Nathaniel D. ⁸ BIGELOW

16167.112 Nathaniel D. ⁸ BIGELOW, son of Harry Foster ⁷ ( Henry ⁶ , Simeon ⁵ , John ⁴ , Joshua ³ , Joshua ², John ¹), and Mary Lucy (STAPLES) BIGELOW, was born at Williamsville, Erie, NY on 02 November 1866. On 14 September 1897 he married Flora May Kirby at Portsmouth, OH. She was daughter of William E. and Elizabeth (Haynes) Kirby. She was born 10 August 1872 at Woodland, IL. Nathaniel was a Methodist minister and was in OH 1892, MA 1895 - 1898, NH 1902 then back to OH. In 1913 he was in IN, 1916 WI and in 1928 Kansas City, MO where Flora died on 03 May 1948. Nathaniel died at Parkville, MO on 17 March 1959 at age 92. (see below)

Children of Nathaniel and Flora May (Kirby) Bigelow:

16167.1121t James Maxwell, b 9 July 1898 So.Weymouth,,MA; d __ ; m 25 Sep 1910 Helen Charlotte Radike.

16167.1122t Elisabeth (sic) May, b 26 Jan 1904 Port Jefferson,,OH; d __ ; m 2 Nov 1926 Elwyn Kimball Oldenburg.

Sources:
Bigelow Family Genealogy Volume II, page 465;
Howe, Bigelow Family of America; page 364 child;
FORGE: The Bigelow Society Quarterly; Vol. 34, No.2; April 2005 (see below)

"Descendants of Harry Foster and Mary Staples", by James Maxwell Bigelow.
Descendant note:
Subject: Bigelow genealogy
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1998 09:37:08 -0400
From: "Norma J. Johnson" < johnsonn@javanet.com >
In 1951, James Maxwell Bigelow (9th gen.; son of Nathaniel D. Bigelow and Flora May Kirby Bigelow ) -- I think he may be my uncle once removed -- compiled a geneology that contains info back to John Biglo and through the 10th generation. There is little bio info, but there are names, birthdates, address (at that time). I only have one copy so would rather not send it to you. However, you may have some questions I can answer. Norma Johnson
More:
From: Norma J. Johnson email: johnsonn@javanet.com
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 17:39:53 -0400
My Line is:
1-John Biglo & Mary Warren;
2-Joshua Biglow & Elizabeth Flagg;
3-Joshua Bigelow & Hannah Fiske;
4-John Bigelow & Grace Allen;
5-Simeon Bigelow & Sarah Foster;
6-Henry Bigelow & Lucy Barnes;
7-Harry F. Bigelow & Mary Lucy Staples;
8-Henry Bigelow & Anna Sigel;
9-Doris Bigelow & Chester Wohlgamuth;
10-Norma J. Johnson

