JOHN BIGLO s IMMIGRANT ANCESTOR

JOHN BIGLO s IMMIGRANT ANCESTOR
The immigrant ancestor of nearly all persons in North America bearing the
surname Bigelow in any of its several variants, is John Biglo of Watertown, Massachusetts. He lived from 1617 to 1703. Many of his descendants have been recorded
in a genealogy entitled The Bigelow Family in America, written by Gilman Bigelow
Howe, printed 1890. The book was published by Charles Hamilton of Boston, and is
no longer available except by photo-copy reprint. Re-bound used copies occasionally
come into the used-book market with the simple title Bigelow Genealogy.
In this book Howe states that he was unable to obtain any satisfactory account
of the progenitor of John Biglo, and quotes conflicting traditions stating that the
surname is of various national origins. He also quotes the late genealogist H.G.
Somerby, who felt that John Biglo came from wrentham, Suffolk, England, and was son
of Randall and Jane Beageley, who had their youngest son, John, baptised 16 February
1617. Also, from the probate records of wrentham, Somerby quotes the will of a Francis Baguley, blacksmith, of Wrentham, who in a will dated 20 October 1656, granted
five pounds "to his brother John Baguley, now living in New England, if he comes for
it within two years". He offered no proof that Francis was son of Randall Baguley.
The rector of Wrentham parish in 1617 was the Rev. John Phillips, who later
emigrated to Dedham, Massachusetts. During his years in Dedham, Phillips once stated
that the blacksmith John Biglo of Watertown, Massachusetts was the same infant whom
he had baptised in 1617 as the son of Randall Beageley, and that he (Phillips) had
"known John Biglo from earliest youth upward*.'
Further, in a civil case in Watertown during his lifetime, John Biglo took the
witness stand and identified himself as "John Biglo, formerly of wrentham, England."
From these facts we state the identity and parentage of John Biglo,and through parish
and probate records in England, can prove three generations of his English ancestry.
John Biglo seems to have arrived in Watertown, MA about 1632. He probably came
with an older relative, Elizabeth Bigelow, second wife of Deacon Richard Butler, who
after a short stay in Massachusetts, followed the Rev. Thomas Hooker to Connecticut.
It is assumed that Elizabeth was an older sister or first cousin. No ship's-records
exist showing the date of their arrival.
John Biglo took part in the Pequot War of 1636,serving from watertown. The next
public mention we find of him is his marriage in Watertown on 30 October 1642—the
first marriage recorded in Watertown—before Mr. Nowell, to Mary Warren, daughter of
John and Margaret Warren. A descendant claims to have found an eyewitness account of
the event, with the bridegroom wearing white satin, ruffled shirt, and silver shoe
buckles. We have been unable to substantiate this account.
To quote from Howe's book, "from the list of those who took the oath of fidelity
at Watertown 1652, we find that John Biggalough was one of the number, and he became
a freeman 18 April 1690 which we find from the roll of freeman written as John Bigolo;
Slider,the same date we find that Samuel Begaloo was made a freeman, and by another
list, date 16 May 1690, we find Samuel Biggilo and John warren jr. were made freemen.
On the return of soldiers who were in the service from 25 November to 3 December 1675
[King phi!ip's War]we find the names of John Bigulah sr, Michael Flegg, and Isaac
Leonard, the 1 ast^being wounded. Thus we find the name variously spelled by different
officials, but when we find the name written by any member of the family, in those
early days it is written Biglo, Bigelo, or Bigelow."
John Biglo appears by various accounts to have been a blacksmith, and again from
town records we quotes "Agreed with John Biglo that for ten trees the towne allowed him
for the setting up of a shop for a Smithes forge, that he shall either go on with his
promise of setting up his trade, which is the trade of a Smith, within one twelfmonth
(continued on next page)
JOHN BIGLO, IMMIGRANT ANCESTOR(continued from previous page) *
after the date hereof or else to pay unto the towne ten shillings for these ten
trees he acknowledged to have off the towne." Dated 4 March 1651.
John Biglo was chosen a surveyor of highways in 1652 and 1660, a constable
[tax-collector] in 1663, and one of the selectmen or town council, in 1665, 1670,
and 1671. His homesite consisted of six acres and was bounded north by Richard
Ambler and William Parker, east by Thomas Straight, south by the highway, and on
the west by Miles Ives0 After the death of his wife Mary in 1691, he married (2)
on 2 October 1694, Sarah Bemis, daughter of Joseph Bemis. She outlived him. He
died on 14 July 1703, at the age of 86 years, as recorded in town records. His
will was dated 4 January 1703 and was proved 23 July 1703.
The will of John Biglo in its entirety, is as follows:
"In the name of God amen. I John Biglo of watertown in the county of Middlesex
within her Majesties Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, being weeke of
body but in sound disposing Memory pr3.s be given to god for the same, Do make this my
last will and testament in manner & form following, that is to say first and principally I resign my soul unto the mercy full hands of allmighty god my Creator assuredly
hoping through the mercy of my blessed Saviour to obtain pardon remission of all my
sins and my body I commit to the earth whence it was taken, to be decently buried by
the discreshion of my executors hereinafter named and as for the worldly goods &
estate the lord hath lone me I dispose thereof as follows:
Imp. I give and bequeath unto Sarah my well beloved wife, and to her heirs &
assigns forever, all the lands and movable estate, that was hers before our marriage,
and forty pounds in money, twenty pounds of s'd money to be p'd her within one month
after my decease and twenty pounds within one year after my dece's I give unto her
forty pounds waight of good pork, three bushels of barley, and one bushel of indian
corn, five pounds waight in butter and five pounds waight in Chees, and also two
Sheep, and half the flax that shall be in the house at my Deces—and that to be in
full satisfaction of her thirds.
2ndly I give & bequeath to my eldest son John Biglo, & to his heirs & assigns
forever, twenty pounds in money to be p'd within one year after my Deces, and in case
my s'd son have an heir lawfully begotten of his own body, I give & bequeath his s'd
heir twenty pounds in money to be p'd to him or her, when it shall be twenty one years
of age, or day of marriage which shall first happen, but if it hapon my s'd son deces
without an heir as above s'd, then my will is y't ye aboves'd twenty pounds be equally
divided between my children then surviving.
3rdly I give & bequeath unto my son Jonathan Biglo, and to his heirs & assigns
forever, twenty five pounds in money to be p'd him within one year after my deces.
4thly I give & bequeath to my son Daniell Biglo and to his heirs & assigns forever, twenty five pounds in money to be p'd him within one year after my deces.
5thly I give & bequeath to my son Samuel Biglo and to his heirs & assigns forever
_ten pounds in money besides what he hath already had, to be p'd to him within one >
year after my deces.
- ...., mbta*
6thly I give and bequeath unto my son Joshua Biglo and to his heirs & assigns
forever two parcels of lands lying on the westerly side of bow brook in s'd town.
Purchased of Lieut Chas Hammond as may more fully appear by the deed of the same,
and twenty five pounds in money, to be p'd him within one year after my deces.
7thly I give & bequeath unto my son James Biglo fifteen pounds, which I-lent him
as may appear by a bond under his hand and seal, and I give & bequeath to my said
son James's son James Biglo ten pounds in money to be p'd him if he shall live to
the age of twenty one years, but if it so happen that he deces before s'd age, then ye
(continued on next page)
JOHN BIGLO, IMMIGRANT ANCESTOR(continued from previous page)
"s'd ten pounds to be equally divided between my s'd son James surviving children,
when they shall be of the age of twenty one years or day of marriage which shall
first happen.
8thly I give & bequeath to my Daughter Mary Flagg and to her heirs & assigns
forever, twenty five pounds in money to be p'd her within two years after my deces.
9thly I give & .bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Sterns' children twenty five
pounds in money, to be p'd them, when they are twenty one years of age, or day of
marriage which shall first happen.
lOthly. I give & bequeath to my daughter Sarah Learned, and to her heirs and
assigns forever, twenty five pounds in money, within three years after my Deces.
llthly. I give & bequeath to my daughter Martha wood's children, lawfully begotten of her own body, twenty five pounds in money to be p'd them equally alike,
when they shall arrive at the age of twenty one years or day of marriage, which shall
first happen.
12th. I give & bequeath unto my daughter Abigail Herrington & to her heirs &
assigns, twenty five pounds in money, to be p'd within four years after my deces.
