Person:John Bigelow (26)

John Biglo, 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. Rebound 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, baptized 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 baptized 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. It is probable that John Biglow and/or Mary Warren came over on one of the ships of the Winthrop Fleet.

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. Ella Biglow's book, Reminiscences of Historic Marlborouqh, MA, contains a fictional description of John at his wedding, in white satin breeches, ruffled shirt, and silver shoe buckles. There is also a docu-drama book called The Winthrop Woman, that is very well researched. On page 250, there is related a cannon-ball pitching contest between Will Hallet and "his opponent -- Bigelow, the blacksmith." The contest was held in the Common of "little Boston", on Election Day in the mid to late 1630's. The book relates the life of Elizabeth, a grand-daughter of John Winthrop, and a passenger on one of the ships of the same Winthrop Fleet.

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; under 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 Philip's War] we find the names of John Bigulah Sr, Michael Flegg, and Isaac Leonard, the last 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 quote: "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 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 Ives 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. Inventory of estate at 627 lbs. solid middle class. funeral expenses included 20 gal wine, allspice & sugar, 2 men & hrses to carry the wine, 2 men & horses to notify Isaac Learned & wife at Sherberne and John Stearns at Billerica to attend funeral.

Estate

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 prais 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.

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 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 aft

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.

10thly. I give & bequeath to my daughter Sarah Learned, 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.

Signed, seald & Published Sam'l Livermore Daniel Harrington Witnesses Munning Sawin"

his JOHN x BIGLO mark

The inventory of John Biglo's estate amounted to L 627-12-00. This was a middle-class 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".

1.   Bigelow Society.
2. ↑ Howe, Gilman Bigelow. Genealogy of the Bigelow family of America: from the marriage in 1642 of John Biglo and Mary Warren to the year 1890. (Worcester, Mass.: Charles Hamilton, 1890)
   p. 17.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862)
   Vol. 1, p. 175.

   JOHN, Watertown 1636, blacksmith,
   found by Mr. Somerby to be s. of Randle of Wrentham in Co.
   Suffk. and bapt. 16 Feb. 1617, of course by the hand of Rev. John
   Philip, the rector, who came to our country two yrs. after B. and liv.
   some time at Dedham, but on the overthrow of the Bishops' domination
   in Eng. went back to his. old living. He m. 30 Oct. 1642, Mary, d. of
   John Warren, wh., Bond says, was the earliest m. on town rec. Had John,
   b. 27 Oct. foll.; Jonathan, 11 Dec. 1646; Mary, 14 or 18 Mar. 1649;
   Daniel, 1 Dec. 1650; Samuel, 28 Oct. 1653; Joshua, 5 Nov. 1655;
   Elizabeth 15 or 18 June 1657; Sarah, 29 Sept. 1659; James; Martha, 1
   Apr. 1662; Abigail, 4 Feb. 1664; Hannah, Mar. 1666, d. very soon, as
   did, also, a s. without name in Dec. 1667. His w. d. 19 Oct. 1691, and
   he m. 2 Oct. 1694, Sarah, d. of Joseph Bemis of W. and d. 14 July
   1703. His will of 4 Jan. of that yr. was pro. 28 July foll. His inv.
   shows good est.

4. ↑ Massachusetts, United States. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620–1988: [database on-line]. (Provo, Utah, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011)
   Watertown.

   John Bigle, aged 86, deceased July 14, 1703.

5. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   John Begely, bpt. 16 Feb 1616, Wrentham, Suffolk. Parents Randly, Jane.

6. ↑ 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 Ives 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.(His will is quoted in it's entirety after his children list)

Founders of Watertown, MA

Located along the Charles River, Watertown was one of the first settlements in Massachusetts Bay Colony. After a brief stay by Roger Clapp and others who then went on to settle Dorchester. In late July 1630, Sir Richard Saltonstall led a group of about 115 households to settle at Watertown, which at the time included parts of present-day Cambridge and much of the surrounding area; the population approached Boston's in the mid 17th century. In 1632 the residents of Watertown protested against being compelled to pay a tax for the erection of a stockade fort at Cambridge; leading to the establishment of representative government in the colony. Full list of original heads of households See also: History of Watertown - Wikipedia entry - Richard Saltonstall on Wikipedia Watertown Founders' Monument Current Location: Middlesex County, Massachusetts   Parent Towns: None   Daughter Towns: Cambridge, Weston, Waltham, Belmont, Lincoln