Horatio Nelson 7 BIGELOW

15383.61        Horatio Nelson 7 Bigelow, son of Ephraim 6( Abel 5, Amariah 4, Samuel 3, Samuel 2, John 1 ) and Polly (Brigham) Bigelow was born 13 September 1816 at W. Boylston, Worcester, MA . He had a genius equal to that of his younger brother: but it lay in organization and management. In 1831 his father, recognizing this talent, placed him in charge of the family cotton mill. He stayed their about a year, and then with his brother Erastus , started in the manufacture of Coach Lace at Lancaster, MA . where they founded the Clinton Company. On 24 Sept. 1834 Horatio Bigelow married Emily Worcester.
     Other enterprises followed: counterpanes in 1841, Gingham Mills in 1843-44, the Bigelow Carpet Company in 1849, the Clinton Wire and Cloth Company in 1856. Horatio lived in the town of Clinton (MA), which his brother had founded. He was in effect its leading Citizen and benefactor. Horatio was one of the founders of Congregational Church, the first President of the Clinton Savings Bank, first President of the Clinton Gas Company, Vice President of the Clinton National Bank, a Director of the Boston, Clinton & Fitchburg RR Company, and also the Worcester Mutual Insurance Company. Others duties included the first representative from Clinton to the Legislature and the first Postmaster. In 1852 he and Erastus gave the land for a 4-acre park which is the heart of Clinton, deeming that no structure should ever be built thereon, and that it should remain as a park and be "beautified and maintained" at public expense.
     We knew the prestigious Bigelow carpeting company was founded by Erastus Brigham Bigelow and his older brother Horatio Nelson. While credit for forming Bigelow Carpet Co. belongs to Erastus Bigelow's inventive mind, its development and administration was in the hands of his brother Horatio Bigelow.
     Horatio Bigelow served six years on Clinton's school committee. Other generous acts included Horatio's gift of land to the First Baptist Church and the First Congregational Church, plus an equal offer to the First Methodist Church. He was a member of the First congregational Church and its first Sunday School Superintendent. Horatio established conditions for both residential and business districts, showing an instinct for city planning, and founded Bigelow Public Library, as well as Bigelow Mechanics' Institute.
     He established Clinton's post office, was a lifelong president of Clinton Savings Bank, and a member of the board of directors of First National Bank (now the Clinton branch of Worcester County National Bank). He proposed the construction of Clinton House, the town's hotel. Through his efforts the Worcester and Nashua Railroad passed through Clinton, later called the Boston & Maine RR Co. Horatio served on its board of directors. In the midst of his work, he was stricken with disease and a trip to Europe to recover was doomed to disappointment and he returned home and died 02 January 1868 from paralysis and softening of the brain. His widow died 16 January 1892 at Clinton.
( Bigelow Society Notes:)
He worked in his father's cotton mill from 1831 and became a general overseer until his marriage to Emily Worcester on 24 September 1834. He then became an overseer in a mill in W. Boylston and in 1836 went to Shirley, MA as superintendent of a cotton mill. He stayed there about a year and then, with his brother Erastus, started in the manufacture of coach lace at Lancaster, MA known as the Clinton Company. Other enterprises followed: counterpanes in 1841, gingham mills in 1843-44, the Bigelow Carpet Co. in 1849, the Clinton Wire Cloth Co. in 1856. This did much to build up the village known as Clintonville, which was set off and incorporated as a separate town on March 14, 1850 under the name of Clinton. Horatio was one of the founders of the Congregational Church, the first President of the Clinton Savings Bank, first President of the Clinton Gas Co., Vice President of the Clinton National Bank, a Director of the Boston, Clinton & Fitchburg R.R. Co., and also of the Worcester Mutual Insurance Co. Other duties included the first representative from Clinton to the Legislature and the first postmaster. He donated a plot of land for the town common. With his brother, Erastus, founded the Public Library. In the midst of his work, he was stricken with disease and a trip to Europe to recover was doomed to disappointment and he returned home and died 02 January 1868 from "paralysis and softening of the brain". His widow died 16 January 1892 at Clinton.