And I nominat, ordain, & appoint, my above s'd son Joshua Biglo and my son in law
Isaac Larned my Sole Executors to see this my last will & testament performed and all
the rest and residue of my estate not herein bequeathed, after all my just debts and
funerall charges are p'd my will is that it be divided between my s'd executors, that
is to say, two parts of three, to my s'd son Joshua, and one third to my son in law
Isaac Leanerd, and do request my trusty and well beloved friend, Capt. Benj. Garfield
to be my overseer of this my last will & testament, my s'd executors to allow him out
of my estate for his cost & charges reasonable sattisfaction to his content, Revoking
& making null & void all former or other wills by me heretofore made. In witness
hereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this fourth day of January one thousand
seven hundred two/three,
in the first year of the reign of our lady Anna, by the
Grace of God over England & Queen.
his
JOHN x BIGLO
mark
Signed, seald & Published
Sam'l Livermore
Daniel Harrington
Witnesses
Munning Sawin
"
The inventory of John Biglo's estate amounted to h 627-12-00. This was a middleclass fortune. Among the expenses charged for the funeral were several pairs of black
gloves, twenty gallons of wine, bottles for the wine, allspice and sugar, and two
men and horses to carry the wine and other articles to the funeral, also " a man
and horse to notify Isaac Larned and wife at Sherburne to attend the funeral, and a
man and horse to notify John Stearns at Billerica to attend the funeral".
An additional note comes from the Knight family genealogy, in which Joseph
Knight and his wife Hannah in 1649 sold "a mansion and land" to John Biglo. A map
of early watertown is shown in Robinson & Wheeler's book, Great Little Watertown;
the land owned by John Biglo appears at the extreme left of the map, as does the
adjoining parcel purchased from Joseph Knight. John Biglo owned several pieces of
property, and in 1686 executed a gift-in-deed, conveying 16 acres and the house
thereon "already occupied by my son Samuel" to Samuel Biglow and wife.
(continued on next page)
JOHN BIGLO, IMMIGRANT ANCESTOR(concluded)
The children of John and Mary (Warren) Bigelow, all born in Watertown, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, are as follows:
i
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
vii
John, born 27 Oct 1643; died about 1721 in Hartford, Connecticut; he is
probably the same John Biglow who married (1)27 May 1675 Sarah Wheate in
Concord, MA; he married (2)unknown date, Rebecca Olmsted, to whose nephew
his property was willed. Resided Hartford, Connecticut. No issue.
Jonathan, born 11 Dec 1646; died 9 Jan 1711 Hartford, Connecticut; married
(1)1671 Rebecca Shepard who died before 1686;(2)Mary Olcott,who died 7 Mar
1697; (3) Mary (Benton) Cole. Resided Hartford, Connecticut. 12 children.
Mary, born 16 Mar 1648; died in Watertown before 1704; married 3 June
1674 Michael Flagg. 3 children.
Daniel, born 1 Dec 1650; died about 1715; married at unknown date Abial
Pratt; he was a tailor; resided Framingham, Massachusetts. 6 children.
Samuel, born 28 Oct 1653; died 1 Feb 1731/2 Waltham, Massachusetts; married 3 June 1674 Mary Flagg. An innkeeper & carpenter, he resided Watertown to 1720, & held several town offices. 10 children.
Joshua, born 5 Nov 1655; died 1 Feb 1745 Westminster, Massachusetts; married
20 Oct 1676 Elizabeth Flagg. Resided Watertown most of his life. 12 children,
Elizabeth, born 15 June 1657; died 18 April 1694 Billerica, Massachusetts;
married at unknown date John Stearns. Resided Billerica. 7 children.
viii
Sarah, born 29 Sept 1659; died after 1703 at Framingham, Massachusetts;
married 23 July 1679 Isaac Larned. Resided Framingham. 11 children.
ix
James, born about 1660; d i e d ^ ^ ^ ^ t Watertown; married (1)25 Mar 1687
Patience Brown; (2)3 July 1693 Elizabeth Child; (3)15 June 1708 Johanna
Erickson. Resided Watertown. 4 children. The male line,however, died
out in the next generation.
x
Martha, born 1 April 1662; died at unknown date. She married twice, the
second time to Obadiah woods of East Hartford, Connecticut. He died 1712.
Due to poor town records, her family is uncertain, but she left issue.
xi
Abigail, born 4 Feb 1664; died 12 Jan 1754 Watertown; married 10 Dec 1684
Benjamin Harrington. Resided Watertown. 4 children.
xii
xiii
Hannah, born 4Mar 1666;.died 8 Mar 1666
a son, unnamed, born and died 18 Dec 1667.
iMa/wf fyifa/t/i&M
£Bi<jlo
John Warren,son of John and Mary(Scarlet) warren, was baptised 1 Aug 1585 Nayland,
Suffolk, England. He married Margaret
, who died in Watertown, MA 6 Nov 1662.
John Warden died at Watertown 13 Dec 1667. They came to New England 1630. All their
children were born Nayland, Suffolk, England:
i
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
vii
SOURCES:
Mary, baptised 23 Apr 1615; buried 17 Dec 1622.
Elizabeth, baptised 25 June 1619; buried 1622.
Sarah, baptised 20 Apr 1620; buried 7 Sept 1621.
John, baptised 12 May 1622;died Watertown,MA about 1703; married 11 Jly
1667 Michal (Jennison) Blois.
Mary, baptised 12 Sept 1624; died 19 Oct 1691 Watertown; married 30 Oct
1642 John Bigelow. See preceding four pages,
Daniel, baptised 25 Feb \626/7; died after 1698; married 10 Dec 1650
Mary Barron.
Elizabeth, baptised 21 July 1629; married about 1654 James Knapp.
Bortfs Genealogies & History of Watertown;NEHG Register, Oct 1910; warren genealogy
JONATHAN BIGELOW
Jonathan Bigelow, second son and second child of John and Mary(warren)
Bigelow, was born 11 December 1646 in Watertown, Middlesex co, MA. He early went
to Hartford, Connecticut, where he married (l)in 1671 Rebecca Shepard, daughter
of John and Rebecca (Greenhill) Shepard, who was born in Hartford in 1650. She
died before 1686, when Jonathan married (2)Mary Olcott, daughter of Samuel and
Sarah(Stocking) Olcott. Mary was probably mother of Jonathan's five youngest children. She died 7 March 1697. He then married (3)Mary (Benton) Cole, widow of
Nathaniel Cole, and a daughter of Andrew and Hannah (Stocking) Benton.
Jonathan died 9 January 1711, and his widow then married on 19 March 1713
Deacon John Shepard, brother of Jonathan's first wife. She died 27 December 1752,
allegedly aged 98 years, 7 months, 26 days.
Jonathan's land was recorded as early as 1674, and is described as bounded
west on the road leading to Wethersfield. His children Jonathan jr, Rebecca, Mary,
Sarah, John, and Violet, children of his first wife Rebecca, are mentioned in a
controversy over settlement of their grandfather John Shepard*s estate in 1685.
Jonathan's will appointed Mary his wife and son Joseph as executors, and mentions all surviving children, with Thomas Olcott appointed as guardian of the two
youngest,who were 15 and 18 years of age. In 1711 the guardianship was changed, with
Samuel Benton appointed guardian of Daniel, and Deacon John Shepard guardian of Samuel. Hartford records are not complete, but the following are children of Jonathan
Bigelow, and all were born at Hartford, Hartford county, Comnecticut:
i
Jonathan, born 22 March 1673; died 29 July 1749 Hartford; married 14 Dec
1699 Mabel Edwards. Resided Hartford. 8 children.
ii
Rebecca, living 23 Feb 1696, when she was admitted to membership in First
Church, Hartford.
iii
John, born about 1677; died 25 July 1733 Whippany, Hunterdon co, NJ, according to headstone; married 11 Jan 1710 Abigail Richards; resided Glastonbury,
CT, then after 1718 in NJ. Bigelow genealogy names 2 sons, but New Jersey
history adds names of 4 more sons, and mentions "several daughters".
iv
Mary, born unknown date; married 11 Jan 1700 John Williams; was living 1716,
when she receipted for her share of her father's estate.
v
Sarah, born unknown date; died 13 Oct 1754 Colchester, CT; married 4 Nov
1706 her cousin John Bigelow as his second wife. Resided Colchester, CT.
3 children.
vi
Violet, born unknown date; married 1 Sept 1709 Stephen Taylor, his second
wife; she receipted for her share of father's estate in 1717. Resided
Hartford, CT. 5 children, the youngest born 1723.
vii
viii
ix
x
Samuel, baptised 13 Mar 1685; died young.
Abigail, baptised 2 Nov 1690; living 1714 when she receipted for her share
of father's estate; married,unknown date, Joseph Sackett. ~ Resided Westfield, MA.
