Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/315

 BIGELOW.

BIGELOW,

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exhibited at his studio in New York city in 1896, several large paintings: " The Landing of Colum- bus " from a study made ou what is supposed to be the exact spot, a San Salvador coast view, with delightfullyrealistic surf, and a canvas 6x10, from studies taken in 1895 of Mt. Engadine in the Alps. He died iu New York City, Feb. 18, 1902.

BIGELOW, Erastus Brigham, inventor, was born at West Boylstou, Mass., April 3, 1814, the son of a cotton weaver. From his childhood he evinced unusual inventive ability, and several ingenious and practical devices were made by him, while yet a boy, including a hand-loom for suspender-webbing. In liis twenty-fourth year he invented an auto- matic loom which turned out finer counter- panes than had hitherto been produced in this country; and the fol- lowing year he suc- ceeded in bringing out highly successful power carpet loom, which did away with the slow process of hand weaving. In 1851 he ex- hibited at the London exhibition, his power- loom, wliich could weave as fine Bru.ssels tapestry and velvet tapestry carpets as could be produced in Europe. His factories in Clinton, Mass., com- prising the Bigelow carpet company, the Lancas- ter quilt company, and the Coach-lace factory, employed a large number of skilled workmen, and produced goods of high quaUty. He was much interested in the subject of the tariff, and advo- cated the stamp system of taxation. He was an active member of the Boston historical society from 1864. His published works consist of ' ' Sten- ography " (1832); "The Tariff Question Con- sidered in Regard to the Policy of England and the Interests of the United States" (1863), and "Inventions of Erastus Brigham Bigelow, pat- ented in England from 1837 to 1868"; this work was in six large volumes, and contained printed specifications of eighteen patents. He died in Boston, Mass., Dec. 6, 1879.

BIGELOW, Frank Barna, librarian, was born at Amherst, Mass., Feb. 7, 1869; son of Orvis F. and Mary Helen (Pingry) Bigelow, and grand- son of Judge William Morrill Pingry of Vermont. He was educated at the schools of Amherst, and was graduated from Amherst college in 1891. In February, 1892, he was appointed assistant libra- rian at the Columbia college library, and in May 1895, transferred his services to the New York society library, to succeed Wentworth S. Butler, made librarian emeritus.

BIGELOW, Frank Hagar, scientist, was born at Concord, Mass., Aug. 28, 1851. He was gradu- ated at Harvard university in 1873, and during the three following years was employed as assist- ant to Dr. B. A. Gould in the astronomical observatory at Cordoba, in the Argentine Repub- lic; and in 1876 and 1877 was under Professor Newcomb at the XJ. S. naval obserAatory, Wash- ington. Theological studies occupied him until 1880, when he was ordained to the priest- hood of the Protestant Episcopal church, and became rector at Natick, Mass., but owing to a pulmonary difficulty he abandoned parish work. He was again at Cordoba in 1881-"83, permanently regaining his health in that interval ; and for the following six years he was professor of mathematics and astronomy in Racine college, AYisconsin. In 1889, he entered the nautical almanac office in Washington under his former chief, Professor Newcomb, and was connected with the eclipse expedition to West Africa in that year. He invented an important process for taking star transits by photography, which has proved of great value to astronomers. In Octo- ber, 1891, Mr. Bigelow was appointed to the newly created professorship of meteorology in the U. S. weather bureau. His most important paper is a " Monograph on the Solar Corona," published by the Smithsonian institution in 1889.

BIGELOW, Hobart B., governor, was born in North Haven, Conn., May 16, 1834. He attended the district school and a local academy until he was seventeen years of age, when he was appren- ticed to the machinist's trade, became foreman, and finally acquired an interest in the business. The Bigelow company of New Haven was after- wards established, and became one of the most important foundry, boiler and machine works in Connecticut. He filled successively various offices in the city gorernment of New Haven, be- coming mayor in 1879. As such he rendered important service in creating a system of parks and the planning of harbor improvements. In 1881 be was elected governor of Connecticut by a large vote, based solely on his well-earned per- sonal popularity. He died Oct. 12, 1891.

BIGELOW, Jacob, physician, was born at Sudbury, Mass., Feb. 27, 1787. He was graduated from Harvard college in 1806, and soon after began the study of medicine. He received his degree in 1810, and in a short time established a large practice in Boston. He also devoted much attention to the study of botany, regarding wliich subject he wrote quite profusely. He was the founder and designer of Mount Auburn cemetery, a physician in the Massachusetts general hospital for twenty years, and for forty years occupied the chair of materia medica in Harvard college. He also held the oflice of president of the Massa-