Oliver 6 BIGELOW

Esther Gardner

(other source refers to her as Esther Harding)

Children of Dr. Oliver and Esther (Gardner) Bigelow, all born Luzerne co, PA:

16321.11 Anna, called Nancy, b 21 Nov 1789; d 13 Apr (20 June?) 1870 Lansing, NY; m Garrett Goodwin Gibbs of Lansing, NY(now part of Ithaca, NY). Garrett's father and uncle were the first white settlers in that area. Full family not known.

16321.12t Esther, b 11 Sept 1792; d 08 Mar 1856 Fredericksburg, Bremer co, IA; m Peter Walling.

16321.13 Oliver, b 01 May 1794; in 1850 res Lansing, NY; unm.

16321.14 Sabra, b 20 Jan 1797; d 10 May 1817 Genoa, NY; unm.

16321.15 Lydia, b 15 Dec 1798; d 20 June 1874 Lansing, NY; marriage unknown.

16321.16 Eunice, b 23 Apr 1801; d 18 Apr 1816 Johnstown, OH; unm.

16321.17 Harriet, b 02 July 1809; d 24 May 1840 Owega, NY; m ____ Johnson and left issue.

Sources:

Bigelow Society,The Bigelow Family Genealogy Vol I, pg 330;

Howe, Bigelow Family of America; pg #1138

Bible inscriptions, Esther Bigelow Bible, from volume at NSDAR Library;

history of Bremer co, IA;

correspondence with Walling descendants;

Forge: The Bigelow Society Quarterly; vol 16; no 4; Oct 1987; page 75; (see will)

Forge: The Bigelow Society Quarterly; vol 8; page 53;

Forge: The Bigelow Society Quarterly; vol 12; page 66;



Dr. Oliver Bigelow's Will



Do you remember Dr. Oliver Bigelow—#1138 in Howe, #16321.1 in our new genealogy? Also he was featured in Forge, Vol. 8, page 53, and his descendants in Vol. 12, page 66. Now from reader Elizabeth Bills of Burlingame, CA we have additional facts:

Summing up, Oliver was born 23 Dec 1759 CT; married 25 Jan 1786 Esther Gardner; died 06 Nov 1817 Licking county, OH. He was a surgeon in the Revolutionary War; after his marriage he settled in Luzerne co, PA, then Tompkins co, NY, then founded Johnstown, Licking co, OH. Following are extracts of his will and probate records, dated 11 Apr 1820 at Tompkins co, NY:

A codicil names wife Esther as executrix, and in addition to her share of the estate, Oliver named heirs only son Oliver jr.; oldest daughter Anna, known as Nancy Gibbs; second daughter Esther (the will states if she were to marry Peter Walling she is to have only a Bible and 10 cents; third, fourth, and fifth daughters: Sabra, Lydia, and Eu­nice (who died in 1817); and youngest daughter Harriet, who was to receive her mother's clothing and gold beads and $100, to be put at interest until she be 21 years of age.

By the time of probate, Esther had married Peter Walling against her father's will, so she forfeited her share of the estate. Whatever Oliver's grudge against Peter Walling, he and Esther moved to Iowa and succeeded there, without Oliver's blessing.

SOURCES: Howe, op. cit.; Bigelow Society, op. cit.; New York Probate Records 1817-1851.

Descendant note:

For any who are interested I am a direct descendent of Dr. Asa Ambrose Bigelow of Toledo, Ohio through his son William Edgar, grandson Chester Charles Sr. and Great grandson Chester Charles Jr. I have marriage and birth documentation for William Edgar which shows his father and mother. I would like to collaborate with Bigelows searching revolutionary war service by Oliver 6, John 5 or John 6, and the land aquisition by them that resulted in the founding of Johnstown, Ohio.

Chester Charles Bigelow III email ccbigelow@aol.com

More from Chester:

Subject: Re: [Fwd: Oliver Bigelow]

Date: Wed, 14 May 2003 09:51:12 -0400

From: Ccbigelow@aol.com

I am descended from one of Oliver's younger brothers who accompanied him to Ohio from Connecticutt etc... I do not know if there are descendants remaining in Ohio from this line, I do know there are descendants remaining in Ohio from his brothers line, my father and uncles. I have queried them and they are not familiar enough to point me in a direction that would help.



My name is Dee Marks and I am with the Johnstown Historical Society in

Johnstown, Ohio. Johnstown was founded by Dr. Oliver Bigelow and he is

buried in the Johnstown Cemetery. An Ohio Bicentennial Historial Marker at

the cemetery street entrance will be dedicated this 4th of July at 9:00 am.

The Johnstown community would like to have member's of Oliver's family

present for the program. Is there any possibility that could happen, are

there any family members that live in Ohio or close by?? The plaque will

honor Dr. Oliver Bigelow the founder of our village and the Revolution, War

of 1812 and Civil War Veterans, and we would be honored to have any family

members present. Any assistance will be appreciated. Dee



Note: E-mail from Chester Bigelow prior to 6/1/1998 to (Don who forwarded it to JEL,) states possible confusion with Elihu, son of Oliver's brother John 16321.6 (R8147), since that Elihu was born 5 Sep 1792, and died 9 Nov 1821 Johnstown, Licking Co., Ohio where Oliver had settled and where he was founder of Johnstown, Ohio. This Elihu, however, was born the same month as Esther, 2nd child of Oliver ---Bigelow Society, "The Bigelow Family Genealogy," Vol. 1, pg 330. Could this be an error? Loring L. Bigelow wrote that he would need more clarification on this 11-8-98.