Joseph, born about 1691; wrote will Sept 1731,probated Feb 1732; married
21 May 1713 Sarah Spencer. Resided Hartford, CT. 7 children.
Daniel, baptised 26 Mar 1693; died 14 May 1733 Hartford, CT; married (1)
about 1718 Hannah Bidwell,who died leaving 3 children, and (2)about 1728
Elizabeth Risley, by whom two daughters, according to probate records.
(continued next page)
JONATHAN
2
xi
xii
, •
BIGELOW(continued from previous page)
. •
Samuel, baptised 31 Mar 1695; will dated Oct 1748 and proved at Hartford
soon after; married at unknown date Mehitabel (Halsey) Taylor, wife of
Joseph Taylor, by whom she had one daughter; resided Southampton, Long
island, NY, and Middletown, CT. 5 children.
child, died 5 Mar 1697.
Sources: Howe, Bigelow Family in America; Barbour, Early Families of Hartford;
Mainwaring, Early Connecticut wills & Probate Records; Goodmin, Ancestral Lines;
records of Connecticut towns.
*
DANIEL
*
*
*
*
*
BIGELOW
Daniel Bigelow, fourth child and third son of John and Mary (warren) Bigelow,
was born in Watertown, Middlesex co, MA, 1 December 1650. He married, about 1688
Abial Pratt, daughter of Thomas and Susanna Pratt. He settled in Framingham, Massachusetts as early as 1686, and was a tailor by trade. They lived near the east end
of what was known as Gleason's Pond.
Daniel Bigelow died about 1715, and his wife outlived him. Births of his
children are found in the vital records of Sherborn, of which Framingham was then
a part.
2
Children of Daniel and Abial (Pratt) Bigelow were born Framingham, Massachusetts, as follows:
i Abigail, born 28 Oct 1689; died about 1734; married 8 Mar 1727 Abraham
Belknap. Resided Framingham and Natick. No issue.
ii Daniel, born 24 Nov 1691; said to have died 1752 Framimgham; married (1)
27 June 1723 Rebecca Eames, who died 1738; and (2)17 July 1746 Mrs. Prudence (Pratt) Stone, widow of Ebenezer Stone, and daughter of Joseph and
Hannah(Provender) Pratt. She married (3)10 May 1753 Ezekiel Rice. Danie"1
had 7 children by his first wife, 5 of whom died in infancy.
iii
Abiel, born 20 Jan 1693; no death date; married (1)11 Oct 1716 Jonathan
Stone, by whom 4 children, and (2)15 June 1743 Samuel Walker of Natick.
iv
Susanna, born 4 Mar 1696; died 24 Oct 1768 Framingham; married 9 June
1715 Stephen Jennings. Resided Framingham. 6 children.
v
Ephraim, born 12 May 1698; died 18 Oct 1756 Holliston; married 29 July
1729 Lydia Johnson. A carpenter by trade, he resided Holliston. 5
children.
. . .
-
vi
Lydia, born 2 Jan 1702; was living 1738, when admitted to the church at
Westborough, MA by letter from Hopkinton; married 30 Sept 1731 Martin
Pratt. Lived Hopkinton and Westborough, MA. Bigelow genealogy names
3 children; 1981 Pratt Directory adds a fourth child.
Sources: Howe, Bigelow Family in America; Joann Pratt Lovelace, Pratt Directory,
1981; J. Gardener Bartlett, Gregory Stone Genealogy, 1918; vital records of Watertown, Framingham, Sherborn, & Holliston, all in Massachusetts.
*
*
*
*
*
*
SAMUEL BIGELOW
2
1
Samuel Bigelow, fifth child and fourth son of John and Mary(warren) Bigelow,
was born 28 October 1653 in Watertown, Massachusetts. On 3 June 1674 he married Mary
Flagg, daughter of Thomas and Mary(maiden name unknown) Flagg, Mary was born in
Watertown 14 January 1658.
Howe's Bigelow Family in America states that Samuel Bigelow "was an important
man in Watertown", an innholder from 1702 to 1716, and represented the General Court
from 1708 to 1710. Bond's History adds that he was also a carpenter, and in 1686
received from his father a gift-in-deed for 16 acres and a house. Thumbing through
the third volume of Watertown town records, which covers the period from 1680 to 1727,
we find Samuel's name appearing frequently. Following are a few extracts, which
show Samuel's role in village politics, taken verbatim, including original spellings
27 Sept 1687. Samuel Begaloo chosen survayer.
7 Nov 1692.
Samuell begalo chosen Cunstabel[tax collector].
