Subject: Bigelow Family
Source: Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Mass. by Ellery Bicknell Crane.
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                                BIGELOW FAMILY.
John Bigelow (1), the common ancestor of the Worcester families of the same surname,was the progenitor of Mary Woodbury Bigelow, who married Stephen Sawyer of Worcester.

 John Bigelow is believed to have come from England, but the variations in spelling at the time of his emigration to New England make it difficult to trace this name, which
was spelled according to the fancy of the writers. He was born in 1617 and came to America in 1642. The first mention of his name on the records is found in Watertown,
Massachusetts, where, September 30, 1642 he married Mary, daughter of John and Margaret Warren, and said to have been born in England. She died October 19, 1691. He took
the oath of fidelity at Watertown in 1652, and was made a freeman April 18, 1690. He was a blacksmith by trade, and was allowed certain timber for the building of his forge
by the town. He was a highway surveyor in 1652 and 1660; Constable 1663 and one of the Selectmen 1665, 1670 and 1671. His homestead consisted of six acres. He m. (2) October
2, 1694, Sarah, daughter of Joseph Bemis of Watertown. He died July 14, 1703 aged eighty six years. His Will was dated January 4, 1703 and proved July 23, 1703.
The children of John and Mary (Warren) Bigelow were:

1. John Bigelow b. Oct 27, 1643; m. Rebecca Olmstead; lived in Hartford, Conn.
2. Mary Bigelow b. March 14, 1648, m. June 3, 1674, Michael Flagg, son of Thomas & Mary Flagg; he was born March 23, 1651 and died about 1711; she died before, as he
m. (2) Mary Earle.
4. Daniel Bigelow b. Dec. 1, 1650 m. Abigail Pratt, lived in Framingham, Mass.
5. Samuel Bigelow b. Oct. 28, 1653; m. Mary Flagg; lived in Watertown
6. Joshua Bigelow b. Nov 5, 1655; m. Elizabeth Flagg; lived at Watertown & Westminster.
7. Elizabeth Bigelow b. Jun 15, 1657; m. Lieut. John Stearns and lived at Billerica, Mass. where they had a large family of children; she died April 18, 1694.
8. Sary Bigelow b. Sept 29, 1659, m. July 23, 1679, Isaac Learned son of Isaac & Mary (Stearns) Learned. He was born Oct 5, 1655. They moved to Framingham near the Sherborn
line. He was a Selectman of Framingham in 1711.
9. James Bigelow, m. thrice, resided at Watertown.
10. Martha Bigelow b. April 1, 1662. Her 2nd husband was Obadiah Woods of East Hartford, Conn. He died April 11, 1712.
11. Abigail Bigelow b. Feb 4, 1664 m. Dec 10, 1684, Benjamin Harrington.
12. Hannah Bigelow b. Mar 4, 1666; died Mar 8, 1666.
13. A son born and died Dec. 18, 1667.

 

II. Samuel ² Bigelow, son of John1 Bigelow, b. Oct 28, 1653 m. June 3, 1674 at the same time that his sister, Mary was married, Mary Flagg, dau. of Thomas & Mary
Flagg. She was born Jan. 14, 1658 and died Sept. 7, 1720. He was a prominent man in Watertown, an innholder 1702-1716; and represented the town in the General Court
1708, 1709 and 1710. His Will dated Sept. 30, 1720, proved Feb. 21, 1731, mentioned his sons, John, Samuel, Thomas and Isaac; daughters Mercy Garfield, Abigail Cutler
and Deliverance Stearns; sons-in-law, Thomas Read, Josiah Howe and Daniel Warren;grandchildren David Bruce, Nathaniel Read, Isaac Read, Thomas Read, Catherine Read,
Phinehas Howe, Abraham Howe, Rachel Howe, Samuel Warren, Daniel Warren and Hannah Warren.
The children of Samuel and Mary (Flagg) Bigelow were:

1. John Bigelow b. May 9, 1675 who m. Jerusha Garfield; lived in Marlboro.
2. Mary Bigelow b. Sept 12, 1677, m. Feb. 2, 1700, David Bruce of Marlboro; m. (2) Thomas Read, Jr. of Sudbury.
3. Samuel Bigelow b. Sept 18, 1679, m. Ruth Warren; lived at Marlboro.
4. Sarah Bigelow b. Oct 1, 1681, m. Dec 11, 1706, Josiah Howe of Marlboro, a grandson of John Howe, the first settler.
5. Thomas Bigelow b. Oct 24, 1683, m. Mary Livermore of Watertown.
6. Mercy Bigelow b. April 4, 1686 (recorded Martha) m. Jan 2, 1707, Lieut. Thomas Garfield. She d. Feb. 23, 1745 and he died Feb 4, 1752.
7. Abigail Bigelow b. May 7, 1687; m. Aug. 1, 1710, Jonathan Cutler of Killingly, Conn. res. at Colchester, Conn.
8. Hannah Bigelow b. May 24, 1689, m. Daniel Warren; res. at Westboro,Shrewsbury; he was a soldier in the French and Indian war, and was taken prisoner to Canada.
9. Isaac Bigelow b. May 19, 1691 m. Mary Bond and lived at Colchester, Conn.
10. Deliverance Bigelow b. Sept 22, 1695, m. Aug 10, 1715, John Stearns of Lexington, Mass.; res. in Worcester where many descendants have lived.

