Children of Levi and Abbie (Hastings) Bigelow, all born at Berlin, MA:
15182.4261 Martha Abby, b 18 Nov 1846; d 06 Jan
1871 Marlborough; unm.; a teacher.
15182.4262 Hannah Elizabeth, b 17 Sept
1848; d 27 May 1898; unmarried.(see below)
15182.4263 Frances Ann, b 30 Sept 1850; d
25 Sept 1869 Marlborough.
15182.4264 Levi, b 30 Nov 1852; d 04 Dec 1852
Berlin.
Sources:
Bigelow Family Genealogy Vol II page 326;
Howe, Bigelow Family of America; pg 411;
records of Bigelow Society.
Note:
Subject: Bigelow, Levi
Date: Tue, 21 Sep 1999 10:21:48 EDT
From: Janice Farnsworth Farns10th@aol.com
Source: Biographical Review p.294-296
Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Middlesex County, Massachusetts
1898 Biographical Review Pub. Co. - Boston
"Who among men art thou, and thy years how many, good friend? - Xenophanes.
Levi Bigelow, for many years an influential
citizen of Marlboro, MA, where he was born March 12, 1821, and where he
died May 5, 1879, was a son of Levi and Nancy (Ames) Bigelow, and a worthy
representative of one of the old and substantial Middlesex County
families.
He was of the eighth generation in descent
from John Biglo (or Bigelow, the
name being variously spelled), an early inhabitant of Watertown, a notice
of whose marriage thus appears in the ancient records, it being the first
recorded in that town: "1642-30-8, John Bigulah and Mary Warin joyned in
marriag before Mr. Nowell."
Mary was the daughter of John and Margaret
Warren, and is said to have been born in England. She bore her husband
thirteen children. John Biglo was a soldier in the the service from
November 25 to December 3, 1675; he was Surveyor of Highways, 1652-1660;
he was Constable in 1663 and was one of the "seven men" (i.e. Selectmen)
in 1665, 1670 and 1671. In 1690 he was made a freeman. His wife,
Mary, died on October 19, 1691 and he married on October 2, 1694, Sarah
Bemis, daughter of Joseph Bemis, of Watertown. He died July 14, 1703.
Samuel Bigelow,
son of John, born in Watertown on Oct. 28, 1653, was married June 3, 1674
to Mary, daughter of
Thomas Flagg. She was born Nov. 4, 1658, and died Sept. 7, 1720.
Samuel Bigelow was an innkeeper, and was one of the leading men in Watertown.
In 1708-1710 he represented the town in the General Court. His
will was proved on February 21, 1731.
Samuel Bigelow's son, John who was born at Watertown, May 9,
1675, died Sept. 8, 1769, married on June 12, 1696, Jerusha, daughter of
Joseph and Sarah (Gale) Garfield, of Watertown. She was born June
6, 1677 and died Jan. 16, 1750. This John Bigelow was the first of
the family to settle in Marlboro, coming to that part of the town known
as the "Farm." On the fifth day of September, 1705, he, with two other
men, was at work in that part of Lancaster, MA now Boylston, when they
were surprised by the Indians and made prisoners. They were taken to
Canada, and were detained by the French governor. Mr. Bigelow and his
companion, Sawyer, being good mechanics, they constructed for the governor
a very satisfactory saw-mill on the River Chambly, and for this service,
after some delays, were given their freedom and allowed to return in safety
to their homes.
The next in this line was Gershom Bigelow, son of John and wife,
Jerusha. He was born in Marlboro on November 13, 1714, and died January
3, 1812. His wife, Mary, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Howe, was
born June 30, 1718, and died June 9, 1802. They lived on the old homestead
and Gershom Bigelow was a highly respected and influential citizen.
He was Selectman in 1763-1764 and was a member of Capt. Abraham Williams's
company in 1757.
Gershom Bigelow's second son was Lieutenant Ivory Bigelow who was
born in Marlboro on October 7, 1741, died Feb.
14, 1804. He married August 13, 1763, Sophia, daughter of Lieut.
John Bannister and his wife, Martha (Hayward) Bannister. She was
born February 7, 1747 and died Aug. 13, 1830. The Bannister estate,
which on the death of his father-in-law passed into Lieutenant Ivory Bigelow's
hands and has been in the Bigelow family to the present time (1898). Ivory
Bigelow's title was received for meritorious service in the Revolution.
His son Gershom
Bigelow 2nd, who was born in Marlboro March 22, 1768, and died in
that place on October 27, 1847, was a farmer and a citizen held in high esteem.
He was married first on Jan. 22, 1787 to Mary, daughter of Abraham and Lydia
(Howe) Howe. She was born Feb. 22, 1769 and died April 20, 1820.
