Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Bigelow, Chas. A. 1913
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Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net August 6, 2011, 10:22 pm

Unidentified Publication, 1913

Death of Chas. A. Bigelow.  A Pioneer Engineer of the Pere Marquette and
Long-Time Resident of Ionia.

At about half-past seven o’clock on Wednesday evening occurred the sudden death
of Chas. A. Bigelow, probably the oldest locomotive engineer on the Pere
Marquette road.  He had been ill for about two years, and for most of that time
had been unable to work; but, though his health failed steadily his death was
not looked for so soon - in fact he had been seen outside the house earlier in
the evening.

He was 67 years old, and was born March 12, 1846 in Streetsboro, Portage county,
Ohio.  Until he was 21 he worked on the farm there.  He came to Michigan in
November, 1867, and lived in Lansing until work was begun on building the Ionia
and Lansing railroad.  At that time he entered the service of the road.  In
February, 1870, he came to Ionia with the road, and has lived here ever since. 
He was to Miss Anna Roe of Detroit in 1876, who survives.  No children was born
to this union.  It was August 1, 1879, when he entered the service of the Ionia
and Lansing road.  He worked as a day laborer on the road, and helped to lay the
track, until November 19, when he was promoted to the position of fireman, and
later to that of engineer on August 1, 1872.  At that time the name of the road
had been changed to Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan.  Later it underwent
other changes, becoming successively Detroit, Lansing, and Northern; Detroit,
Grand Rapids and Western, and now part of the Pere Marquette system.

Mr. Bigelow was made a Master Mason in Lodge 36 in June, 1873, and became a
Knight Templar in 1874.  At the time of his death he was a member of Dewitt
Clinton Consistory of Grand Rapids, and Saladin Temple; a Noble of the Mystic
Shrine, and a member of the lodge of Elks, 548, of Ionia.

The funeral services will be at the home on Friday, at 2:00 p.m., conducted by
Rev. Cyrus Mendenhall.


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