Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums

Hayes Bigelow Family

HAYES-18

Introduction
Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content
Inventory

Introduction
This collection was donated by members of the Hayes/Bigelow family.

Biographical Sketch
Mary Ann Hayes Bigelow was born October, 3, 1838 in West Brattleboro, Windham County, Vermont. She was the daughter of Russell Hayes, uncle of President Rutherford B. Hayes. She married William Howard Bigelow, who was born December 21, 1829 in Easton, Washington County, New York. The Bigelows lived for several years in Sioux City, Iowa and then in Chicago, Illinois, where he was in the lumber business. In 1874, they moved to the old Hayes homestead in West Brattleboro, Vermont. They were the parents of three children: Russell Anson Bigelow, William Howard Bigelow, Jr. and Hayes Bigelow. William died at West Brattleboro August 22 1882. Mary Ann passed away March 25, 1925 at Tarpon Springs, Pinellas County, Florida.  

Scope and Content
Mary Ann Hayes Bigelow collected and preserved the bulk of the material which is largely that of the Hayes and Bigelow families. They include documents; correspondence; journals; ledgers; business, military, and legal records; receipts; published articles; genealogies; scrapbooks; and photographs spanning the years from 1755 to 1919.

The collection is organized by family group. Hayes family members included are Mary Ann Hayes Bigelow and her husband William H. Bigelow, Sr.; Jennie M. Hayes Field, younger sister of Mary Ann Hayes Bigelow; Russell Hayes; Rutherford Hayes Sr.; William Rutherford Hayes; and President Rutherford B. Hayes. Papers relating to Russell Hayes, (1784 - 1856), include journals, ledgers, receipts, and legal records from 1815 to 1845.  Materials relating to Rutherford Hayes, Sr., (1756 - 1836) include legal and business records and correspondence, dating from 1806 to 1836. Papers concerning William Rutherford Hayes (1804 - 1852) include a scrapbook, college receipts, and documents relating to military and government service.  Papers in the Rutherford B. Hayes folders are inscribed copies of documents and newspapers he sent to Mary Ann Hayes Bigelow.  Jennie M. Hayes Field (1841 - 1864) was an artist. Several of her pencil sketches are included in the collection. 

The Bigelow family members included in the collection are Seth Pomeroy, Russell Anson Bigelow, and William Howard Bigelow.  Mary Ann’s husband, William Howard Bigelow (1829 - 1882), was a civil engineer and lumber merchant. Included in the collection are debates, orations and compositions written during his years at Williams College  

Russell Anson Bigelow (1859 - 1890) was Mary Ann Hayes Bigelow’s son. He graduated from Yale and Columbia Law. He was an attorney. Journals of his European travels, school records, and other mementos spanning the years 1872 to 1890 are included in the collection. There is also a volume of family history collected and/or written by Russell Anson Bigelow. 

Seth Pomeroy (1706 - 1777) was the great-great-grandfather of Mary Ann Hayes Bigelow. He was a general in George Washington’s Continental Army He died at Peekskill, New York, from war related injuries. The collection includes letters from Pomeroy spanning the years 1755 to 1763 and many published articles about him and his military career.

Inventory
7 ½ linear ft.

Box 1

Mary Ann Hayes Bigelow 

Folder 1 - List of Items
Folder 2 - Legal papers (guardian and trusteeship of Hayes Bigelow)
Folder 3 - Miscellaneous programs
Folder 4 - Miscellaneous clippings
Folder 5 - Handwritten biographical sketch of Seth Pomeroy
Folder 6 - Small account books 1873; loose manuscript page
Eight books - diaries, records, etc. (1880 - 1910)

Box 1A

Mary Ann Hayes Bigelow Correspondence

Folder 1 - 1848-1870
Folder 2 - 1871-1885
Folder 3 - 1886-1925
Folder 4 - Miscellaneous A-F
Folder 5 - Miscellaneous G-H
Folder 6 - Miscellaneous J-W

William H. Bigelow, Sr., Correspondence

Folder 7 - Correspondence
Folder 8 - Foreign Bills
Folder 9 - Foreign Bills: England
Folder 10 - Foreign Bills: France
Folder 11 - Foreign Bills: Germany
Folder 12 - Foregin Bills: Italy
Folder 13 - Receipts

