Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Oakland County, Michigan - 1891

Bigelow, John Allen

John Allen Bigelow is one of the natives of this county whose labors in life have been successful, and enabled them to retire from arduous toil secure from want, and able to enjoy every reasonable recreation and comfort. He is a Notary Public, and does some insurance business, and his office and residence are in the village of Birmingham, where he has a fine brick dwelling and neatly adorned lot. He has held public offices of trust, and has an honorable war record to which his friends can refer with pleasure. His grandfather in the paternal line was a Revolutionary soldier, and is numbered among the early settlers in this county, to which he bought his family in 1825. The names of Abel and Sarah (Clark) Bigelow are familiar to the old residents, as those of Jotham and Esther S. (Montague) Bigelow, parents of our subject, are to those of a later generation. Jotham Bigelow was born in New York, February 7, 1807, and came to this State with his parents, locating in what is now West Bloomfield Township, this county. In October, 1835, he was married at Batavia, N. Y., to the daughter of Elijah and Esther (McElwain) Montague, and returning to this State the next year, resided in Bloomfield for thirty-four years. He then went to Williamston, Ingham County, where he and his wife died. She was born in Batavia, N. Y.. April 18, 1817. Both belonged to the church and were active in religious work. Mr. Bigelow was a Whig in early life, and later a Republican. He was a carpenter and builder, and was in but ordinary circumstances. Our subject is the second cliild and eldest son in a family whose other members were Mary, Augusta, Hamilton M., Judson O. and Amanda. Mary and Amanda are now deceased. He was born in West Bloomfield, September 16, 1839, but spent his boyhood in Franklin. He received a limited education in the common school, and about the time he entered his teens, undertook his own support. He learned the carpenter's trade and also engaged in farm work. When seventeen years old he met with an accident in a mill, which deprived him of the use of his left hand. He then went to school a year and subsequently entered upon the life of a teacher, and followed the profession until the winter of 1860. He then came to Birmingham and began clerking for O. Poppleton, retaining his position until May of the following year, when he went to Franklin and engaged in mercantile pursuits on his own account. In August, 1861, Mr. Bigelow sold out, and on the 13th enlisted as bugler in Company G, First Michigan Cavalry. He served with that regiment until Bank's retreat down the Shenandoah Valley. On May 23, 1862, he was captured at Winchester, and "kept company" with the Confederates about ten days. He then escaped and worked his way to Martinsburg with seventy-two others. Taking possession of a train, they ran it to Harper's Ferry, but by orders of Gen. Crawford, were arrested and sent on to Washington through the interference of a good-natured captain, who was Provost Marshal at that place. At Washington they were ordered to go to work building forts, but our subject sustained his point, that he did not enter the army for any other purpose than to be a cavalry man, and he was discharged by order of Gen. Wadsworth and Secretary Stanton, June 16. 1862. Mr. Bigelow enlisted again in the Fifth Michigan Cavalry, August 13, 1862, under the name of John Allen. In the following November he was made chief bugler. In the spring of 1863 the famous Michigan Cavalry Brigade was formed, and in June Gen. Copeland was relieved, and Gen. Custer placed in command. Our subject was the first man in the Fifth Cavalry to strike a rebel with a sabre, which occurred on June 30, at Littlestown, Pa. He participated in the campaign of constant battles, and was promoted to be Second Lieutenant in August, 1863. He devoted his time to recruiting until the 1st of April, 1864, and on May 4, crossed the Rapidan in advance with the cavalry brigade, which inaugurated the Wilderness campaign. The noble Sheridan was in charge of all the cavalry, and the whole army settled down at Petersburg. The cavalry corps was sent, in August, 1864, to the Shenandoah Valley against the rebel Gen. Early. On Sunday, September 18, Sheridan was with Grant sitting upon a log. After some conversation, Sheridan remarked, "I can settle this Valley business and Early, if I push things," whereupon Grant told him to "push things."' The following day he began to follow those directions. During the charge at Opequan, a bullet struck our subject in the left elbow, shattering the bone into splinters. Drs. Richards, Nasli and St. Clair amputated his arm upon the battlefield, and he remained in Winchester until Christmas, 1864, when he came home. About that time it was found necessary to perform a second surgical operation, as his arm had not properly healed, and at a later period a third was necessary. The arm is still at this date (1891), troubling him very much, and refuses to get well. During the winters of 1864-65, the amputated stump was in such a condition that the artery would not grow together, and for about fifty days and nights the artery was held by his friends to keep from bleeding to death, and many of the old friends can testify to trying vigils. Mr. Bigelow was wounded five times, but never left the regiment or duty until he lost his arm. One night he crossed the Rappahannock with Lieut. Percy Leggett, and entering Hood's army, brought away some prisoners and gained the information sought, which led to the death of the brave Leggett at Belle Plain the following day, September 1, 1863. Our subject participated in eighty-four battles and engagements with the Michigan Cavalry Brigade. We quote the following from "Michigan in the War :" "He entered service August 13, 1861; bugler of Company G, First Michigan Cavalry, wounded at Hagerstown, Md., July 10, 1863; Second Lieutenant Fifth Cavalry August 13, 1863; wounded May 28, 1864; wounded September 19, 1864; First Lieutenant October 27, 1864; breveted captain March 13, 1865 for gallant and meritorious services during the war; discharged for wounds and loss of left arm April 15, 1865." Until he was incapacitated by wounds, Mr. Bigelow was always on duty with his regiment, and he took part in all the battles of the Potomac in which the cavalry was engaged. He was wounded in the back of the neck at Groveton, Va., in 1862, by a charge of buck shot, and July 10, 1863, had a finger shot off his left hand at Hagerstown, Md. May 28, 1864, at the Battle of Hawes Shop, he received a gun-shot wound in the left arm, and June 11, at Trevilian Station, received a blow on his head with a revolver. The wound which caused the amputation of his arm prevented him from doing further duty as a soldier, and he was discharged April 15, 1865. Mr. Bigelow re-entered the profession of a teacher and followed it during the winter of 1865-66. The next spring he removed to Birmingham, receiving the appointment of Postmaster, and for eighteen consecutive years he held the position. He also had a general store, and was Notary Public and Express and Insurance Agent. During that time he was one of the prime movers in the establishment of the telephone system there. In 1884 he sold out his business and resigned his position as Postmaster, owing to ill health. The same year he was elected County Treasurer on the Republican ticket, and at the expiration of the term was reelected. He has held numerous village and school offices, and has been faithful to every trust reposed in him. He is a Republican, and a believer in protective tariff. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and also keeps up his connection with the Blue Lodge. He is one of the charter members of Dick Richardson Post, No. 147, G. A. R., .at Pontiac, and was the first Adjutant. During his first enlistment as a soldier Mr. Bigelow rose through the ranks of Second and First Lieutenant to that of Captain. May 24, 1866, Mr. Bigelow was married to Miss Isabel Whitehead, an estimable young lady who was born in Waterford in June 1844. Her parents were Almeron and Ann (Mais) Whitehead. Mr. and Mrs. Bigelow have three children, named respectively, Mortimer O., Bertha A. and Bessie E. The family moved in good society, and Mr. Bigelow is especially endeared to loyal citizens by the sufferings he endured in his country's cause, and the valor and cheerfulness he displayed on fields of battle, and during the tedium of camp life.