His second marriage took place on April 26, 1822, the wife being Eunice
Wilder who was born in Sterling, MA Jan. 13, 1790 and died June 17, 1873,
in Ohio. Gershom Bigelow, 2nd, had a large family of children.
Levi Bigelow,
Sr., his eldest son, known as Esquire Bigelow, was born
October 28, 1790. At the age of nineteen he began teaching school,
at first in the town of Holden, MA., and he followed that profession during
the winter for about thirty years, being a greater part of the time in Marlboro.
The remaining months of the year he devoted to farming. For a number
of years he was in company with his brother Lambert Bigelow in conducting
a general merchandise store in the western part of Marlboro, but eventually
withdrew from the firm. In addition to his farming, he did a large
amount of surveying, making out deeds, and settling estates. He was
a Justice of the Peace for thirty years, known as Esquire Bigelow.
Always interested in the subject of public education, he served for several
years on the School Board, was also Overseer of the Poor, an Assessor for
seventeen years and Representative to the legislature in 1831, 1832, 1834
and 1839. In all these positions he displayed absolute integrity,
entire devotion to the public weal, and unflinching determination to accomplish
his end when once assured that any proposed measure was for the general
good. These same qualities of firmness and clearly distinguished honor
had made him as a teacher command the respect and admiration of his pupils
and secure the most perfect obedience. Many of his
former pupils, who are today leading business men, have been known
to say that much of the success they have achieved in life has been due
to the impulse received from him while teaching. The nobility of his
character gave weight to his friendly words of counsel. His wife
was Nancy, daughter of Moses and Lydia (Brigham) Ames. She was born March
1, 1792 and died quite suddenly, Jan. 22, 1850. He died July 23,
1849.
Levi Bigelow, the younger, the subject
of this sketch, inherited many of the more prominent traits of character
of his father, Esquire Bigelow. He taught school in Marlboro for a
number of years, remaining on the home farm until his marriage.
After that event he moved to Berlin, MA, where he carried on a farm and
identifying himself with the interest of that town, served as
Selectman. About 1856 he returned to Marlboro. He at once
took a leading place in public affairs there, serving as Selectman, Assessor
and member of the School Committee. He did a large business in land
surveying, also in conveyancing, being Justice of the Peace for many
years.
In February 1846 Mr. Levi Bigelow Jr. was
united in marriage with Abigail, daughter of Ephraim Hastings, of Berlin.
Four children blessed this union. They were as follows: Martha
Abigail Bigelow b. Nov. 18, 1846 and died Jan. 6, 1871, having been a
very successful teacher; Hannah Elizabeth Bigelow b. Sept. 17, 1848;
Frances Ann Bigelow, b. Sept. 30, 1850 and died Sept. 25, 1869; and a
son who died in infancy. Mrs. Bigelow died May l, 1873.
Miss Hannah Bigelow was a woman of education
and of philanthropic spirit, and contributed much to the welfare of her
native town. She was graduated in 1876 from the Women's Medical College
of Philadelphia and shortly after went to Europe where she spent three
years studying in the hospitals and other medical institutions. She returned
to America with the intention of practising her profession, but the death
of her father a week after her return left her with a large estate to manage;
and she found it necessary to devote a large amount of to looking after
her financial interest. She was active in social and educational
circles. She was a member of the D.A.R., and of the Marlboro Public
Library Committee and of the Unitarian Parish. She was instrumental
in organizing the Marlboro Hospital.
All worthy charities and benevolences found in her a generous and in-
fluential friend, and she was a warm champion of every movement looking
toward the improvement of the town or the welfare of its citizens.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
More on Hannah:
From History of Marlborough:
In an era when American women were just beginning to demand equal rights,
it is somewhat surprising to realize that here in Marlborough it was a
woman - and an M.D. at that - who had the vision and drive to bring about
the actual founding of Marlborough Hospital. Strangely enough, Dr. Hannah
Elizabeth Bigelow never practiced her profession, but her education at Women's
Medical College of Philadelphia, led her to appreciate the place a hospital
should hold in every community. As to why she never practiced medicine,
research had dug up only theories, that perhaps she was too busy traveling
and looking after the many real estate holdings that her father, Levi Bigelow,
had left her. Among her travels, she ventured to Europe once or twice, an
accomplishment in itself in the 1800's. Miss Bigelow was born September
18, 1848 in nearby Berlin on the family homestead. Her parents moved to
Marlborough soon afterward, and here she remained for the rest of her life.
During her lifetime, which was abruptly ended by a stroke at the age
of 49, she became one of the city's leading ladies for her philanthropic
and charitable deeds, many of which were known only to herself. An acquaintance
noted that she was "very generous to the needy throughout her life, and
seldom indeed were those who sought her assistance sent away empty handed."
rodbigelow@netzero.net 