 

III. Samuel ³ Bigelow, son of Samuel Bigelow, born at Watertown, Mass. Sept 18, 1679, m. at Watertown Mar 28, 1705, Ruth Warren of Watertown. They removed to Marlboro where
she died April 12, 1716. He m. (2) Dec. 4, 1716, Mary Gleason, dau. of Joseph & Martha Gleason of Sudbury. She was born Oct 6, 1682 and died at Shrewsbury May 14, 1752. He
died at Marlboro.
The children of Samuel and Ruth (Warren) Bigelow were:

1. Mary Bigelow b. Dec 17, 1705, m. Dec 10, 1727, Daniel Ward son of Joseph & Abiah (Wheelock) Ward of Marlboro; he was born April 14, 1701.
2. Samuel Bigelow b. Oct 16, 1707 m. Jedidah Hathorn; lived at Shrewsbury.
3. Cornelius Bigelow b. Nov 24, 1710; m. Mary Graves; lived at Westboro.
4. Jedediah Bigelow b. Feb 8, 1714; m. Thamazin Nurse; lived at Douglas, Mass.
5. Ruth Bigelow b. Apr 10, 1716; d. July 25, 1716.
6. Jason Bigelow b. April 11, 1718 m. Abigail Witt; lived at Brookfield, Mass.
7. Ruth Bigelow b. Dec 30, 1719, m. June 7, 1743, Daniel Heminway of Framingham & moved to Sherborn in 1745; she died Nov. 15, 1794
8. Amariah Bigelow b. Sept. 14, 1722; m. Lydia Brigham; lived in Shrewsbury.
9. Martha Bigelow b. Oct 21, 1724, m. Dec. 14, 1749, Ezekiel Brigham of Marlboro and Grafton, Mass.

 

IV. Samuel ⁴ Bigelow, son of Samuel Bigelow, born at Marlboro, Oct 16, 1707; m. Nov. 28, 1729, Jedidah Hathorn & moved to Shrewsbury, where he settled in the south part
of the town, near the Grafton townline. She died and he m. (2) May 7, 1770, Mrs. Abigail Hastings, the widow of Moses Hastings and daughter of William Taylor. His Will
dated April 14, 1795, mentions wife Abigail, daughters Dorcas Leland and Jedidah Wheeler, children of Samuel (deceased); child of daughter Sarah Smith (deceased); sons
Solomon and Ithamar, who were appointed executors.
The children of Samuel and Jedidah (Hathorn) Bigelow were:

 

1. Samuel Bigelow b. June 24, 1731; m. Phebe Rand.
2. Jedidah Bigelow b. Mar 21, 1733, m. Apr 30, 1760, John wheeler of Shrewsbury.
3. Dorcas Bigelow b. July 6, 1735, m. Dec. 1, 1768, Seth Swan of Paxton.
4. Solomon Bigelow b. July 25, 1737, died October 25, 1742.
5. Silas Bigelow b. Oct 10, 1739. m. Sarah Hall; res. at Paxton.
6. Solomon Bigelow b. July 1, 1742, m. Sarah Newton.
7. Ithamar Bigelow b. July 30, 1745, m. Persis Barrett.
8. Sarah Bigelow b. Sept. 10, 1747; m. June 8, 1767, Ephraim Smith of Grafton, Mass.

 

V. Samuel ⁵ Bigelow son of Samuel (4) Bigelow b. Shrewsbury, Mass., June 24, 1731; m. at Shrewsbury July 1. 1755, Phebe Rand, dau. of Daniel Rand. She died June 10, 1770. He
m. (2) 1770, Anna Winchester of Grafton. He died in 1787.
The children of Samuel and Phebe (Rand) Bigelow were:

1. Levinian Bigelow b. Feb 1, 1756 m. Nov 5, 1776, Samuel Whitney of Westboro.
2. Mary Bigelow b. April 13, 1757.
3. Vashti Bigelow b. Mary 19, 1758, m. Feb. 26, 1777, James Wheeler, son of Ebenezer Wheeler of Grafton.
4. Lucretia Bigelow b. June 1, 1760 m. Aug 14, 1781, Adam Harrington of Shrewsbury.
5. Humphrey Bigelow b. Sept. 4, 1764, m. Mary Underwood.
6. Serena Bigelow b. Mar 16, 1765; m. Nov 13, 1786, Benjamin Jennings of Brookfield.

