Daniel Bigelow
Encyclopedia
Daniel Bigelow was a pioneer
lawyer and politician in Olympia, Washington
.
in 1846 and attended Harvard law school
from 1847 to 1849. After graduation he began practice in Dodgeville, Wisconsin
. News of the California Gold Rush
sparked Bigelow's interest in relocating to the Pacific Coast. In 1851 Bigelow joined a wagon train
headed west and crossed the Oregon Trail
with his law books and desk, arriving in Portland
in September. After determining Portland already had enough lawyers, he sailed up the coast in the schooner Exact to Puget Sound
in November, 1851 on the same voyage that carried the Denny Party
. He continued south to in Smithfield (later renamed Olympia), then part of the northern Oregon Territory
. There he established a law office. At the time there were fewer than 200 American settlers.
Daniel served as the first Treasurer of Thurston County, a member of the first legislature of Washington Territory
in 1854, the first Superintendent of the Olympia School
, and President of the Board of Trustees of Puget Sound Wesleyan Institute, the forerunner of the University of Puget Sound
.
Bigelow was a gifted orator whose July 4, 1852 speech in Olympia contributed to the movement to create Washington Territory
out of the part of the Oregon territory north of the Columbia River
. Bigelow also served as one of the three commissioners who revised the laws of Oregon Territory
at Salem
during the summer of 1853.
On June 18, 1854, Bigelow married Ann Elizabeth White, one of the first school teachers in the area. Ann was born November 3, 1836 in Illinois
and settled with her family on Chambers Prairie southeast of Olympia in late 1851. Her father, William White, was one of two casualties in Thurston County of the 1855-56 Indian War
.
Daniel and Ann Elizabeth were devout Methodists and helped found the ME church in Olympia. They were also strident advocates of women's suffrage
. Bigelow supported extending the right to vote to women in the 1854 legislature and in 1871, while serving as a Territorial Representative, gave a speech to the Washington Legislature advocating voting rights for women. Suffragist Susan B. Anthony
visited Olympia to promote the cause and dined with the Bigelows at their home.
The Bigelows were also instrumental in promoting public education in the territory. Daniel helped found the Olympia School District
and assisted in the construction of the first school in the early 1850s. Bigelow also served as a regent of the University of Washington
in 1866 and later founded the Olympia Collegiate Institute, forerunner of the University of Puget Sound
.
Daniel Bigelow died September 15, 1905, at Olympia, the last surviving member of the first territorial legislature. Ann Elizabeth Bigelow died February 8, 1926. The Bigelows had 9 children.
American pioneer
American pioneers are any of the people in American history who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. The term especially refers to those who were going to settle any territory which had previously not been settled or developed by European or American society, although the...
lawyer and politician in Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
.
Biography
Daniel Richardson Bigelow was born March 24, 1824, in Belleville, New York. He graduated from Union CollegeUnion College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in 1846 and attended Harvard law school
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
from 1847 to 1849. After graduation he began practice in Dodgeville, Wisconsin
Dodgeville, Wisconsin
Dodgeville is the most populous city and county seat of Iowa County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,698 at the 2010 census, making it the 9th largest city within the Madison metropolitan area. The Greater Dodgeville Area however had a population of 6,529...
. News of the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
sparked Bigelow's interest in relocating to the Pacific Coast. In 1851 Bigelow joined a wagon train
Wagon train
A wagon train is a group of wagons traveling together. In the American West, individuals traveling across the plains in covered wagons banded together for mutual assistance, as is reflected in numerous films and television programs about the region, such as Audie Murphy's Tumbleweed and Ward Bond...
headed west and crossed the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
with his law books and desk, arriving in Portland
History of Portland, Oregon
The history of Portland, Oregon, began in 1843 on the Willamette River in what was then called Oregon Country. In 1845 the name of Portland was chosen for this community and on February 8, 1851, the city was incorporated...
in September. After determining Portland already had enough lawyers, he sailed up the coast in the schooner Exact to Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
in November, 1851 on the same voyage that carried the Denny Party
Denny Party
The Denny Party is a group of white pioneers credited with founding Seattle, Washington because they settled at Alki Point on November 13, 1851.A wagon party headed by Arthur A. Denny left Cherry Grove, Illinois on April 10, 1851...
. He continued south to in Smithfield (later renamed Olympia), then part of the northern Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
. There he established a law office. At the time there were fewer than 200 American settlers.
Daniel served as the first Treasurer of Thurston County, a member of the first legislature of Washington Territory
Washington Territory
The Territory of Washington was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 8, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington....
in 1854, the first Superintendent of the Olympia School
Olympia School District
Olympia School District is a school district serving approximately 9400 students in the city of Olympia in Thurston County, Washington...
, and President of the Board of Trustees of Puget Sound Wesleyan Institute, the forerunner of the University of Puget Sound
University of Puget Sound
The University of Puget Sound is a private liberal arts college located in the North End of Tacoma, Washington, in the United States...
.
Bigelow was a gifted orator whose July 4, 1852 speech in Olympia contributed to the movement to create Washington Territory
Washington Territory
The Territory of Washington was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 8, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington....
out of the part of the Oregon territory north of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
. Bigelow also served as one of the three commissioners who revised the laws of Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
at Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
during the summer of 1853.
On June 18, 1854, Bigelow married Ann Elizabeth White, one of the first school teachers in the area. Ann was born November 3, 1836 in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and settled with her family on Chambers Prairie southeast of Olympia in late 1851. Her father, William White, was one of two casualties in Thurston County of the 1855-56 Indian War
Puget Sound War
The Puget Sound War was an armed conflict that took place in the Puget Sound area of the state of Washington in 1855–56, between the United States Military, local militias and members of the Native American tribes of the Nisqually, Muckleshoot, Puyallup, and Klickitat...
.
Daniel and Ann Elizabeth were devout Methodists and helped found the ME church in Olympia. They were also strident advocates of women's suffrage
History of women's suffrage in the United States
Woman suffrage in the United States was achieved gradually, at state and local levels, during the 19th Century and early 20th Century, culminating in 1920 with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which provided: "The right of citizens of the United States to...
. Bigelow supported extending the right to vote to women in the 1854 legislature and in 1871, while serving as a Territorial Representative, gave a speech to the Washington Legislature advocating voting rights for women. Suffragist Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony
Susan Brownell Anthony was a prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States. She was co-founder of the first Women's Temperance Movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as President...
visited Olympia to promote the cause and dined with the Bigelows at their home.
The Bigelows were also instrumental in promoting public education in the territory. Daniel helped found the Olympia School District
Olympia School District
Olympia School District is a school district serving approximately 9400 students in the city of Olympia in Thurston County, Washington...
and assisted in the construction of the first school in the early 1850s. Bigelow also served as a regent of the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in 1866 and later founded the Olympia Collegiate Institute, forerunner of the University of Puget Sound
University of Puget Sound
The University of Puget Sound is a private liberal arts college located in the North End of Tacoma, Washington, in the United States...
.
Daniel Bigelow died September 15, 1905, at Olympia, the last surviving member of the first territorial legislature. Ann Elizabeth Bigelow died February 8, 1926. The Bigelows had 9 children.