Children of Horatio and Emily (Worcester) Bigelow were:
 
BFN 
Name 
Information
15383.612t  Henry Nelson b 02 Oct 1839 Lancaster MA;died ???;m (1) 1866 Clarissa Forbes d. 01 November 1876; 5 Children and; m (2) Cornelia W. Lathrop, 2 daughters. 
15383.611  Emily  b 1834; d 01 July 1835; 
15383.613  Emma  b 1846; d 23 May 1864; unmarried.  retarded?
15383.614t  Charles Brigham born 5 May 1849; d 22 May 1922; m Fannie E. Wells; res. Boston 

Sources:
Bigelow Society,The Bigelow Family Genealogy, Vol II, pg 106;
Howe, Bigelow Family of America;
several encyclopedias of prominent Americans;
clippings from Denton, Dallas, and Clinton newspapers.
Addendum 2003:
Vol. II, Page 106, renumber the children of 15383.61 as follows:
the child is identified as
611  Emily Bigelow, b 1834 and d 01 July 1835.
612  Henry Nelson Bigelow.
613  Emma Bigelow, b 1846, d 23 May 1864 (retarded?).
614  Charles Brigham Bigelow, m Fannie E. Wells - he d 22 May 1922.
Children of Charles and Fannie should be entered on page 394 as follows:

15383.6141     Charles Brigham Bigelow, b 04 March 1873.
15383.6142     Emily Bigelow, b 21 Feb 1876; d 31 Jan 1906.
15383.6143     Roy Clark Bigelow, b 16 Nov 1877; d 22 July 1878.
15383.6144     Fannie Louise Bigelow, b 22 Mar 1879.     ;
SOURCES:  Jenifer Bigelow, Sudbury, MA - e-mail: rarejewel@hotmail.com. - she a family researcher; her family records; VT vital records; obituaries
Note:
From: "Jenn Bigelow" <rarejewel@hotmail.com>
Date Fri, 07 Mar 2003 16:10:28 -0500
 Rod,
  I have gone on the Bigelow website for many years and I have been dying to update your information. I am attaching what I have for Ephraim, Horatio, and Erastus Bigelow, my uncle has the full family tree of our side. I will keep you posted should I come across any new discoveries. You will find me 5th generation down on Horatio's side. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Thanks.

Jennifer Bigelow
Sudbury, MA

Horatio married Emily Worcester (b. 1814-d. 1/16/1892), their children:
Emily (b. 1834-d. 7/1/1835)
Emily (Emma) (b. 1846-d. 5/23/1864)
It was rumored that she either had Downs Syndrome or was mentally retarded.
Charles B. (b. 5/5/1849-d. 5/22/1922)
 Charles married Fannie E. Wells, their children:
  Charles Brigham (b. 3/4/1873)
  Emily (b. 2/21/1876-d. 1/31/1906)
  Roy Clark (b. 11/16/1877-d. 7/22/1878)
  Fannie Louise (b. 3/22/1879)
Henry Nelson (b. 10-6-1839)
 He married Clarrisa N. Forbes (b. 1841-d. 11/13/1876), their children:
  Franklin F. (b. 3/12/1869-d. 6/20/1870)
  Richard W. (b. 1/16/1872-d. 4/8/1875)
  Charles Willard (b. 2/16/1874-d. 12/20/1962)
  Horatio N. (b. 1870-d. 8/6/1955)

 Henry married Cornelia, their children:
  Rosmaund (b. 12/21/1891-d. 1/10/1966)
   She never married.
  Nina (b. 2/4/1879)

My part of the lineage comes from Horatio’s son, Henry Nelson’s son, Charles Willard. His mother died from saving his life in a sleigh accident. The drive had lost control of the horses and she jumped from the sleigh with Charles in her arms. She hit her head on a rock, never regaining consciousness. The nanny was with them and she had Charles’s brother Horatio N. with them. I believe they jumped as well, but remained safe.
also see a Brief History of Clinton, MA http://bigelowsociety.com/rod7/clintonv.htm


Modified - 10/04/2007
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Rod  Bigelow - Director
    rodbigelow@netzero.net

Rod Bigelow (Roger Jon12 BIGELOW)
Box 13 Chazy Lake
Dannemora, N.Y. 12929
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