 

VI. Humphrey ⁶ Bigelow, son of Samuel (5) Bigelow was born at Shrewsbury, Mass. Sept 4,1764. He m. Dec 20, 1786, Mary Underwood of Westford, Mass. She d. at Shrewsbury,
Oct 6, 1789. He m. (2) Oct 26, 1791, Hannah Whipple of Grafton. She was born Oct 5,1771 and died at Worcester, January 5, 1848. They lived in Shrewsbury until 1864 when
they removed to Charlton, Mass., where they lived several years. Later they lived at Sutton and Westford, and then moved back to Shrewsbury. He died October 2, 1842.
Children of Humphrey and Mary (Underwood) Bigelow:

1. John Bigelow b. Aug 12, 1787, m. Mary Jones.
2. Samuel Bigelow b. Aug 1, 1789, d. October, 1789.

The children of Humphrey and Hannah (Whipple) Bigelow:

3. Samuel Bigelow b. July 2, 1793; m. Cynthia Forbush.
4. Catherine Bigelow b. Aug 12, 1795 m. Nov 2, 1818, Joel Fay of Sutton.
5. Hannah Bigelow b. Oct 2, 1797; m. Samuel Lamb; res. at Charlton; m. (2) Daniel Richardson; m. (3) Pardon Aldrich of Grafton.
6. Mary Bigelow b. August 4, 1799; d. Dec 25, 1819, unmarried.
7. Silas Bigelow b. Aug 10, 1801 m. Silence Pierce.
8. Moses Bigelow b. July 23, 180_; m. Amanda Smith.
9. Susan Whipple Bigelow b. Sept 1, 1806; m. Nov 30, 1826, Owen W. Allen of Shrewsbury & moved to Ohio.
10 Miriam Bigelow b. Sept 6, 1809; m. June 12, 1833, Joel Fay, husband of her deceased sister; she died Aug 15, 1837.
11. Whipple Bigelow b. Feb 16, 1812, m. Amy Chase.
12. John Bigelow b. Nov. 27, 1814, m. Lucinda Slocomb.

 

VII. Silas ⁷ Bigelow son of Humphrey Bigelow was born at Shrewsbury, Mass., Aug 10,1801. He. m. Nov. 20, 1823, Silence Pierce. She was born Feb 6, 1803, dau. of Amos
and Anna (Hicks) Pierce of Sutton. He died at Worcester, Oct 12, 1883; she died there Aug 12, 1886. He went to Sutton before he was married and carried on a boot and shoe
manufacturing business in addition to conducting his farm. He removed to Worcester in 1847, and continued in the shoe manufacturing business there until 1860.
All their children were born at Sutton, viz.,

1. Silence Adaline Bigelow b. Aug 9, 1824, m. June 1, 1846 Curtis B. Greene; she died June 30, 1902. Their only child, Jennie A. Bigelow m. Frank E. Kimball, residing at 8 John Street; he is with E. T. Smith Co., wholesale grocers.
2. Harriet Ann Bigelow b. Feb. 14, 1826; m.  Dec. 13, 1864, Albert G. Mann of Worcester
3. Mary Woodbury Bigelow b. July 5, 1828, m. Dec. 2, 1857, Stephen Sawyer.
4. Edward H. (a twin) Bigelow b. at Northbridge, Mass., July 5, 1830 m. April 21, 1852, Mary S., dau. of Samuel & Martha Patterson; res. in Worcester, where he died Sept 10, 1867; Louisa Carrie Bigelow, their only child, b. June 19, 1853, m. Dec. 25,1882, Luther Baker and died 1905.
5. Emily Bigelow (twin to Edward H. Bigelow) b. July 5, 1830, died Feb. 19, 1834.
6. Silas Austin Bigelow b. Oct. 22, 1832; d. Mar 26, 1844.
7. Charles Amos Bigelow b. Oct. 3, 1834; at Sutton; m. Feb. 14, 1856, Mary Caroline Patch, b. at Worcester, Sept 10, 1836; died Aug 10, 1883. Lived several years in Texas, then engaged in the whole-sale grocery business with E. T. Smith; he died at Worcester, April 23, 1885. His children were:
      i. Charles Frederick Bigelow b. at Worcester, Sept 9, 1857; m. Mabel E. Hewitt, Nov. 4, 1883. He was a lieutenant in Battery B: engaged in the business E. T. Smith Co.;
          died November 4, 1900.
     ii. Frank A. Bigelow born at Texas, January 2, 1864; res. at New York City.
    iii. Mary Ella Bigelow born at Salado, Texas,  Sept 20, 1866, m. Frank Green of Gardner; resides in Brooklyn.

 

8.Luther Henry Bigelow b. Dec. 30, 1836 at Sutton, m. C. Helen Lovell, dau of A. Beaman Lovell; res. at Worcester, where he died Nov. 22, 1871. His two children died in infancy. He entered the book store of Jonathan Grout when a boy, later became a partner under the name of Grout & Bigelow (now Davis & Banister); he was in Company C., 51st Regiment, Mass. Volunteer Militia in the Civil War, with rank of Lieutenant.
9. James Whipple Bigelow b. Sept 8, 1839; m. Oct 24, 1877, Mrs. C. Helen (Lowell)
Bigelow, widow of his deceased brother, Lieut. Luther H. Bigelow; he was a partner of
Walker Armington in the grocery business at Worcester; he died Nov. 30, 1901; she died
December 9, 1882.

 

VIII. Mary Woodbury ⁸ Bigelow, dau. of Silas 7 Bigelow, was born July 5, 1828. She m. Dec. 2, 1857, Stephen Sawyer, of Worcester.
End.
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth