Family History 2.31

Bigelow History: post-1630

from Bigelow Society Website

John Biglo, Immigrant Ancestor

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     The immigrant ancestor of nearly all persons in North America, and elsewhere, 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.

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.

     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.

To Watertown, Massachusetts    

 

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. It is also probable that they would have had to do so by budgeting solely based upon their own personal budget.

     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.

      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."

 Later Life   

 

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.