21 Dec 1696.
Samuel Bigelow appointed to the committee to hire or procure housing
for the Rev. Samuel Angier, and to take effectual care of the moving
of Mr. Angier and family to Watertown.
20 Jan 1697.
Samuel Begelo issued his accounts, as he was constable, by his receipts and payments before the selectmen.
1 Feb 1697.
Samuel Begelo elected selectman[town council member].
7 Mar 1701.
Samuel Bigelow given approval to keep a publick house.
7 May 1708.
Mr. Samuell Bigelow chosen representative for the year ensuing. [The
title "Mr." implies that his rank is above that of an ordinary
"goodman", perhaps a sign of respect for his new office, and was
henceforth used in referring to him.]
15 Feb 1709.
Mr. Sam'll Biglow on committee to carry on the work of building a
schoolhouse.
10 May 1709.
Mr. Samuel Bigelow chosen representative.
6 Mar 1710.
Mr. Samuel Biglo chosen representative; his nephew Joshua jr appointed hayward.
5 Jan 1711.
Samuel Eiglo one of several signing an agreement that Nathaniel
Green was to be a town chargefi.e.,receive welfare assistance].
2 Mar 1713.
Samuel Biglow appointed tithing-man.
1 Mar 1714.
Samuel Biglow chosen selectman.
8 Apr 1714.
Sam'l Biglo appointed to a committee to take care that Nicholas
Wyeth and wife be provided with work and kept at it according to
their ability.
18 Jly 1714.
Town treasurer to pay Samuel Biglo nine shillings for corn provided
Nicholas Wyeth and wife.
10 Aug 1714.
Mr. Samuel Biglo to be paid 18 shillings from town treasury,
15 Feb 1715.
Mr. Samuel Biglo chosen selectman.
9 Sep 1715.
Mr. Samuel Biglo and Samuell Stearns to prepare answers to the petition of the Eastern congregation, which wishes to form a separate
town.
20 Mar 1716.
Samuell Biglo to bargain with John Cutting to entertain[i.e.,board]
Nicholas Wyeth & wife, and provide them house room, with four cords
firewood at reasonable rate for the ensuing year.
20 Feb 1716.
Mr. Samuell Biglo's account for Joseph Cutler's funeral: coffin, 6
shillings; for drink, 8 schillings; grave-digging, 6 shillings.
Ordered paid by Zachariah Cutting. ,<
27 Nov 1716. Mr. Samuell Biglo to be paid 4 shillings for timber to make over
the bridge by the brook by Widow Flagg's.
25 Dec 1716.
Mr. Samuell Biglow to provide a shirt for James Holland in his needy
condition, at the town's expense. [Note that our Puritan forefathers
did not observe Christmas,and that the town council met as usual on
December 25.]
(continued on next page)
SAMUEL 2BIGELOW(continued from preceding page)
There were no further entries in Watertown records, in which Samuel Bigelow*s
name appeared. His will was drawn up 30 Sept 1720,and mentions 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 three daughters
received £17 each.
Howe's Bigelow genealogy gives no death date for Samuel,stating that the will
was probated 21 February 173JL. However Waltham town records clearly give Samuel's
death as 1 February 173_2,and since Samuel's son Thomas lived in waltham from 1720
onward, we assume that Samuel and wife spent their declining years in Thomas* home.
Mary,wife of Samuel died 7 September 1720; her death is recorded both Watertown and
Waltham. Their headstones are still visible in Waltham.
Samuel and Mary(Flagg) Bigelow had ten children, all born Watertown, MAs
i
John, born 9 May 1675; died Marlborough 8 Sept 1769; married 12 June 1696
Jerusha Garfield. Resided Marlborough. 12 children.
ii
Mary, born 12 Sept 1677; died 1707 Sudbury; married (1)2 Feb 1700 David
Bruce, who died within a few months, and (2)1701 Thomas Read jr. 5 children.
iii
Samuel, born 18 Sept 1769; died about 1734 Marlborough; married (1)28 Mar
1705 Ruth Warren, his second cousin,who died 1716; (2)4 Dec 1716 Mary Gleason.
Resided Marlborough. 9 children.
iv
v
vi
vii
Sarah, born.-l Oct 1681; died before 1713; married 11 Dec 1706 Josiah Howe.
Resided Marlborough. 3 children.