In the e-mail, Chester mentions this Elihu as being BORN in Johnstown, Licking Co., Ohio -- which the book doesn't say -- it states he died there but was born in Colchester, New London Co., Connecticut. So he could have gone to where his uncle was sometime before death in 1821.

See Bigelow Society Quarterly, "FORGE," Jan 2000, Vol. 29, No. 1, article: "Clare Bigelow Sheppard, St. Albans, Vermont, discovered the following letter and genealogical information tucked into her old Gilman Bigelow Howe Genealogy. Her mother, Stephanie Siney Bigelow, met "Theo", author of this letter in 1964, when they discovered they were descended from the same Bigelow branch."

Sources: Howe, "Bigelow Family of America;"

Bible inscriptions, Esther Bigelow Bible, from volume at NSDAR Library;

history of Bremer Co., Iowa;

correspondence with Walling descendants

09 Feb 1998, letter from descendant, Clare Bigelow Sheppard, 53 Smith St., St. Albans, Vermont 05478, with "mysterious" correspondence she just discovered tucked in her old Gilman Bigelow Howe book, "The Bigelow Family of America." She writes: "Apparently my mother, Stephanie Siney Bigelow, met "Theo" in 1964, possibly doing DAR activities. The envelope is missing, so we have no address."

"It is interesting that "Theo" tells that she sent family information to the New York Library at 42nd St. in 1964. I wonder if it is still there. Of course, you may already have these fragments, and hopefully a much fuller picture."

"I practiced on a worksheet, but was stumped when I noticed two of Sabra but no Oliver, Jr. I hope he isn't lost. He may be in the 42nd St. packet of 1964!"

See material copied and in file folder of Clare Bigelow Sheppard. Materials she sent were copied and mailed to Anne Phillips, Editor of Forge; and Loring L. Bigelow, to verify and check for addenda items. Originals in file folder.

"Theo" who wrote letters 1964 to Clare's mother writes: "In Howe's record he shows Oliver born 1759, married ??? and that is all. He was apparently a great disappointment to his family. I have letters written by his grandaughter born 1812 and as that was not too long after the Revolution, I take it that she knew her grandparents well--and their story. His parents were well-to-do and lived in Colchester, Connecticut. They educated him as a doctor and she said he had 7 years of higher education. He volunteered his services aboard the "Jersey" vilest of the prison ships. Then he settled down to a practice in Pittston, Pennsylvania. After a few years there he was unhappy because the periodic overflow of the Susquehenna River washed his crops away. He moved up into New York state and did not like it there, so on by covered wagon to Marietta, Ohio he went. When he died his parents remembered his wife, Esther in the will but thought he had had his share in education. Poor Oliver! I wonder what he was looking for. I have his family bible and also sent information to the 42nd St. Library and hope they inserted it in Gilman Howe's book. Imagine how many of their descendants may have been searching in vain while I have the bible and the records.

"Did you know that the marriage of John and Mary (Warren) Bigelow was the first registered marriage in Watertown, Massachusetts?

"And did you know that John Warren was fined 5 pounds and some shillings for 'skipping ten sabath day services in a row?' I'm still smiling at that.

He was said to be a prosperous yeoman in England. [Loring writes: He was only a teenager in England, how could he baa "prosperous yeoman" in England?

"Was it 'the winthrop Woman' written several years ago which portrayed Goody Warren as a tremendous gossip? That annoyed me but I found, in the author's notes in the back, that she explained that most of her characters were taken from actual people and their handwriting depicted their characters in the book. Well, I can't argue with her on that point."

"Incidentally, we stopped for a bite to eat last summer, in a tiny town in NE Connecticut. Have often wondered if that is where he hied away to when he fled Watertown for that church business. The town is named Warren." ["Loring: I doubt this."] .........signed "Theo"

In July 1998, Chester C. Bigelow III, 1923 Wilmington Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23227, e-mail: Ccbigelow@aol.com, states that Oliver and Esther (Gardner) Bigelow resided in Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania; Thompkins Co., New York; and Licking Co., Ohio. Served in the Revolutionary War, and had 7 children. (Bigelow Society, "The Bigelow Family Genealogy,"Vol. 1, pg 330.

Oliver Bigelow and Esther Harding, born in Colchester, Conn., in 1759, belonged to most worthy and patriotic families, well known in the early history of the commonwealth of Connecticut. Having finished a course of academic study, Oliver Bigelow enlisted as a soldier in the army of the revolution. After the war he graduated from a medical course. For a short time he practiced medicine in Goshen, N.Y., to which place the Hardings and others went, in consequence of the desolation of the Wyoming Valley, where they had settled before the war. They afterward left Goshen and returned to the valley. At the time of the memorable "Wyoming Massacre" in 1778, when the fort was about to fall into the hands of Indians, two brothers of Esther Harding were slain. The lead in the fort was buried. Esther, then eighteen years old, assisted by a colored girl, took the powder in a leather sack to the river and sunk it. Though seen by the savages, they reached the fort in safety. For six months Esther was a captive among the Indians. Dr. Oliver Bigelow and Esther Harding were married in 1786. To them were born five daughters and one son. The eldest of these, Nancy, married Gerritt Goodwin Gibbs (son of Samuel above mentioned). They had four sons and four daughters. Of these children, Barney Barzillai, the subject of this notice, was the fifth, and the third son.



Modified - 07/12/2010

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Rod Bigelow (Roger Jon12 BIGELOW)