History of Malden, (Ulster County) New York United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Malden, (Ulster County) New York, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

John Bigelow, author, was born in Malden, Ulster county, N.Y., Nov. 25, 1817. He entered Union college at an early age, and was graduated in 1835. On leaving college he entered the office of Robert and Theodore Sedgwick, New York city, and in 1839 began the practice of law. He became a frequent contributor to leading journals, and editor of the Plebeian and the Democratic Review. His articles attracted much attention, especially those on "Constitutional Reform"; "The Reciprocal Influences of Religious Liberty and Physical Sciences," and "Executive Patronage." In 1844 he prepared a work entitled "Commerce of the Prairies," and was otherwise engaged in literary pursuits. He was appointed inspector of Sing Sing state prison by Governor Wright in 1845 and held the office three years. During his term of service he made three important reports to the state legislature concerning a more discreet and economical management of the institution. He gave up the practice of law in the fall of 1849, and became joint editor and proprietor, with William Cullen Bryant, of the New York Evening Post. He visited the island of Jamaica in 1850 and afterwards collected his letters to the Evening Post, and published them in book form under title, "Jamaica in 1850; or the Effect of Sixteen years of Freedom on a Slave Colony." He also visited Hayti, and made a careful study of the resources and government of that island, which was given to the Evening Post in a series of letters. In 1856 he wrote a biography of John C. Fremont. In 1859 and 1860 he was in Europe, and during his absence continued to write to the Post sketches of his travels, articles on the political questions of the day, and carefully studied essays on conspicuous Frenchmen, such as Montesquieu and Buffon. In 1861 he was appointed consul-general to Paris by President Lincoln, and while there he published his "Les Etats-Unis d'Amerique en 1863." In 1865, Mr. Bigelow was appointed charg? d'affaires, and as soon as the sentiments of the French government could be ascertained, he was confirmed envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to France, and served as such until 1867. Returning home he was elected secretary of state for New York and served during 1867 and 1868. He re-visited Europe in 1870, taking up his residence in Berlin, and during the period of the Franco-German war remained in that city. He then returned home and was in 1875 appointed a commissioner of state canals by Governor Tilden. In the same year he was re-elected secretary of state. In 1874 he compiled a "Life of Franklin" based upon the "Autobiography of Dr. Franklin," which, after much diligent search, he had found in France. In 1886, under the authority of the New York chamber of commerce, he made an important report concerning the Panama canal, in recognition of which he was elected honorary member of the chamber. In this year he also received from Racine college, Wisconsin, the degree of LL.D. By the will of Samuel J. Tilden, Mr. Bigelow was appointed his biographer and a trustee of the bulk of his estate set apart for the establishment of a public library in New York city. After Mr. Tfiden's death, Aug. 4, 1886, the will was broken by the heirs, after a memorable litigation, the court of appeals making the final decision, Oct. 27, 1891. One of the heirs, Mrs. William B. Hazard, a niece, relinquished to the trustees over two million dollars of her share of the estate to aid in carrying out her uncle's wishes. On Feb. 22, 1895, a joint committee, representing the Tilden fund and the Astor and Lenox libraries, agreed to the establishment of a great public library, to he known as the New York public library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden foundations, incorporated by act of the legislature, and on May 27, 1895, Mr. Bigelow was elected president of the consolidated board of trustees and was afterwards appointed chairman of the executive committee and of the committee on library books. He wrote and published: "Les Etats-Unis d'Amerique en 1863" (1863); "Some Recollectionsof the Late Antoine Pierre Berryer" (1869); "The Wit and Wisdom of the Haytians" (1876); "Molinos the Quietist" (1882); "The Life of William Cullen Bryant" (1886); "Emanuel Swedenborg" (1888); "France and the Confederate Navy, 1862-1868" (1888); "The Life of Samuel J. Tilden" (2 vols., 1895), and "The Mystery of Sleep" (1896).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Malden, (Ulster County) New York

Biographies: