John Bigelow

151 John 3 BIGELOW, oldest child of Samuel 2 (John 1), and Mary (FLAGG) BIGELOW, was born 09 May 1675 at Watertown, Middlesex co, MA. He was married there on 12 June 1696 to Jerusha GARFIELD, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (GALE) GARFIELD. She was born 06 June 1677 at Watertown. They moved to Marlborough, MA, in the western part of the county, known as "The Farme". They were among its earliest settlers, first of the name in Marlborough. On his wedding day, a friend surnamed DORR gave them a present of two chairs which he claimed had been in the DORR family for three generations and were made in England about 1620. These chairs at the turn of the 20th century were in the possession of Mr. W. Williams of Chicago. (They were seen in the 1930's in the possession of a dentist) Another interesting story is below the children listings. John died 08 September 1769; and Jerusha died 16 January 1758.

On 05 October 1705 John Biglo, with Thomas Sawyer and his son Elias Sawyer of Lancaster, were at work in that part of Lancaster now in Boylston, and were surprised by the Indians, made prisoners and taken to Quebec, where they were held by the French governor. Sawyer and Bigelow were good mechanics, the former a blacksmith, the latter a carpenter. they proposed to the Governor that if he would release them they would build a sawmill, there being yet none in that part of Canada. The offer was accepted, a sawmill built on the river Chamblay, and after some delay Biglow and the elder Sawyer returned home, the younger man left behind to run the mill and train workmen. While in captivity, John's wife Jerusha wrote him, and a copy of that letter, dated 22 Aug 1706, was included in the Bigelow genealogy as follows:

"Dear and loving husband, In much grief and tender affection, greatly lamenting your miserable condition, hoping in the mercy of God who has prospered you and kept you alive hitherto and who will in his own due time work your deliverance, that these few lines may find you in good health as I am at present and the children, blessed be God for it and for all his mercy bestowed on you and on myself.
This may aquaint you that I received your letter dated January the 6th on the 6th of Aug. Last and for which though I am in much sorrow and grief, thankful to you. And I do most humbly and importunately petition the governor to have pity and compassion on yourself and me.
Lamentations 3:25. The lord is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord, for the Lord will not cast him off forever, but though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. Wherefore should a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins. Let us search and try our way, and turn again to the Lord.
I remain your loving wife, greatly sorrowing for you.

                                                                                             Jerusha Bigelow<br/>

I do further acquaint you that brother Samuel and Thomas is well and the rest of our relations."

(see below)

As an expression of gratituude for his release, John Biglo named his next two children Comfort and Freedom. In 1712 the town of Marlborough voted to employ John Bigelow to superintend, with James Taylor, the finishing of the new meeting-house. In 1711, for the better protection of the town's inhabitants, certain families were assigned to different garrisons; the families of John, Samuel, and Thomas Bigelow were assigned to the garrison of Joseph Morse.