GENERATION 10

GENERATION 9

Biography

JONATHAN BIGELOW was born in Watertown, Middlesex, MA, on Dec. 11, 1646. He went to Hartford, Hartford, CT, at an early age and married REBECCA SHEPARD in 1671. She died before 1686, and JONATHAN married, second, Mary Olcott, daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Stocking) Olcott. Mary was probably the mother of the five youngest children. She died Mar. 7, 1697, at Hartford.

He then married Mary (Benton) Cole, daughter of Andrew and Hannah (Stocking) Benton, and widow of Nathaniel Cole. Jonathan died Jan. 9, 1710/11, and his widow, Mary, married on Mar. 19, 1713, Deacon John Shepard, brother of JONATHAN's first wife, REBECCA. Mary died Dec, 27, 1752, allegedly age 98.

JONATHAN's land was recorded as early as 1674, and is described as bounded on the west by the road leading to Wethersfield. His children by his first wife, REBECCA, are mentioned in a controversy over settlement of their grandfather, JOHN SHEPARD's estate in 1685.

JONATHAN's will appointed his wife Mary and son Joseph as executors, and mentions all surviving children, with Thomas Olcott appointed as guardian of the two youngest, who were 15 and 18(?) years of age. In 1711 the guardianship was changed, with Samuel Benton appointed guardian of Daniel, and Deacon John Shepard guardian of Samuel.