FORGE: The Bigelow Society Quarterly; Vol. 34, No.2; April 2005

The Reverend Nathaniel D. Bigelow
1866 -1959
An Autobiography

Reverend Bigelow wrote the story of his life at the urging of his son James Maxwell Bigelow.
The story was submitted Mrs. Marion Higgins. I have done my best to share with you the best parts of his story. If you are interested in the rest of the story I have left out, you can contact the Society's Librarian for the rest of his story. The manuscript is 47 pages long.
The story begins. . .
In an old day book that my father kept is this entry for November 2, 1866: "A son is born today." It was not stated whether this was accounted as asset or a liability. Let us hope, the former. At any rate I was destined to fulfill 21 years before going away to college.
We Lived in Williamsville, Erie County, New York. There were five children strung along from 1864 to 1872. Father was born in Brandon, Vermont, in 1811. Mother, Mary Lucy Staples was born in Newfield, Maine. Growing up on a farm was not easy, but father liked to experiment with his crops. Father tried to grow melons, peaches, apples, quinces, grapes, pears and cranberries. Unfortunately the cranberries did not reach the production stage. The muskrats persisted in draining our homemade cranberry beds. There were also attempts at making lye and raising a fish pond, of which the muskrats and my forgetfulness also foiled the production stages of fresh fish. However, the main source of income for our family was raising cattle, fodder and some grain.
One of the jobs I enjoyed the most on the farm was hitching old Betsy to the rake and driving back and 'forth till the whole field was raked and the hay all in piles ready for the haulers. No self-loaders in those days, all by hand.
My older brother Henry, was the main director of affairs. Father had a double hernia for as long as I can remember and had trouble keeping it in place. Henry was adept with the horses, plowing and seeding.
I on the other hand, found it much easier to take the orders rather then to give them. I do not recall any "flare-ups" we ever had. As for the allocation of chores, we each had our quota. When our little brother Schuyler came along, we older brothers made sure he had his share of the "dirty work" to do as well.
One of my many fond memories of old Betsy our horse leads me to speak of a narrow escape. One day I was bringing old Betsy up the lane bareback. I thought it would be a lark to face backward for a change; Betsy thought so too. So as soon as I adjusted myself to this new position, Betsy began cajoling. I was scared. I gradually worked myself to the rear of the horse and slid off as gracefully as I could. With her heels flying, it's a wonder I wasn't brained. I suffered no ill effects.
One more "narrow escape." A half mile west of our house was what we called the "pier," an impounded body of water in Ellicott Creek that fed a mill race down to Reist's flour mills. On the opposite side of the pier from this race was a high sluice gate for the drainage of the pier when necessary. Between this sluiceway and the millrace was quite a dam. The sluice gate was supposed to be operated from a large, long, passage log that spanned it above. I was down there alone one day, and I thought it would be fun to splash a heavy rock into the water held back by the gate. So, procuring as large a rock as I could manage I stepped cautiously on the log to get out far enough to make a splash worthwhile. Suddenly I felt myself becoming unbalanced toward the deep downward dry side of the gate way. Fortunately I was still able to leap back to safety. Otherwise some search party later would have discovered poor me, prostrate and breathless, at the foot of the gate, and one comment could be possibly had been, "Poor Nattie, he was a good boy, but lacking in sense."
I must here tell you about Grandmother Bigelow and Aunt Louisa B. Schuyler. I have no knowledge as to when Grandfather Bigelow died, but as far back as I can remember, I know of Grandmother living in the little stone house.
Aunt Louisa kept house for her. I think Aunt had been married to a judge Philip Schuyler, of Burlingame, Kansas. He must have died soon after, for I have been unabie to find an account of their mamage.
One pleasing experience I shall never forget: we children attended the nongraded school in the old Academy building. Often when Henry and I were returning for dinner, we would stop off at Grandma's instead. My, her meals were wonderful! This did not always occur, but it was often enough to make a deep record in my mind.
Well, the time came for Grandma to "pass away." It was just a natural "dropping of the fruit" at age 94 years. But I shall never forget my dread of that fIrst night when her body lay in her coffin in the parlor. Aunt had someone sleeping with her upstairs, and I was asked to sleep in the bedroom beside the parlor. I was never very superstitious, but I imagined spooks all night!
I eventually felt impressed that the ministry was to be my life work. I took up with the Methodist minister and he lent me advice and guidance. So I settled it in my mind that I was "duly called" in that direction. I made plans to enter Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, in the fall of 1887. I was in college from the fall of 1887 to graduation time in June 1892.
While in Wesleyan University, I was licensed to preach as a "local preacher," and made up my mind that on the first call I would respond. No "white feather" business for me! So presently a call came to go out to a little colored church on the outskirts of town, conduct a service and preach. So I responded. There was a small congregation present. My text was Psalm 18:2 "The Lord is my rock, and my Fortress, and my deliverer." A good strong text, but my legs were weak. Had it not been for a good old darkie and his wife, who sat on the sidelines and ejaculated at everything I said, I verily believed I would have collapsed. As it was I managed to struggle through.
The next time I was called out about six miles in the country to preach, this time to white folks. I thought that this time I would fortify myself by writing out my sermon and committing it to memory. I did the best I could, but as the scriptures say, "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." When I arose to deliver the well prepared sermon, not a word that I had written could I think of. But I managed to "flounder" around and get through somehow.
My closet friend in college was Charles Williams. He was from a poor family too, and felt the need of rigid economy. We roomed together for some time and paid the astounding sum of $O.50 cents apiece for our room per week. Then for some time we procured meals at a students' boarding club at the shocking price of $1.75 per week! And good food too! Of course everything was lower in price then than now, but you may be sure we were trying to econonuze.
He was studying for the ministry too, but unlike me, was a very fluent speaker. It always seemed to me he could take a sand pile and make a sermon out of it. Dear Charley, he finally went off into the Congregational ministry as I did into the Episcopal, but I think that in Heaven our paths will meet.
I never formed girl contacts in college, as it was too expensive to take girls out. Occasionally there was one that I would love at the distance but she would never know about it. For the like reason I never joined a Fraternity. "Jinting" was not in my line. To use a common expression I "stuck to my knitting" and let the rest of the world pass by. Yet, withal, I formed some fine friendships, especially those among my own classmates, the class of '92 (1892). .
