boundary of the fire. All North off it shown in the diagram
for a distance of--four miles by 3/4 to l mile wide is in ruins--[what] saved
me and this part of the city was the lines of freight depots [on] both sides
of the track of the Michigan Southern & Chicago & Rock Island Railways.
The freight depots on the West side of track were--low--built of brick and
were destroyed the depots on the East side of track were also low Brick Slate
roofs and no opening in the sides--this was a formidable barrier when it
is known that these depots extend several blocks along the line of the Railway--thereby
keeping the line of the burnt district on South side to the West of this
Line between Harrison & Taylor Sts.
The loss includes every wholesale house in the
City (except Fuller & Fullers Drug House). The Court House and contents
including the Registry office for all the titles in the county of Cook including
the city of Chicago. The Custom House, Post Office, Chamber of Commerce Armory
all the principal Hotels--the Theatres, Museums, Opera House,--all the Bank
& Insurance Offices--all the Newspaper Offices several Railway depots
all the Bridges from South to North side-- two or three Bridges South to West
side five Elevators, Gas & water works, are all in ruins. My store among
the rest.
On this point I may say I am fully [covered]
by insurance--in the Liverpool London & Globe Insurance Co for $6,000.
The Company is reputed to be good having a paid up Capital of 17 Millions
of dollars in gold and thought to be able to meet its liabilities.
I have on deposit in the 4th Nat. Bank $11,500--The
Bank is said to be prudently managed--lending mostly on colaterals and having
this morning took a look at its vaults it appears to me that the contents
will be safe--I opened my acct. with the Bank at the request of Dr. C.V. Dyer
one of its directors--when he made the request I told him that I was not
aware of the standing of the Bank--but that if he would give me his personal
hand for $20,000 guaranteeing the solvency of the Bank and that if they did
not pay me my money upon demand he (Dyer) would do so to this he agreed and
I hold his bond accordingly the Doctor is reputed to be good and supposed
to be worth half a million or more--owns largely in outside real estate and
some in the city, so that on the whole come what may I think I have prudently
managed my affairs--my liabilities are about $5000--my cash is all on deposit--except
$130.
There must be many lives lost. I have seen two
today--at the Police Headquarters I am informed 30 are missing on North Side--there
are so many reports one don't know what to believe--there are some who assert
that it is a preconcerted plan by a lot of villains to meet here and burn
the city--for plunder--I saw one party who says that two parties were caught
in the act of setting fire to side walks in the West Division--and that they
were both hung to lamp posts--the party asserted that he saw the bodies hanging--an
acquaintance of mine says that he is reliably informed--that in the South
Division two men has been hung and one shot. I have Just returned from the
Police Headquarters and was informed that such reports are confirmed from
reports brought in by Police officers. Though I am inclined to accept these
statements with some degree of allowance.
The precariousness of the situation and hence
the sensitive character of the citizens will be apparent when it is known
that the supply of water is cut off by the loss of the water works, this applies
especially to a large part of the West Division--where they cant get water
on the south side we have the Lake on one side and the River on the other
and our engines are not arranged forgetting our supplies to extinguish fires
from this source yet it is better than none--and in a large City like this
where fires are of daily occurrence, there being seven on Saturday last, and
the Fire Alarm Telegraph being disorganized tenders our situation very precarious.
It is said we have fire engines here brought during the progress of the fire
by special trains from St. Louis, Milwaukee and several interior towns. This
I believe is correct.
Railways are furnishing free passes to every
person who wants to leave the city--5000 left on one train this evening.
We hope to reduce the houseless and idle population. But we must protect
ourselves from vagabonds who stay here for mischief. I am told that General
Sheridan who is here has ordered from Omaha 1000 troop to patrol the City.
Provisions are arriving from the country and are dispensed free at churches
and Headquarters of Common Council which is at [the] Skating Rink near Union
Park.
An ordinance has been passed limiting the price
of 12 oz loaves of bread to 8¢ under penalty of $10. for each offence.
The post office is opened in the Burlington Hall building corner of 16th Street
and State Sts., the middle of this building was burnt out only 10 days ago
leaving the East and West ends standing.
Show this letter to Palmer who knowing the Geography
of the place, will be especially interested in it. I am writing Timothy and
Mr. Drydens and have not time to write to Nelson hence you will oblige by
apologising--to him for me and enclose to him this letter and he will return
it to you.
We are all as well as could be expected after
the excitement, we have gone through. My address is 119--4th Avenue.
Joel
G.N. Barnard, Bigelow House, Looking North, 1871. Situated at the southwest corner of Dearborn and Adams, the Bigelow House was handsomely furnished and ready to open on October 9, 1871. Unfortunately, the fire intervened, making a total ruin not only of the building but also of its proprietor.
Joel immediately plunged back into business,
only to have his store wiped out by fire again in 1874. Apparently this did
not deter him, for when he died in Chicago on 11 February 1896, he was the
owner of "considerable" real estate. His wife, Mary Ann, died on 20 Feb 1909.
rodbigelow@netzero.net 