Thomas, born 24 Oct 1683; died Waltham 6 Oct 1756; married 12 July 1705
Mary Livermore. Resided Marlborough to 1720,then waltham. 9 children.
Martha, born 14 Apr 1685; all other references to her are as "Mercy"; died
Weston 23 Feb 1745; married 2 Jan 1707 Thomas Garfield. Resided Weston,
which was set off from Watertown in 1713. 11 children.
Abigail, born 7 May 1687; died unknown date at Colchester or Killingly, CT;
married 1 Aug 1710 Jonathan Cutler. Both Bigelow and Cutler genealogies
state that Abigail was mother of Jonathan's 3 oldest children, baptised in
Lexington, MA, but she may have died soon after her father, and that Jonathan remarried. He had 6 children in all.
viii
Hannah, no birthdate; died at Westborough about 1717; married 24 May 1711
her second cousin Daniel Warren jr, who married (2)about 1717 Mehitable
Garfield. Hannah had 3 children.
ix
Isaac, born 19 May 1691; died 11 Sept 1751 Colchester, CT; married 29 Dec
1709 Mary Bond. Resided Colchester, CT. 11 children.
x
Deliverance, born 22 Sept 1695; died unknown date at Worcester, MA; married
10 Aug 1715 John Stearns. Resided Worcester. Howe's Bigelow genealogy
alleges that she left many descendants, but the writer cannot identify
more than 5 of her children.
Sources: Howe, Bigelow Family in America; Bond, Genealogies and History of Watertown; Watertown town records, vol. 3; Cutler Family genealogy; Warren Genealogy;
vital records of various Massachusetts towns.
SU
BIGELOW
Joshua Bigelow, sixth child and fifth son of John and Mary(Warren) Bigelow,
was born 5 November 1655 in Watertown, Middlesex county, MA. Just before reaching
his majority, on 20 October 1676, he married Elizabeth Flagg, daughter of Thomas
and Mary (maiden name unknown) Flagg. She was born in Watertown 22 March 1657,
according to the Bigelow genealogy,but the Flagg genealogy and Bond's history give
this correctly as 1655. She died in Watertown 9 Auguat 1729.
Joshua served in the colonial engagement known as King Phillip's War, as a
member of Capt. Ting's company. He was wounded, and as a result was given a grant of
land in Narragansett No. 2, which we know as Westminster, Massachusetts. However,
Joshua continued to live in Watertown until his last few years, the grant passing to
his son Eleizer. See also Bodge's volume on the colonial wars.
Joshua was appointed executor of his father's will, along with his brother-inlaw Isaac Larned, in return for which he received a larger share of his father's
estate than did his brothers and sisters. He appears to have been welj-known in
his lifetime.
Howe's Bigelow Family in America says that "in his 87th year, being anxious to
reside on the land he had earned at the peril of his life", Joshua removed to Westminster with his son Eleizer, and lived there until his death on 1 February 1745,
having outlived all his brothers and sisters save Abigail (Bigelow) Harrington.
Joshua and Elizabeth (Flagg) Bigelow
had twelve children, all born Watertown:
i
Joshua, born 25 Nov 1677; died 9 May 1728 Weston, MA; married 17 Oct 1701
Hannah Fiske. Resided Weston. 9 children.
ii
Jonathan, born 22 Mar 1679; died after 1745(his will is dated Jan 1746) at
Weston, MA; married (1)11 June 1702 Elizabeth Bemis, who died 1734; and
(2)29 Jan 1742 Mary Rice. Resided Weston. 5 children.
iii
Lieut. John, born 20 Dec 1681; died 8 Mar 1770 Colchester, CT; married
four times as follows: (l)about 1705 Hannah
,who died 1709; (2)
9 Nov 1709 his first cousin Sarah Bigelow;(3)about 1755 Abigail
,
who died 1760; and (4)Hannah Munn. Lived Hartford, CT to 1709, then Colchester, CT. 2 sons from first marriage, 3 children from second marriage.
iv
Benjamin, born 20 Jan 1683; he was "in the public service", and was injured
by being thrown from a horse, and died 27 Oct 1709; unmarried.
v
Jabez. There are no actual records of this son. Family tradition says he
moved to Bristol, England, and became a merchant, but genealogists have
never found any trace of him in England.
vi
Elizabeth, born 3 Aug 1687; no death date; married 28 Feb 1724 Jonathan
Harrington. 1 daughter.