July to September 1892 were the most significant in my ministry, for they practically determined the trend of the future years. Looking on the purely human side of my experience, these three months were a dismal failure. I went to Manly Church, having had no ministerial experience, no knowledge as to how a Church should be operated, frightened at the idea of preaching, and with a pronounced inferiority complex. I just trusted that I'd come out all right somehow. I felt that I was in the hands of God, and of newly made friends, kind and gentle people. They would not let me down.
As to the community, everything was promising. The east end of Portsmouth, where Manly was situated, was fast becoming industrialized, population was growing fast, and everything bade fair for a prosperous and growing work. It was a splendid opportunity for a young man just starting in. But I was handicapped as above stated.
My main strong point was getting out among the people, looking up prospects for the Church and taking care of the sick as best I could. This has always been a fertile field for me in the ministry, and one by no means to be neglected. But I lacked in other qualifications mentioned. And when fall came, and the Annual Conference, which was to meet in Portsmouth, everyone concerned thought a change of scene for my labors would be proper. I thought so too, and heartily acquiesced.
At the Annual Conference above mentioned, October 3, 1892, I was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Bowman, a saintly man, and a shining light in Methodism. Of course at the conference, the assignment of ministers was effected and I was sent to the Millegeville Circuit in Franklin County. But before I went, I succeeded in getting that bewitching young girl, aged 19 years, in the Maxwell's household, to say yes to my proposal of marriage. I have always wondered at this, for she must have shared with others the sense of my being defeated in my first three months of actual work.
I know her foster parents felt frustrated in contemplating my prospects, for the subsequent months were quite a trial for May in the preserving peace at home. In fact, after a year of "hanging on," she did suggest that we consider our engagement null and void. I acquiesced in this, for I knew she was embarrassed at home. I will tell you later on how we informally ''tied up" again, but always with the possibility of other alliances. It was five years before we were married, and the particulars will unfold later on. During the period of our annulment of our engagement, both she and I felt free to enter other engagements, but somehow we held off from any other "closing in," and hence we could both share the sentiment of being "non-coerced." It must be that God was preserving us for each other.
From Millegeville circuit I went to Lawrence Circuit Athens County. This was in Southeastern Ohio, among the foothills of Virginia mountains at least the land was very hilly. My post office was Vanderhoof, hardly a settlement, but near to Lawrence Chapel and to the farmer's home where I had a room. This circuit also had four Churches, and the experiences were so similar to those of the preceding year that we need not tarry long.
One advance I made, I was receiving a little more money, and so made an advance in transportation facilities - I bought a horse and saddle. This horse back riding was a step forward. A second advance came when I added to this equipment a two wheeled sulky. Then I did feel "set up." I was then at the age of 27, and I shall never forget the dear old Simeon Buck at one of my points, giving me $0.27, for he said he always treated his children this way! Dear old soul! Well, there were a lot of younger bucks scattered around among those hills and they seemed to be all rather prolific. I imagine they now pretty much overrun that part of the country. Or can it be that they too have migrated city ward?
Well, in due time the Conference year came to an end, and in '94 I was sent to Syracuse and Minersville, Meigs County, on the Ohio River. Another little promotion financially - only a little. But I think that by this time I was able to get an honest to goodness buggy to hitch onto the back of my horse. Anyway, I didn't need one as badly as before, for my two Churches were only two miles apart. Both were coal and salt mining towns, and I learned quite a little about the business while there. Again I roomed with a family, but this time in town, not in the country. The superintendent of our Sunday school in Syracuse was the president of the mining company, so I felt we were among capitalists in a way. But it made no difference to me, capitalists or laboring man, both were alike to me.
All the previous five years, since our engagement in 1892, I had been waiting, waiting, waiting for the time when I could afford to marry. And this time was unfavorable as any preceding time. But at any rate I ventured to write, expecting nothing but refusal. But lo! When the reply came it was an unhesitating ''yes!'' So this was the time. I think it appeared to May as a far more promising outlook than the rather stifled life she was living back home, even though rather luxurious. At any rate it made me very happy. Then I wrote her about the date, and she set September 14 that fall at twelve noon at her home. I borrowed $100.00 of brother Henry. With this I was able to meet expenses, including going and both of us coming. After five years of waiting I had got my bride, and the sweetest girl this side of Heaven!
Well, spring of 1898 came at last, and with it, graduation. I thus became a full fledged S.T.B. Bachelor of Sacred Theology. My diploma has since been reposing quietly in the bottom of my trunk or in some other sequestered place.
After graduation we moved to the edge of South Weymouth, not far from our Hatherly Church, and did light house keeping in the upper apartment of Mr. Shores's home. The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Shores and daughter Mary -lovely people.
Our next interest was the anticipated arrival of our first born babe. The arrival took place on July 9th, 1898, a boy, afterward christened James Maxwell, after his foster grandfather. Rev Dr. Bass presiding elder of that district, did the christening in the little Hatherly Church. . .
In the early summer of 1897 when mother suggested to me that I write May and ask her if she would be willing for us to marry and come and do light house keeping in Cambridgeport (221 Putnam Ave., a suburb of Cambridge on the river.). We would have mother's skimp furniture, the cheap rent and I could presumably bank on about $400 per year salary. But I thought, horrors, May has been used to nothing like this!
I hope that you have enjoyed this story. As much I would like to continue on with it. But I must bring this to an end. This was a fascinating, page turning story that I certainly recommend everyone reading.
Reverend Bigelow died on March 17, 1959 at the age of 92 years. He is buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery, Kansas City Missouri.
The Rev. ancestry is: Harry Foster ⁷ ( Henry ⁶ , Simeon ⁵ , John ⁴ , Joshua ³ , Joshua ², John ¹),

Rod Bigelow

Box 13 Chazy Lake
Dannemora, N.Y. 12929

rodbigelow@netzero.net

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Nathaniel D. 8 BIGELOW

Nathaniel D. ⁸ BIGELOW