31st Generation

291. Osmon Newton BIGELOW (~) was born on 7 December 1884 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.^{70,125,127,214,224,344,345,346} (He was probably named after his mother's oldest brother, Osmon J. Griggs. His middle initial was listed as "N" in the 1910 and 1920 Census records, but other sources list it as "M." His middle name may have been "Newton," as was his paternal grandfather's.)

The following was included in a letter dated April 27, 1894 from Susan Griggs to her brother Roswell and his wife Roxana in Missouri: "Osmon, Florence's nine year old son was out doing barn chores--it was cold and Florence thought he ought to come in and warm. George was away in the woods. Florence went to the barn but found him (Osmon) several feet from the barn in the yard lying on his back, his face covered with blood, unconscious.

She could not lift to carry him, but somehow got him a few rods half way to the house and saw some men with teams in the road. Calling, one man came and brought him in. It was noon, he went for George, sent for Dr. Mosely, Tomah. He got there at half past two and had the wound, which was over his left eye--2 1/2 inches long--sewed with six stitches by four o'clock. Lucius and Kate (Griggs) came and Lucius helped dress the boy's wound.

He was not fully conscious until Sunday, 18th inst, but now the 27 he is up, goes out some, wants to go much more than is prudent for him to go. The doctor came last Sunday and took out the stitches and said he had got up wonderfully quick. But his mother and father had given the very best of care or he could not have gained as he did. We are thankful that the doctor was at home and could come so quick and wonder how a horse could kick so bad and it not be worse.

He must have been kicked by a horse that he has harnessed many times for three years, and gone three miles with it this year for Lucius and Kate, taken them home again saying he would get them once a week to come and spend the day. We never knew that horse to kick before." He appeared in the census in 1895 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.¹¹⁹ He appeared in the census in 1900 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.^{127 347} Article in the Tomah Journal: "A large party of young people gave Osmond Bigelow a pleasant surprise on Wednesday evening, it being his 16th birthday." Osmon lived in Illinois before June 1909.^148,220 In a letter written by his mother dated 13 June 1909 to her uncle Roswell, she mentioned that "Osmon's family have moved to Illinois." He appeared in the census in 1910 in Warren County, TN.^345,348 His household consisted of "Ausburn W. Biglow," age 26, born in Wisconsin, occupation "Farmer, General" on a farm that he owned; his wife "Myrtle M.," age 26, born in Tennessee; and their son Raymond D., age 2, born in Tennessee. They had 1 child, of which 1 was living at the time.

(Note: The Ancestry.com census index lists his name as "Ausburn W. Brydon.") He lived in Burkburnett, Wichita County, TX about 1915.²²⁰ Osmon appeared in the census in 1920 in Wichita County, TX.^224,349,350 He was living with his father and his occupation was "Fireman, Texas Co." He was listed as a Widower, and his children were not living with him; they were living with some aunts and uncles in Tennessee.
He died on 14 June 1927 at the age of 42 in Borger, Hutchinson County, TX.^{214,232,351,352} Obituary Notes: "Bigelow, Osman W., 42, b. 5 Dec 1884 in Wisc. d. 14 Jun 1927 in Barger (sic), TX. db. 19 Jun 1927 in Burk, TX. occ. Pumper. p. George D. Bigelow of Wisc. and Florence E. Griggs of VT."

Another Obituary (with many errors) apparently released by the funeral home: "Osborn N. Bigelow, 39, died at a local hospital Tuesday. The remains are being held by Dobbins & Son Funeral Home, pending instructions. Mr. Bigelow is survived by his mother, Mrs. Cummins of Whittenburg, Willard L. Bigelow of Kentucky, 2 sons in Borger, 1 daughter in Louisiana, and 1 daughter in Tennessee."

Retta Bigelow's letter to her cousin Elton Griggs in 1938 mentions that "Osmon had two boys and two girls--all married--and he and his wife have been dead for years." (She neglected to mention Osmon's twin sons from his first marriage, who died at birth in 1905.)

Osmon died without a will, so a judge in Hutchinson County, TX, appointed Osmon's brother Willard to serve as administrator of his estate. The application notes that Osmon's estate consisted of real and personal property valued at $3,000, out of which all of his debts were to be paid. One of the items in the estate was a 1926 Chevrolet Coach, valued at $300. He also had a life insurance policy for $2,000. He was buried on 19 June 1927 in Burkburnett, Wichita County, TX.^{103,220,227,353} in Section 6, "W. half lot 2" of the Burkburnett Cemetery.

Osmon Newton BIGELOW (~) and Mary "Myrtle" EDGE were married on 30 December 1906 in Warren County, TN.^{125,214,345,354,355,356} The 1910 Census indicates that they had been married for three years. The census indicated that It was his second marriage and her first.

He is listed as "Osborn" Bigelow on their marriage license, which was dated 29 Dec 1906, in Warren County, TN.

Letters written by Osmon's mother, Florence, mention him and his wife and their two sons and two daughters in Tennessee. The letters are in the Vermont Historical Museum Library in Barre. Mary "Myrtle" EDGE, daughter of Robert EDGE and Mary J. MARTIN, was born in August 1884 in Warren County, TN.^345,357,358 This is a picture of Myrtle and her husband, Osmon.

(According to the research of John Sissom, her name was Mary Myrtle Edges. She was listed as "Myrtle M." in the 1910 Census.)

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She appeared in the census in 1900 in Warren County, TN.³⁵⁹ She appeared in the census in 1910 in Warren County, TN.³⁴⁵ Myrtle died in 1919 at the age of 35 in Tennessee.^220,225,232 According to a family letter, she died of gall bladder colic when here daughter Louise was 8 months old. She was buried in Coffee County, TN.³⁵⁸

Osmon Newton BIGELOW (~) and Mary "Myrtle" EDGE had the following children:

Osmon Newton BIGELOW (~) and Minnie COATS were married on 8 May 1904 in McMinnville, Warren County, TN.^{124,189,349,354,359,360,361} Newspaper Article: "Friends of Osmon Bigelow will be surprised to learn that he was married on the 8th inst. to Miss Minnie Coats of McMinnville, Tenn. Osmon is a little young, but this being a political year is full of surprises. We extend congratulations and hope he may enjoy a long and happy life."

Minnie could not be located in Tennessee in the 1900 Census. The Warren County census does contain a listing for "Annie" Coats, born Dec 1881 in South Dakota, and occupation "Cook." That may have been her.

(The Monroe County Marriage Registration Index contains the marriages of Alice Maud Coats in 1903 and Arvilla Coats in 1900. It is not known if they were related to Minnie. The parents of Alice and Arvilla were Benjamin and Emma Coats, who were listed in the 1900 and 1910 Census' in Greenfield Township, Monroe County, WI. The 1910 Census indicated that Ben and Emma had 7 children, of whom 4 were living at the time. Although her marriage announcement indicated that she was "of McMinnville, Tenn..." it is possible that Minnie was the fourth child in that family.) Minnie COATS died in April 1905 in McMinnville, Warren County, TN.^220,354,362 Newspaper Article: "Friends of Osmon Bigelow are sorry to learn of the death of his wife at McMinnville, Tenn. Mr. Bigelow had been married a little less than a year."

From a letter written by Willie "Bea" Gotcher, the wife of Robert Paul Bigelow, Sr., a son of Minnie's husband, Osmon, in his second marriage: "Paul's daddy's first wife died in Wisconsin in child birth with twin boys; they died too." (She actually died in Tennessee.)

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Osmon Newton BIGELOW (~) and Minnie COATS had the following children: