Representative Lafayette Bigelow View All Years
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Lafayette Bigelow
Clayton County
Proprietor of the Bigelow house, McGregor was born and brought up in Chenango County, New York, and moved to Iowa in 1849 among the first settlers of McGregor. He was then a young married man, having married at Ithaca, New York, in June 1849, Miss Lucinda Ford, and with his young wife set out to seek his fortune in a new country. He arrived at McGregor’s Landing on the 18th day of June, 1849. At that time there were only two or three buildings in the place. He bought out a man by the name of Gould, then occupying a part of the McGregor House, and opened the first hotel in the place, which he continued to keep about fifteen months. In 1851 be purchased a quarter section of land in Giard Township, now known as the Bigelow farm, and entered three hundred acres adjoining, which he improved and built a house upon, and occupied till 1864, when he removed to Chicago and engaged in the grocery business. In December, 1864, Mrs. Bigelow died in Chicago, and the following year he sold out, and with his children, went on a visit to his father's in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, where he remained and took care of his parents till 1867. In January, 1867, he was married to his second wife, Mrs. Julia Swan, relict of the late M.C. Swan, of Blossburg, Pennsylvania, and daughter of Honorable L.B. Smith. In August, 1867, he came with his wife to Elkader, Clayton County, and began life there by opening the Boardman House and commencing hotel keeping. In 1870 he purchased the house of H. D. Evans & Co., and carried it on successfully for six years, when he sold out to Wade & Day. Removing to McGregor in August, 1874, he purchased of the same firm the hotel known as the Straw House, now the Bigelow House. As a landlord he is peculiarly adapted to the situation, sparing no pains to accommodate his guests, and being of that courteous and obliging disposition which pleases and wins customers. Both in public and private life he has won a high degree of confidence and esteem. He was elected to the Legislature on the first Republican ticket of the county, serving in the 5th and 6th General Assembly serving two consecutive terms as a member of the House, 1854 and 1856.
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