David Bigler

 

AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT

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David Bigler

Born: Bef.1775 PA

Died: After 1820 Lafayette, Tippecanoe, IN

FATHER

unknown

MOTHER

unknown

WIFE

unknown  (born in Scotland)

Eleanor Bigler

David Bigler
by Susan Brooke
Nov 2022

According to the 1880 census of his daughter, Eleanor Bigler Harbaugh, David Bigler was born in Pennsylvania and his wife born in Scotland.  An obituary of Eleanor Harbaugh says her parents were were keeping a hotel on Water Street in New York when their daughter, Eleanor, was born (about 1807). (1)  Supposedly David and his family came to Madison, Jefferson County, Indiana via Pittsburgh and the Ohio River when Eleanor was 6 (about 1813).  (2) Two of his brothers may have gone to St. Louis.  All this was information was obtained from the obituaries on Eleanor Bigler Harbaugh.
It is assumed he was the father of Eleanor due to his being in Madison at the same time.  David "Bigger" was on the Mounted Rangers list of 1813. (3)  He was also on the tax list of Madison in 1816. (4)  In the 1820 census record for Madison he was listed with a woman 26 - 45 and a female 10-16.  And, Eleanor Bigler Harbaugh named her first son, "David."

Sources

(1) From the Madison Courier, Feb. 9, 1893
The Oldest Inhabitant Dead
"Eleanor Bigler Harbaugh died on First street, east of Mulberry, at four o'clock yesterday afternoon.  The deceased was born nearly 100 years ago on what used to be Water street in New York city, where her parents kept a hotel.  At the age of six years, she came with her parents to Madison, at which time, we are told, there were only three houses on the site of our present city of 10,000 inhabitants.  Two of her uncles were the first settlers of the present site of the great city of St. Louis.
On reaching womanhood Miss Bigler was married to the late Jacob Harbaugh, a pioneer citizen of Madison, who died several years ago, having raised quite a large family, all of whom are now dead except four grand-children, one of whom is Mrs. J. Frank Wells of West Main Street. "

(2) Madison Daily Herald
9 Feb 1893

Mrs. Harbaugh Dead

Mrs. Lenora Harbaugh, widow of the late Jacob Harbaugh, died at her home on East First street at 5 o'clock last evening of old age. She did not know her age exactly, but she is at least ninety, possibly ninety-one years of age. She was born New York City, and came to this city via Pittsburg and the Ohio River when she was six years old with her parents. At that time there were but three log cabins within a radius of twenty miles and but four white people. One of these was situated on this hill above Crooked Creek in which the white   people at one time took refuge.

Her maiden name was Bigler, and she was married in 1826 to Jacob Harbaugh, and ten children were born to them. They all married and raised families of their own, but she has lived to bury all of them and has but four grandchildren. All these children, save one are buried in a lot just beyond the entrance to Springdale Cemetery, and beside them the remains of their aged mother will be laid away.

Mrs. Harbaugh, who was perhaps the oldest resident of Madison as well as the oldest settler, will be buried tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock. She was a member of the Universalist church and Dr. Barnard officiated at the funeral.

(3) Muster Roll of Capt. Williamson Dunn's Company of Mounted Rangers
Enlisted March 13, 1813
Discharged March 1, 1814
From Indiana Territorial Pioneer Records 1801-1820 Vol 2

(4) From a book found in the Jefferson County Library in Madison, IN  "A list of Persons Due taxes to William Vawter for the year 1815 and Paid by me, James "Vawter for to collect in 1815."
1815 tax list