Sources:
Bigelow Society,The Bigelow Family Genealogy Vol II, pg 140;
Howe, Bigelow Family of America;
Biographical Encyclopedia of Juniata Valley, PA Comprising the Counties
of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry With Sketches of Prominent Citizens,
pub. by J. M. Runk, PA 1897.
also from Forge Vol 17 NO. 3 July 1988.
photo from Bobbi Moist bmoist37@hotmail.com
Israel 8 born 7 June 1825 in Adamsburg, PA was thus but six years of age when he traveled overland with his parents to Ohio. He remained on the farm until he reached the age of 21. During his late teens he studied medicine with the idea of going into medical practice, but for some unknown reason he instead took up a farm in 1847. Ten years later he was appointed postmaster of Plain City, and addition became a general merchant.
After Israel’s retirement, he traveled East to visit relatives, meeting over one hundred Bigelows. He also visited his Custer* cousins (His Grandfather Custer had been a cousin of President George Washington)
* see note from Marguerite Emmons about the Spelling of the name --- 4/7/98
On June 27 1847, the same year he took up a farm, Israel married Betsy A. Smith, daughter of Capt. E.Crocker and Irena (Doty) Smith. Betsy was born 21 October 1828 in Washington County, Vermont. She died 28 January 1914 in Plain City, Israel having died July 17 1896.
A tradition exists in this branch of the family that their ancestor Isaac 4 Bigelow passed on his gold watch and gold-headed cane to his son Isaac, and that these keepsakes were to be inherited by the oldest living Isaac Bigelow in the family at the time of the owner’s decease. In the 1890’s the watch was in the possession of Isaac Bigelow of Newark, Licking county Ohio, the fifth person to own the watch. Yet no one today knows what has become of either item.
4/07/98--From Marguerite Atteberry Emmons (emmons@gte.net) :
My BIGELOW data is currently in the form of notes
and letters collected by my great grandmother Adda Timmons MOSS in the
1890's. Perhaps of greatest interest to you and other researchers is a
copy she made of notes of an interview with Dr. Eliphaz BIGELOW
(probably the Israel Eliphaz Bigelow whose bio is on your site.
He was a nephew of her grandmother Mary Milvina BIGELOW who had
married William D. Daugherty. Her mother was Mary Dimmis Daugherty. Adda's
uncle G. W. Darety (sic) conducted the interview. The notes include the
family information on the CUSTIS (not CURTIS) family and it's connection
to George Washington. I have been amazed that the misspelling of this name
as CURTIS persists. Most history books speak of the CUSTIS family relations
to Washington. In my mother's possession is a cloisonne and pearl pin that
is supposed to have been owned/worn by Martha Washington. I have no documentation
of this but have heard of this and the CUSTIS family since I was a child.
My grandfather, Adda's son had told the story. Finding the notes was both
exciting and disappointing. Exciting because
it leant credence to the pin's story; disappointing because it showed no
direct relation to the CUSTIS family. Eliphaz's notes also include the
battle his greatgrandfather Isaac was supposed to have been in the Rev
War. I too, have had no luck finding his service.
Marguerite Atteberry Emmons emmons@gte.net
I have been researching the Weidman Family in Mifflin and Huntindon
county Pa and have two relatives that married into the Bigelow family.
Leah Weidman was the third wife of Eliphas Bigelow MD, and Martha Weidman
married William G. Bigelow also MD. Do you have or need any info
on this branch? I believe Leah and Martha were sisters to my ancestor
Adam
Roop Weidman. Kathy Waters
< rodbigelow@netzero.net
> 
