Elizabeth Bigelow
Copyright 1/2005.
Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber, 22937 Long Branch Road, Rush, KY 41168.
Elizabeth Bigelow is thought by many researchers to be the daughter of Randall and Jane Baguley from Ollerton, Suffolk County, England. This relationship is based upon the fact that she was a contemporary of John Bigelow who was the first of the name in America and appears on the Watertown records naming his second daughter Elizabeth.
Elizabeth married Deacon Richard Butler. Butler came with Thomas Hooker and others to settle Hartford, Connecticut. Her husband had recently lost his first wife and child. On May 31, 1636 they established a site along the Connecticut River which they named Hartford, after Samuel Stone's birthplace in Hertford, England.
Elizabeth and her husband were well established at Hartford and preparing for the birth of second son, Samuel when Connecticut adopted the first Colonial Constitution framed by Americans in 1639. She lived under Puritan beliefs. They believed that people were inherently sinful and redemption could only be given by God. They believed in plainness without decorations which was probably easy since items were difficult to come by. They also believed that the New World was to be settled for God. Knowing that she and others settled this country with these beliefs it is hard for this writer in the year 2005 to understand why anyone would politically be motivated to remove the word God from our countries pledge, money and schools.
In all Elizabeth gave birth to eight children by 1659 while her husband was very active within the Hartford Church, as a juror, selectman, and deputy clerk in General Court. Her husband died in Hartford 6 August 1684. Elizabeth then went to Wethersfield to live with her children and was not in Hartford on October 26, 1687 when the colonists having been given a new charter refused to turn over the old. There was a showdown at "Butler’s Tavern" and the place plunged into darkness. When calm returned the charter could not be found. Instead, according to legend they had hidden the charter in a hollow oak tree forever known as "Charter Oak." Elizabeth remained with her family until her death 11 September 1691.
It is apparent that Elizabeth would not be in the New World alone thus she must certainly be a relative of John Bigelow. John and his father Randall are the ancestors of several well known families including the President of Bigelow Tea Company, Clara Barton of the Red Cross, and Presidents Millard Fillmore and James Garfield.