Nathan ⁵ BIGELOW

15146.     Nathan ⁵ BIGELOW, youngest child of John ⁴ (John ³, Samuel ², John ¹), and Rebecca (HOWE), was born 9 Oct 1744 in Holden, Worcester co, MA. In 1767 he married Mrs. Jesse Betts, widow of Capt. Jesse BETTS, and by tradition a CURTIS by birth.
     Much of the information comes from a pension application of his stepson Bartlett BETTS, who explained that from the age of 2 or 3 he, Bartlett, used the sire-name Bigalow, and under that name served in the Revolutionary War. After the war, he was advised that he should for legal reasons resume the name BETTS, and did so. About this time the family moved from Pownal, VT to Sandy Hook, Washington co, NY. Then in the summer of 1790 Bartlett traveled to New York City, and on his return at an unspecified date found "my mother had died, the family was moving to Clinton county, and the house in great turmoil. At this time, I lost my discharge papers."
     The family was enumerated on the 1790 census of New York at Sandy Hook, and certainly soon after that the family appeared at Peru, NY. But the youngest son allegedly was born 1793, leaving some doubt as to the accuracy of Bartlett's statement, unless Nathan remarried; Mrs. BETTS must surely have been in 1793 rather old to bear a child, for her other children were born in the 1760's and 1770's. The early records of New York show nothing, and we know only that by 1800 Nathan and his wife were deceased, and they left at least 3 sons, and 3 or 4 daughters. We know nothing of the daughters.
Bartlett BETTS, the stepson, owned land in Pownal, VT and in Peru, NY. He married and had a large family; his widow Anna lived to a great age and died in Flint, MI. She also applied for a pension through her husband's military service.
1790 census: NY-Washington-Kingsbury-Nathan Bigelow: 2-1-3-0-0

Sons of Nathan and _______(CURTIS) BIGELOW:

15146.1t     Ephraim, b 15 May 1772, place not known; d 25 Apr 1844 Peru, Clinton, NY; m circa 1794
Polly WOODRUFF. 4 known children

15146.2t     Irad, b circa 1779; d 21 May 1843 Ausable, NY; m Sarah W. DAY; at least 8 children
(5 sons, 3 daughters), of whom records on 4 sons- Anson, Artis, Nathan , and Alexander D.

15146.3t     Nathan ⁶ was born circa 1793, probably at Sandy Hook, Washington co, NY. The family moved to Clinton county, NY, and there Nathan lived the remainder of his life. He served in the War of 1812, and in 1818 married Clarinda Folger BARKER, born 1794. Nathan died 16 May 1860 at Peru, Clarinda on 20 June 1874 at age 78. Both buried in New Schuyler Falls cemetery

Sources:
Howe, Bigelow Family of America page 477 ;
Bigelow Family Genealogy Vol I page 105-106;
pension application of Bartlett BETTS alias BIGALOW;
Bible records of Ephraim and Polly BIGELOW;
correspondence with descendants of Ephraim and Irad BIGELOW;
censuses VT and NY;
cemetery inscriptions Clinton co, NY;
Correspondence Schuyler Falls Historical Society;
Under this source I will quote from a letter from a Laurel (Bigelow)Barklow from Jonesville, MI in which she asks and answers a few questions. It was dated 1974. This was found in the files of the Historical Society aforementioned:

"On page 477 of Bigelow Genealogy to 1890, by Howe, is:
Nathan Bigelow of Ausable Valley, Clinton co, NY. Who is said by his descendants to have emigrated from NH or MA, but they could not trace him further. We think it probable that he was the Nathan, son of John and Rebecca (Howe) Bigelow on page 54, #270 as b in Holden, MA, 9 Oct 1744. Family tradition would indicate his wife's name was Curtis. He had three sons and three or four daughters. He died about 1800. The sons were:
1... Ephriam; m and had three sons, all now dead;
2... Irad, m had five sons, of whom we have names of two:
.........Melville J.- Business in Kalamazoo, MI
..........Anson -b about 1804- res Ausable Forks, NY
3... Nathan, b, 1793; m 1818, Clarinda Folger (BAKER?), had 4 sons and 1 daughter"

She then asks a question:
Is Ephriam Bigelow who m. Polly Woodruff, the son of the above mentioned Nathan?
The answer is yes!
Her data was obtained from Washington, DC Archives that stated: "Nathan m. the widow of Jesse Betts, he having drowned, leaving her with a baby son named Bartlett Betts, who has a descendant in Michigan. Mrs. Jesse Betts maiden name could have been Curtis. Henry Bigelow, son of Ephriam, named his first child Joseph Curtis Bigelow."
Note2:
Subject: Bigelow-Betts
Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1999 20:01:55 EST
From:   BruceC1480@aol.com
   I must say I was very happy to run into your website.  I am a decendant of Bartlett and Anna Betts.  I would be very interested to know if you have any other information on these people.  It has been like finding a needle in a haystack for any information at all.   Thank you in advance.
Bruce Colles

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