Box 2

Pomeroy Family

Folder 1 - Seth Pomeroy Letters - 1755 - 1763
Folder 2 - Letters and inventory - 1808 - 1836
Folder 3 - Miscellaneous printed materials relating to family

Russell Hayes                                  

Folder 4 - Deeds and property records
Folder 5 - Wills, Executive documents, guardianship and indentures
Folder 6 - Receipts
Folder 7 - Journal entries

Pomeroy family scrapbook

Five Books - ledgers, journal, etc.

Box 3

Rutherford Hayes, Sr.

Folder 1 - Deeds - 1807 - 1833
Folder 2 - Deeds - 1782 - 1806
Folder 3 - Correspondence; tavern license; certificates
Folder 4 - Indentures; will; legacies
Folder 5 - Miscellaneous

William Rutherford Hayes

Folder 6 - Yale receipts 1822; Military and government papers,
                Correspondence (1829 - 1852)
                Scrapbook kept by Mrs. W. R. Hayes

Box 4

Rutherford B. Hayes

Folder 1 - Obituaries
Folder 2 - Pamphlets inscribed by R. B. H.
Folder 3 - Newspapers inscribed by R. B. H.

Family Genealogy

Folder 4 - Bigelow, Russell    Notes pg 1-144
Folder 5 - Bigelow, Russell    Notes pg 145-300
Folder 6 - Dudley; other New England families
Folder 7 - Smith - Hayes
Folder 8 - Hayes - Bigelow
Folder 9 - Billings
Folder 10 - Bigelow
Folder 11 - Memorials: Mead, Noyes, Bigelow, Taylor

Box 5

Russell A. Bigelow

Folder 1 - Sketchbook: Weisbaden, Germany; Chicago, Illinois; Memorial Card
Folder 2 - School Reports; dance programs; miscellaneous
Journal: Edinburgh, Scotland 1872-1873
Book of European postage stamps
Journal: Steamship Abyssinian 1872
Diaries: Europe (1872 -1874); Centennial 1876; Brattleboro 1872 - 1880
Scrapbook of family mementos
Bound autograph book 1873

Box 6

Jennie M. Hayes Field

Autograph book, 1861
Pearl Album (Autographs) 1857
Folder 1 - Pencil sketches and drawings
Folder 2 - Published engravings
Folder 3 - Miscellaneous

William H. Bigelow

Letter book  1873 - 1974
Printed Armenian Roll - January 1717
Folder 4 - College orations, debates, compositions
Folder 5 - Receipts; In Memoriam
Folder 6 - Williams College; Burr Seminary; Washington Academy

Box 6A

William H. and Russell A. Bigelow Correspondence

Folder 1 - William H. Bigelow, Jr.
Folder 2 - Russell A. Bigelow 1873-1882
Folder 3 - 1883-1889
Folder 4 - 1890-1924

Box 7

Brattleboro, Vermont; Miscellaneous

Folder 1 - News clippings relating to Brattleboro history
Folder 2 - Churches
Folder 3 - Wills; deeds; leases
Folder 4 - Maps
Folder 5 - Advertising and promotional literature
Folder 6 - Miscellaneous clippings, programs, etc.
Folder 7 - Brattleboro Academy

Box 8

Daguerreotypes 3" X 3"

Box 9

Daguerreotypes 4" X 4"; 5" X 6"           

Box 10

Miscellaneous Books, Publications, and Periodicals

Box 11

Scrapbooks, Photo Albums, Memorabilia

Box 12

Miscellaneous Photos; Hayes Homes; Brattleboro, VT, History
Folder 1 - Hayes Home, Brattleboro, Vermont
Folder 2 - Hayes Homestead Photos
Folder 3 - Miscellaneous Photographs, inc. homes of A.W. Howes and Sally Hayes Bancroft

TRANSFERRED TO MUSEUM:

• Cuff links (3 pair)
• Oval Pendant
• Medallion
• Box with rouge container
• Coin/charm on narrow gross grain ribbon