< rodbigelow@netzero.net > 
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Children of James Amasa and Agnes Elizabeth (French)
Bigelow:
1592C.2321 Ernest, b _____ ; d ______ ;
1592C.2322 Amasa, b _____ ; d ______ ;
1592C.2323 Cora Malvena, b _____ ; d ______ ; m John Quinn; 4 children (see below)
1592C.2324 Cliff, b _____ ; d ______ ;
1592C.2325 Charles, b _____ ; d ______ ;
1592C.2326 Henry Louis, b ___ 1888; d ____1956 ; m Ellen (nee Hannah); 6 children; (see below)
1592C.2327 Agnes Elizabeth,
b 10 Jan 1892 ; d 09 July 1959 ; m Charles Edward Harradine (b: 26 Oct 1889
d: 30 May 1943); 5 children; res. Sydney, Australia; NEW (see below)
1592C.2328 Cyril, b _____ ; d ______ ;
1592C.2329 Lillah, b _____
; d ______ ; m Jack Knight ( 3 dau lived on the northern beaches of Sydney
2008: June, Betty- Emma (deceased), and Pam)
Sources:
Bigelow Society,The Bigelow Family Genealogy, Vol
I, pg 280;
Addendum Oct 2006;
Howe, Bigelow Family of America;
Research of Larry Nelson Baxter.
Note 04/19/2008:
Subject: James Amasa Bigelow (born 1852 Nova Scotia **NZ-Aust.)
Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:48:25 +1000
From: "Robyn Futcher" < rfutcher@bigpond.net.au >
Dear Rod
Thank you so much for all the hard work you've done, researching the Bigelow
Family. I've only just stumbled across this website and have been delighted
to find out so much about my family's history.
My (maternal) Great Grandfather is James Amasa Bigelow (born 1852
in Nova Scotia) and my Great Grandmother is Agnes Elizabeth French.
They married in 1875.
My Grandmother is Agnes Elizabeth Bigelow (b: 10 Jan 1892 d: 9 Jul
1959) who married Charles Edward Harradine (b: 26 Oct 1889 d: 30 May 1943)
Agnes and Charles (Ted) had five children and lived in Sydney, Australia.
Heather Lillah (b. 19 Mar 1922 d. 7 Nov 2001) - 5 children
Edward Amasa (b. 8 Jul 1924 d. 12 Sep 1970) - 4 children
Joy Lorraine (b. 11 Jul 1928 d. 14 Mar 1995) - 1 son (deceased)
Yvonne Mercia (b. 13 Nov 1929.....) - 3 children
Noel Robert (b. 14 Oct 1936.....) - 4 children
My mother, Yvonne has told me many stories over the years of her childhood
memories. The Bigelow's were indeed a very musical family! Grandmother
Agnes' singing voice was "like a bell" said her proud grandaughter.
Yvonne remembers all her uncles and aunts and mother, singing at weddings
and parties entertaining friends with their amazing voices.
Her mother, Agnes played the piano by ear and was a very talented musician,
who had the privilege of playing for Peter Dawson (Australian singer), when
they were both at the same party. Aggie pretended to read the sheet
music while she played and he sang...Peter was the only one who picked up
on the fact that she couldn't read a note (Agnes forgot to turn the page..)
They both had a laugh about it afterwards....
One of the things that Yvonne remembers is that her Grandfather, James Amasa
was an inventor (his one claim to fame was inventing the beer tap)...the
family were either very wealthy or at other times, very poor ...Grandfather
would spend all the money on inventions.
Yvonne's aunt Lillah married Jack Knight and had three daughters and lived
on the northern beaches of Sydney.
June - 4 children
Betty-Emma (deceased)
Pam - 4 children
That's enough to be starting with, I guess....Thanks again for opening up
a whole new world of family genealogy for me! I can see myself spending
hours on the internet doing research now..... is that a good thing or not???
lol
With kindest regards
Robyn Futcher
1. Great grandmother Agnes Elizabeth Bigelow, with her two daughters
Agnes & Lillah
2. The three sisters, Bigelow - Agnes, Cora and Lillah
Note3:
Subject: Bigelow descendent!
Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 16:15:31 +1000
From: Leonette Hathorn Leonette47@hotmail.com
Dear Rod
On browsing the net, I came across the Bigelow
Family Tree and was most interested to discover that I have
relations all over the world that I have never even heard
of, let alone met. Allow me to introduce myself, my name
is Leonette Hathorn (nee van der Walt). Born in Sydney, Australia
on 26 July 1947 daughter of Violet Agnes Ruby Quinn and Rudolph Stephanus
van der Walt...but I am leaping ahead!
I have managed to ascertain via numerous sources
that I am a direct descendent of Amasa Bigelow born 11
February 1755 in Colchester, Connecticut. He being
the son of Isaac Bigelow and Abigail Skinner and great great grandson
of John Biglo. My great grandfather was James Amasa Bigelow
born 19 April 1852 in Pugwash, Nova Scotia who married Agnes Elizabeth
French in Auckland, New Zealand on 22 July 1875, my grandmother
was Cora Malvena Bigelow one of nine children born to them.
Cora Malvena married John Quinn and this is where I come unstuck as
unfortunately I do not have dates of marriage between my grandparents.
My mother Violet Agnes Ruby Quinn born 17 November 1908, is one of
four children (and still alive). I have some sketchy information
on the Bigelow genealogy but there are so many - where does one start.
Thanks to the internet some of the pieces of puzzle have been found.
I would appreciate information on the prospect of joining the Bigelow
Society once my heritage is ascertained and look forward to hearing
from you by return.
Yours sincerely
Leonette Hathorn
More on James Amasa
Subject: bigelow family info
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2007 10:55:05 +0000
From: Christine Morris < tarraganda@hotmail.com >
Hi my name is Christine Morris (nee Evans) my mother is Marjorie Evans
(nee Bigelow) we live in Australia.
I have just discovered the Bigelow site ..... I can't believe how
wonderful it is.... such an amazing amount of work and such a pleasure to
use.
My lineage is ....
Christine(11) Marjorie(10)Henry(9)James Amasa(8)John(7)John(6)Amasa(5)Isaac(4)Isaac(3)Samuel(2)John(1).
I have 4 children who are also very interested in all this....
My mother has just turned 90 and has written her memoirs and it
was from this that I have been able to piece together so much information
in just 1 afternoon. Thank you for the part you have played in enabling this.
The photographs and stories have certainly been fascinating to read ... I
have made the effort to Email some of the people who I have found that I am
related to and I'm hoping to make some worthwhile family connections ... particularly
while my Mum is still alive to get some pleasure from and maybe befefit the
family with some of her amazing memories of the Australian branch and some
of the New Zealand Branch as well.
More:
I cannot get any further info from your data past James Amasa Bigelow
m Agnes French in Auckland NZ.
My Grandfather Henry Louis Bigelow (born 1888) was the son of Amasa (James)
and Agnes. 6th of 9 children.
Ernest, Amasa, Cora, Cliff, Charles, Henry, Agnes, Cyril and Lillah.
My Mother believes Amasa and Agnes both died in Sydney NSW. To my Knowledge
2 of Lillah's daughters are also still living in Sydney as is my Mother
Marjorie.
My Mother is one of 6 children born to Henry and Ellen (nee Hannah).
We have become quite a large branch of the family. My Mother had been
in contact with one of her cousins who was Madeline Quinn (nee Bigelow) and
has detail of her children.
I'm sure we could furnish you with added details which could be added
to the Web Site.
Regards
Christine.
From Guestbook:
My Mother was Marjorie Helen Bigelow (born 25/9/1917) She is still living.
Her Father was Henry Louis Bigelow,Born 1888, died 1956)one of nine children...Ernest,Amasa,Cora,Cliff,Charles,Henry,Agnes,Cyril,Lillah.
Their father immigrated first to New Zealand and then Australia from Nova
Scotia. He and 2 of his brothers were ship builders.My mother Marjorie was
one of 6 children, they have all remained in Australia and reared families.
I was just amazed at the extent of names on the Bigelow Family Tree . I
believe some research has been carried out on our family tree but would
be grateful for any information that might be relevent.
More from Christine:
The Bigelow network seems enormous. It is hard to comprehend that it was
only last Saturday that I actually discovered the Society and within this
week have recieved so many Emails from interested and interesting people.
We Australian Bigelows seem small in number by American standards but our
particular family is very close and my Mother especially keeps us altogether.
She is a very diligent "corresponder".
I have a huge interest in History and enjoy dabbling
in all this but have only limited time to contribute, but I am only too
willing to do what I can to fill in the gaps. My Mother is 90 and has a great
memory, so I'm sure she will be an invaluable help. My cousin Paul Bigelow
also left a message on the Guest Book back in 2001 ... I believe he has
been fossicking around in this also. He visited my Mother recently and spoke
of some the intersting information he has sourced, so he too may be willing
to assist with some of this. He is nearing retirement and he may have more
time to commit than myself. He is quite shy (unlike me!) and maybe he and
I could be a good team.
I live in rural NSW on a property. My husband and I with the assistance of
our 4 children are involved with breeding and showing Poll Shorthorn Cattle.
So my isolation makes some of the research a little slower. Fortunately
the computer age has enabled me to keep up to date and in touch with family.
The pages I have browsed through on the Society pages have been so
interesting. I'm sure I have only just scratched the surface. I have had
several Emails from a Mike Biglow who is a wealth of knowledge and has passed
on some fascinating information which I have already shared with my brother
who lives near my Mother. She is thrilled to have so much of her heritage
explained.
I tried to contact Leonette Hathorn. The email address is no longer current.
My mother remembers both her mother, Violet and gr mother Cora. I am
hoping that somehow we may track her down so she can talk to my Mother about
her past. I think my Mum could fill in some details for her. Perhaps she
has remarried or moved overseas ... a lot of water can go under the bridge
in 6 years. I'm sure these are the frustrations of family genealogy.
I have
also made contact with a Richard Bigelow here in Australia and he is going
to put me in touch with his parents who have also been doing some research.
A Ken Mutch in New Zealand has an enormous amount of Bigelow research to
share ... his wife is a descendant of John Bigelow who my Gr Grandfather
James Amasa (known as Amasa) left Pugwash with. My mothers cousin Jim (James
Bigelow) had done quite a lot of research and had shared it with Ken Mutch.
Jim's research material has been passed on to his neice Jennifer (nee Quinn).
My Mother was very close to these cousins and helped Jim to keep her immediate
families details quite current.
We have
no idea why Amasa left John in New Zealand and travelled and settled here
in Australia.
As you are interested in history you may be interested in my Mother's
memories. She remembers that James Amasa Bigelow (known as Amasa) her Grand
Father was apparentaly an inventor of some kind.(she says he wasn't very
good and had some fanciful ideas that didn't amount to much). We have
no idea why he left his brother in New Zealand after travelling from Pugwash. The
ship building business they began in New Zealand seemed to be going well
but he and his wife came on here to Australia. Perhaps like many others he
had heard of the Gold Rush here and thought he would make his fortune...
but no evidence to suggest this was really the case. He died when her father
Henry Louis was about 12 and left the family in very poor circumstances.
Henry was the sixth of 9 children ... hence the number of Bigelows in Australia.
At 12 my Grand Father had to
find work and left home with just a small bag to make his way in the world.
These are the stories that bring the family tree to life and I am very conscious
of the need to keep the records of these details. The anecdotal stories that
I have heard my Mother and the family speak of with great humour and fondness
need to be recorded not just for our sake but also the further extended
relatives who would find the Australian story interesting. My Grand Father
and his siblings were extremely musical and travelled around NSW performing
with a Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta Company.
The musical trait has been evident
in many of their children, grand children and now great grandchildren. Our
family "get to gethers" have always been opportunities for us to share our
music around the piano etc. One of my sons is particularly talented and has
had the lead roles in Les Miserable, Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof
and My Fair Lady musicals and in his progam profile always makes mention
of his Gr Grand Father's Talents that he feels he has inherited. Both my
parents were singers and I am also a trained singer, and my eldest daughter
has a lovely voice and hopes to do more with that when she finishes studying
at University. Another cousin and his wife were also very musical and it
was through them and music that I met my husband. Their son is also involved
with theatre and he is studying this at University. We have often wondered
where Billy Bigelow came from ... Carousel has always been a favourite musical.
Mike Biglow gave us an explanation regarding this. I'm sure there are many
more interesting stories rattling around in the archives, waiting to be
told.
Again thank you for contacting
me. I will be spending some extended time with my Mother over the Christmas
Festive Season and will endeavour to engage her services to get the ball
rolling on this branch of the family.
With Fondest Regards
Christine.
Reply:
The Bigelow Society received an e-mail from Leonette (van der Walt) Hathorn,
Leonette47@hotmail.com, 10 May 2001. She is the granddaughter of Cora
Malvena Bigelow who married John Quinn and who is the daughter James Amasa
and Agnes Elizabeth (French) Bigelow. I am not sure that this e-mail address
is current but it would/could be of help to you in contacting Leonette. I
am guessing that she lives in Sydney.
< rodbigelow@netzero.net >