Bigelow

Bigelow, the name of several notable Americans, of whom the most important are—(1) ERASTUS BRIGHAM, born in Massachusetts, 1814; invented, while yet a lad, looms for weaving suspender webbing and piping cord, and afterwards constructed a machine for making knotted counterpanes, and a valuable loom for weaving carpets. He died in 1879.—(2) JACOB, physician, born in Massachusetts, 1787; graduated at Harvard University in 1806, and early became known as a skilful botanist. He practised for over forty years in Boston, and filled several chairs at Harvard. His professional publications are numerous, and the single-word nomenclature of the American Pharmacopœia of 1820, afterwards adopted in England, is largely due to him. He died 10th January 1879.—(3) JOHN, born at Malden, New York, 1817, was managing editor of the New York Evening Post from 1850 to 1861, when he went as consul to Paris. From 1865 to 1866 he was United States Minister in France; and in 1875 he was elected secretary of state of New York, but since 1877 he has taken no part in politics. He has, among other works, written Lives of Fremont (1856) and William Cullen Bryant (1886), besides editing Franklin's Autobiography from the original MSS. which he found in France (1868; new ed. 3 vols. 1875); Franklin's Complete Works (1886), and Tilden's Writings and Speeches (2 vols. 1886).