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ISRAEL ELIPHAZ BIGELOW, retired, Plain City, was born at Adamsburg, Westmoreland Co., Penn., June 7, 1825. He
was a son of Dr. Daniel K. and Lydia (Custer) Bigelow, the former a native of Saratoga County, N. Y., and the latter
of Fayette County, Penn They were married in Fayette County, and, coming West in 1831, settled on a farm adjoining
Plain City, where both died he November 10, 1850, and she November 14, 1854. Their family consisted of six boys
and five girls, of whom four boys and two girls are living. The father was one of five sons of Dr. Israel Bigelow,
who came to Ohio in 1828. These sons were all physicians, and all, with one exception, life practitioners. The
town of Plain City was for a time called Bigelow Town, in honor of the senior Dr. Bigelow. The subject of this
sketch was the second of his parents' children. He came West with his parents, and remained at home until twenty
two years of age. when he engaged in farming on land adjoining Plain City. He had previously read medicine with
a view of adopting the profession, but for reasons satisfactory to himself, decided not to continue his studies
in that direction. On June 27, 1847, he married Betsey M. Smith, who was born in, Vermont October 31, 1828, and
was a daughter of Capt. E. C. and Trena (Doty) Smith, natives of Vermont. The father was Captain of a company of
militia, and for a short time served in the war of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Bigelow have had seven children, viz. : Lydia
Irena, born July 31, 1848, and died at the age of twenty two years; Clarence E. a grocer of Plain City, born November
20, 1851, and, on March 19, 1871, married Mary, daughter of Luther Lane, who died November 26, 1874, and on December
22, 1877, he married Catharine J., daughter of Charles and Mary Ann (Beard) Shipman; an infant son died aged four
months; Eliphaz McClellan, born April 16, 1862, and married Elizabeth, daughter of William and Jane (Phillips)
Manning; Daniel Crocker, a farmer, at home, born September 1, 1864, Emmett Custer, born March 19, 1867, and now
engaged in a jewelry store in Plain City; and Charles Smith, who died March 13, 1870, aged one year. Mr. Bigelow
followed farming for ten years after marriage. In 1857, he was appointed Postmaster at Plain City, and to this
occupation added merchandising. After six years' service, he resigned the office of Postmaster, and became engaged
in the warehouse at Plain City, and as agent of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad, in which he
continued two years and four months, when he again entered the ranks as a merchant, and so continued until 1879.
when he retired from active business life. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity of the Royal Arch degree, and
of the Universalist Church. In politics, he is a Democrat. He recently visited the Bigelow family in the East,
and paid his respects to 100 living deascendants of two of his father's brothers, Drs. Lebbeus L. and Eliphaz Bigelow.
He also visited over forty descendants of his Grandfather Custer, who was a full cousin to Gen. George Washington.
A gold headed cane and a gold watch, originally owned by his great great grandfather, Isaac Bigelow, have been
handed down from generation to generation through the name of Isaac, and are now in possession of the ex Mayor
of Newark, Ohio, who represents the fifth generation, and at his death they pass to the next oldest Isaac then
living. The subject of this sketch has filled most of the minor offices of the township, including Justice of the
Peace from 1870 to 1873. He was also elected Mayor of Plain City at the same time, and served one year, but then
resigned the office He was reelected in 1881, and served one year more. He was appointed and commissioned Seventieth
Census Enumerator of the Fifth Ohio District, and discharged the duties of his office to the entire satisfaction
of his superiors. Mr. Bigelow has two grandchildren, viz., Bertha J., born June 30, 1879; and Charles Eber, born
March 30, 1882, children of his eldest son.
From:
History of Madison County, Ohio
Published by: W. H. Beers and Company
Chicago, Illinois
1883
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