The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-01-24
FATHER BIGELOw.
Death of Rev. w. T. BigeIow, Pastor
OF sc. Peters Church, Steubcn.

v1lIe.
The death of Rev. William T. Bige-
low, pastor of ST. Peters Church,
North Fourth street. was announced
this morning. The news was sudden
and saddening, for although it was
known that in his ministration on
members of his congregation afflicted
with the dread coDtagion that has
scourged the city, he had exposed him
self, it was believed that he would es-
cape the disease. The first serious
symptoms appeared on Wednesday.
They seemed to indicate varioloid
They shortly assumed different and
more serious phase, however in
dicating disease of the brain. Sat
urday morning he became delirious
and was not again conscious.
He died at $40 A. NJ. this morning.
The sad intelligence spread rapidly
over the city and hundreds OF HE con-
gregation iocked to the house and the
church at an early hour. In the entire
community, the tidings were received
with sorrow and regret Father Bigelow,
always Jealous in behalf Of his church,
enioyed to remarkable degree the con-
fiience and regard OF our citizens, irres-
pective of religious preferences, He WAS
a man of great excellence OF character,
com panionable in his intercourse with
all, and fair, liberal and tolerant in de-
nominational views. He shrank from
no duty his pastoral relations imposed
on him, and it is probable that it was
his self:sacrifce and devotion to the
cause of the suffering that, more than
anything else, induced his fatal ILLNESS.
Father Bigelow had been pastor OF
st. Peters since April, 1865. OF his
personal history, few details are
gathered from his private memoranda,
from which it appears that he was
born in Lancaster, Ohio, May q, 1872,
being therefore less than thirty years
of age at the time OF his death. He
became COMMUNICATE OF the Roman
Catholic Church in 1851, was admitted
to St. Thomas college, Bardstown,
Kentucky, at the age OF thirteen, going
thence to the Seminary at Cincinnati,
where he studied until he received
minor orders October IA, 1861. lie
was made sub-deacon in 1868, ordained
deacon August 5, 1864, and priest April
|, 1865, in which month, as above
stated, he took charge of st. Peters
Church. He received all his various
orders at the hands OF Arch bishop Pur-
cell. In 1866, this diocese was set of
under charge of Right Rev. Sylvester
II. Rosecrans, Of Columbus. who has
been telegraphed the news of Father
Bigelow's death, and will arrive here
this evening.
1t is not yet determined when or
where the funeral obsequies will take
place. Father Bigelow' s parents reside
in Detroit. They will probably arrive
to night or tomorrow morning and
definite arrangements will then be made;
This morning high mass was celebrated
at the church at s! o'clock, by Father
Tuomey. The spacious audience room
was crowded. The altar front was
draped with mourning. This afternoon
the remains were placed in a rosewood
coffin and taken to the church where
they will lie in state this evening and
tomorrow. The fears expressed that
any contagion will be communicated by
the body are certified by three of our
physicians to be entirely groundless.
Drs. MofTat, Galligan and Tappan coin
eide in the assertion that death was not
caused by either smallpox or varloloid.
-SteuJsnvills Neps, Monday.