Mercy. Bond's Genealogies and History of watertown places a daughter of
this name in Joshua's family, but it is now generally^agreed that there
was no such daughter, and Bond was confused by Samuel Bigelow's daughter
Mercy, whose birth was accidentally recorded as "Martha".
vii
David, born 30 Apr 1694; said to have died in Spain, but there is no proof.
viii
Joseph, born 29 Dec 1695; died 6 Jan 1765 Weston, MA; married (l)about
1720 Sarah
,who died 18 Feb 1755 "in her fifties"; and (2)10 July
1755 Thankful Robinson, who outlived him to marry (2)1766 Ezra Graves,
and (3)1769 Isaac Rice, both of Sudbury. Joseph resided Weston, and had
3 children born 1720's.
(continued on next page)
JOSHUA 2 BIGELOW(continued from previous page)
ix
x
xi
xii
Daniel, baptised 29 Aug 1697; died about 1769 Worcester, MA; married
at unknown date Elizabeth Whitney. Resided Worcester, MA. 6 children.
Ebenezer, born 4 Sept 1698; married 29 May 1720 Hannah Browne. They
moved to Weston, then Worcester, next Newton, then waltham. Ebenezer
was a ship's carpenter, and is said to have died in Cuba. Church records
show 12 children, several of whom have proved untraceable.
Gershom, born 6 Sept 1701; died 2 Feb 1769 Auburn, MA; married 25 June 1724
Rachel Gale. Resided Weston, Sutton, and Auburn. 9 children at least, of
whom only 5 are listed in Bigelow genealogy, and of these, one daughter's
marriage is incorrect, and a son's family is also incorrect.
Eleizer or Eleazer, born 14 Mar 1705; died 24 Feb 1762 at Westminster,
MA; married 24 Nov 1724 Mary Fiske. Resided Watertown and Westminster.
7 children.
Sources: Howe, Bigelow Family in America; Bond, Genealogies and History of watertown;
vital records of various Massachusetts towns.
AME
BIGELOW
James Bigelow, ninth child and sixth son of John and Mary (warren) Bigelow,
was born about 1660(the only child of this couple whose birth was not recorded) at
Watertown, Middlesex county, MA. Because no birth record can be found, doubt has
sometimes been cast as to James' parentage; his first marriage record, however,
identifies him clearly as a son of John and Mary Bigelow. He is mentioned once or
twice in Watertown town records. Samuel Sewall's diary, in the entry for 3 November
1685, says that James Bigelow was fined for insulting the lieutenant-governor.
James was married (1)25 March 1687 at Sherburne to Patience Brown, daughter
of Jonathan and Mary (Shattuck) Brown. She died at unknown date, leaving one son.
James married (2)3 July 1693 Elizabeth Child, born 24 July 1670, daughter of John
and Mary (Warren) Chijd. She died in Watertown 20 April 1707, and James married
(3)15 June 1708 Joanna Erickson of Boston.
James died in Weston, MA 20 January 1728, and his widow Joanna married (2)
8 January 1729 Adam Smith of Boston. James lived in that part of watertown set off
in 1713 as Weston.
Children of James Bigelow were all recorded in watertown as follows:
i
ii
iii
iv
James, baptised 6 May 1688; died 9 Aug 1718 Casco Bay, MA; married 1716
Mercy
, who after James' death, married (2)28 Jan 1721 John Andros
of Killingly, CT. James jr is mentioned in his grandfather^Jonathan Brown's
will as being Patience's only child; also mentioned in John Bigelow's
will, bequeathed a sum of money "if he shall live until he comes of age".
James j r left one daughter, Patience, born 25 June 1717 Weston, and married
24 Jan 1^33 at Killingly to Samuel Lawrence. This girl is the last Bigelow
of James Bigelow's line.
Patience, born 30 Sept 1693; died 23 Jan 1773 Groton, MA; married 20 Nov
1720 Samuel Wood. Lived Groton, MA. 8 children.
John, died 15 Nov 1694. Howe's Bigelow genealogy places this child second
in order, and a child of James' first wife Patience. Town records, however,
specify him as "child of James & Elizabeth", so that we are inclined to
place his birth but a short time, perhaps a matter of days or weeks, before
his death.
Abraham, born 12 Nov 1699; died 1720 Cambridge, MA; unmarried.
Sources: Howe,Bigelow Family in America; Bond, Genealogies & History of Watertown;
Sewall's Diary; vital records of various MA & CT towns.