John Bigelow was born circa 1677 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut to Jonathan Bigelow (1646-1711) and Rebecca Shepard (1650-1686) and died 25 October 1733 Hanover, Hunterdon County, New Jersey of unspecified causes. He married Abigail Richards 11 January 1710 .
Biography
Headstone of John Bigelow at Old Whippany Burying Ground.
John 3 BIGELOW, second son and third child of Jonathan 2, (John 1), and Rebecca (SHEPARD) BIGELOW, was born circa 1677 in Hartford, Hartford co, CT. He was married 11 January 1710 to Abigail Richards, daughter of John RICHARDS. They lived for a short time in Glastonbury, CT, where he was a large landowner; his name appears on a tax list of 1713. His father gave him 270 acres in Glastonbury on 13 November 1709.
1716 Move to New Jersey
A portion of this he sold 22 December 1716, and probably moved that year to Hanover, Hunterdon co, NJ, as his name does not appear on Glastonbury records in 1718. On 08 December 1719 he sold the last of his Glastonbury property and was then "of Hanover, Hunterdon, Providence of West Jersey, and sometime of Glastonbury, CT." There are few further records. In 1723 he was tax-collector in Hanover. A history of New Jersey states he was a farmer and foundryman, having established a bloomary along the Whippany, as did many other early Jersey residents. (Another source claims him as a ship builder.) His biography, written in that volume by Samuel Fowler BIGELOW, states there were "several daughters and sons John, Daniel, Samuel, Jonathan and Joshua." Howe mentions that as early as 1753, an Aaron BIGELOW, presumed to be another son, owned a forge or ironworks with John jr in Hanover.
Pequannoc Remonstrance
Several of the sons and grandsons signed the Pequannoc Remonstrance ( see Encyclopedia and Biographies of NJ). From this we realize that some of the sons left issue, but we have records of the marriages of only three, and less concerning the families.
Final Days
Abigail died 05 September 1749 and is buried in Old Whippany Burying Ground (donated by her father John Richards in 1718; it is northwest New Jersey's first and oldest burial ground. ). John is also buried there, having died 25 October 1733 (stone). (25 Dec 1733; 25 July 1733 are errors) See also early probate and wills of New Jersey, in which a partial listing of valuables is included.
Marriage of John and Abigail Bigelow
List of Children
- Daughter Bigelow
- Daugther Bigelow
- Daughter Bigelow
- Daughter Bigelow
- John, b circa 1720 Hanover, NJ; d Feb 1773 Hanover; m Elizabeth DICKERSON. 9 children (8 listed in Howe).
- Aaron, b circa 1722 Hanover, NJ; living 1753. (see note)
- Daniel.
- Samuel, m 28 July 1767 Elizabeth CONRON, and had issue. Naval Capt. in Rev. War.
- Jonathan, m 14 Apr 1752 Sarah LADD.
- Joshua.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| John Bigelow (1720-1773) | |||
| Aaron Bigelow (1722-1753) | |||
| Daniel Bigelow (1724-) | |||
| Samuel Bigelow (1726-) | |||
| Jonathan Bigelow (1728-) | |||
| Joshua Bigelow (1730-) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Jonathan Bigelow (1673-1749) | 22 March 1673 Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut | 29 July 1749 Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut | Mabel Edwards (1685-1765) |
| Rebecca Bigelow (1675-1725) | |||
| John Bigelow (1677-1733) | 1677 Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut | 25 October 1733 Hanover, Hunterdon County, New Jersey | Abigail Richards |
| Mary Bigelow (1679-1725) | 1679 Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut | 1716 Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut | John Williams (1662-) |
| Sarah Bigelow (1681-1754) | 1678 Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut | 13 October 1754 Colchester, New London County, Connecticut | John Bigelow (1681-1770) |
| Violet Bigelow (1683-1740) | |||
| Samuel Bigelow (1685-1686) | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Abigail Bigelow (1690-) | |||
| Joseph Bigelow (1691-1731) | |||
| Daniel Bigelow (1693-1733) | |||
| Samuel Bigelow (1695-1748) | |||
| Child Bigelow (1697-1697) | |||
References
- History of John Bigelow - Bigelow Family History Society
- Bigelow Family Genealogy, Vol I page 19-20;
- Howe, Bigelow Family of America, page 30-31; * Biographies and Encyclopedia of NJ; several NJ histories; NJ Archives, early wills and probate; Early New Jersy marriages;
- Bigelow-Clevenger Bible records from NEHG Register, 1961, pp. 310-311.
- Forge: The Bigelow Society Quarterly, vol.27, no 1; p.06, Jan 1998.
- Forge: The Bigelow Society Quarterly, vol.28, no 1; p.15, Jan 1999: