Nelson Glenn ¹⁰ BIGELOW

15923.63126      Nelson Glenn ¹⁰ Bigelow, son of Joseph Alvin ⁹ ( Timothy III ⁸ , Timothy L. ⁷ , Timothy ⁶ , Isaac ⁵ , Isaac ⁴, Isaac ³, Samuel ², John ¹ ) and Almeda (TRYON) BIGEOW, was born at Ayr, Adams co., Nebraska on 07 December 1887. He married on 16 Sept 1914 Eva Aurelia Harrison (we always called her Aunt Aurelia). In 1921 "Glenn" was injured in a mine accident and was bedridden for nearly two years with blood poisoning.  Aurelia cared for him at home.  She had been told that his chances of living were improbable. During this time they lost their house by fire.  They moved to another house on the ranch which was scantily furnished.  Their son had nephritis from which he recovered during this time.  Sold Ranch and purchased property in Greenwood where they had a small motel and grocery business.  Their son attended school at Wetmore.  Aurelia managed the business and Glenn took a road job which did not pay much.  They moved to Alma, CO where Glenn became a placer miner.  They returned to Greenwood and their son graduated from High School in Florence and soon thereafter was married.  Glenn and Aurelia moved to Pomona,CA and worked in a mental institution known as Pacific Colony. Then they worked at the CO State Hospital where Glenn worked for eight years. Aurelia worked at her nursing jobs mostly under Dr. Rupert of Florence, CO, then joined Glenn at the CO State Hospital to work. They purchased property at 432 E. 2nd St., Florence.  Glenn retured at age 65 in 1952. He had an infected gall bladder which was removed at Florence Hosp.  Glenn and Aurelia were chosen King and Queen of Pioneer Day celebration in 1952.  Glenn was soon after operated on for sympathectomy in Denver due to a stoppage of circulation in the right leg.  Shortly after this, Aurelia had a severe heart attack and they had to remain in Denver for three months.  She never regained her health fully but did a certain amount of nursing at Fremont county Hospital.  They cared for an infant for a while for a working mother, a boy. The parents became divorced and Glenn wrote "the case became so complex it is indescribable."  But they enjoyed two summers in Greenhorn Mountains south of Florence, elevation 10,000 feet.  They took over an abandoned cabin, repaired and added to it and made a very cute and comfortable home. After returning to Florence, Aurelia became very ill, was hospitalized and underwent surgery, was sent to a nursing home and died on August 1, 1973. They were married 49 years. Glenn wrote his autobiography from the same nursing home where he continued to stay.  This was in 1973. Nelson died 17 Sept 1977 (in a nursing home in Florence, CO which is the last place I saw him in 1970). (see below- for more)

Child of Nelson Glenn and Eva Aurelia (Harrison) BIGELOW:

15923.63126.1     A son, living

Sources:
The Bigelow Family Genealogy  Vol. II Page 411;
Bigelow Society and family descendants; Records from descendant,
Dian Dee Taylor 2 Apr 1999 (R20605), (Mrs. Richard Knox)
Correspondence between family descendants and Bigelow Society historian/genealogist and her records;
various records and censuses IA, WI and CO.
Note from descendant:
Subject: Timothy Bigelow III
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 08:56:42 -0800
From: Diane D Knox    knox@pacific.net
Organization: Bureau of Land Management
Dear Rod,
Have really enjoyed your Bigelow pages.  This is the line I am researching.(Timothy III)
My aunt, Freda Slack, who died several years ago, did some research of the line.  Her grandmother was a Bigelow.  Are you interested in the information I have? Please reply to knox@pacific.net
I will be calling my parents later to fill in the following generation if I can.  I know my great-grandmother had at least 3 children.  Diane Knox
Note2:
    Joseph or John Alvin Bigelow was a Blacksmith but delved in several other fields of occupation.  Took family to CO in 1889 by covered wagon along with relatives named Roscoe.  They went to Pueblo, then Red Creek Springs where there was a large health resort and a large number of springs (13 springs, some hot and some cold but all of mineral content--now all dried up never to return). Then to Babcock Hole to Hardscrabble Cr. and established camp upstream from the village of Greenwood where J. Alvin unloaded his balcksmith tools and shoed the horses, set the wagon tires and make recessary repairs.  This was near where Kit Carson Rock now is--or early significance to State of CO. From here,the family went to Greenwood, south to the "little village of Beulah).  J. Alvin erected a shop and engaged in blacksmithing.
     From Beulah, CO, they moved to Second Mace (early history, Beulah CO was known as Maces Hole named for notorious horse thief and outlaw in general by the name of Juan Mace who holed up in a cave nearby.  He brought horses from NM and WY and pastured them in mountains west of Beulah until he could dispose of them to his monetary advantage.  This mountain area later on became known as "Second Mace".  Mace was eventually apprehended.
     After a couple years in Beulah he homesteaded in Second Mace 1891, to 160 acres immediately west of "Bigelow Divide". Children at that time in order were Art, Grace, Ray, Glenn and Bert. They built a log house and blacksmith shop.  A town grew up there, and a school built. A Mr.McConnel and J. Alvin built seats, desks,blackboards, etc. which served for many years.  A family named Fairchild were there but moved to San Isabel City and he became interested in mining and prospecting then committed suicide.
     John Alvin was blacksmith, ranch manager, Justice of the Peace, community dance fiddler; also acquired a medical library and treated neighbors which, at that time, was not unlawful to set broken bones or officiate in childbirth, etc., but cases beyond his knowledge, me would demand they bring a doctor from some place.  Later every small village had a doctor.  J. Alvin and son Art made their first two wagons; a large heavy one and a small one.
     J. Alvin's wife, Almeda, knitted stockings, mittens, wristlets, etc., and made everything the children wore except shoes or boots.  One winter she made 1600 pounds of butter which they took to the stores in Florence, CO.  She bought blue denim by the bolt and made their overalls.  Calico for dresses were 3 cents a yard.  It took 5 yards for a dress, so it cost 15 cents. The school was 2 miles from home, so Grace, Ray and Glenn rode horseback or burro back. Horses were faster!  Their teacher's name was Miss Anna Burns who later married Francis Lee Hughlit, long time chief engineer of CO State Hosp. Miss Hattie Bollinger became their teacher and later married their brother Art Bigelow.  A cousin lived with them one winter and made snow skiis for each of the younger boys (first they had heard of).  They skiid in the exact spot where in 1973 there was a popular ski course.  They also used them to go to school.
     A Mr. Wilcox moved a sawmill to their ranch and made lumber from pine and spruce (Douglas fir).  Their share of the lumber was used to construct a sizeable barn and sheds for the protection of horses and cattle. Some was freighted to Florence and sold to a lumber dealer for which they received $10.00 per thousand feet at that time.  They started making railroad ties
which were narrow gauge and made from red spruce (Douglas fir) and had to be hewn with a broad axe, now sawed.  They, too, were freighted to Florence and sold to a Mr. White who operated a feed store at Main St., and Pike Avenue where First National Bank now is.  Mr. White was an agent for the Florence & Cripple Creek Railroad co. and the ties were used in building the railroad from Florence to Cripple Creek.  Other people also made ties and sold them to Mr. White.  This little narrow gauge railroad operated many years bringing gold ore from the Cripple Creek area to the reduction mills and smelter at
Florence, CO and had the distinction of paying off its indebtedness the quickest of any railroad in the US.  A Mr. Hadley had been associated with Mr. White in the Feed Store.
     Bigelows had purchased a larger and better ranch down what is known as Bigelow Creek and where Glenn had completed seven grades of Schooling.  His father arranged for him to go to Beulah and take 8th grade in a larger school.  The next spring they returned to Second Mace.  See Glenn's notes for more information on him.
Sources:
Bigelow Society and family descendants;
Records from descendant,
Dian Dee Taylor, (Mrs. Richard Knox), 2 Apr 1999 (R20605),
e-mail:  knox@pacific.net.
Account of trip west is taken from son Nelson Glenn's autobiography sent to Society Genealogist, by Diane.
Society Genealogist: Jean Legereit

rodbigelow@netzero.net
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