Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-06-17
AUTHOR, TRAVELLER. ATHLETE.
Pouitney 5iseIow, N. r. A. Alumni
Speaker, Was Founder of Outing
First to Paddle Canoe Down The
Danube

The American Who's Who for the
current year gives some interesting
facts concerning Poultney Bigelow, N
+. A. '73, who is coming from his hand
some residence, the Bigelow homestead
at Maiden On-Hudson, to address the
annual meeting of the Norwich Free
Academy Alumni asociatsion, at Slater
hal, next Monday evening. 1t is doubt
rul II any other alumnus ever sent
out by any academy or college has
such an interesting and varied list Of
activities and achievements to his
credit
Born in New York, September 10th,
1855, the now distinguished author and
traveller obeyed to the letter the axiom
or Oliver Wendell Holmes, 'Tt is the
first duty of a man to be born well; :"
Tor he was the son of John Bigelow
and Jane Tunis Poultney. hence had
the valuable start of an honored an
ceStry
Following his schooling in his native
city and here in Norwich, he entered
Yale, travelling and writing much. be-
fore he was ready to take his A. B.
degree in '79. In 1900 Yale gave him
his M A. Meantime he was studying
at Columbia, and was graduated from
the Law school in 1902. He had been
admitted to the bar of the superior
court Of New York in 1882
Even at thi searly date, he was some
what of a globe-trotter. He had
made his first voyage around the
world in sailing ship in 1S75-76. He
had visited the shores Of New Guinea,
been wrecked on the coast of Japan,
Travelled in China, Borneo, Java, Aus
tralia, Africa, the West Indies, the
Spanish Main. Philippine Islands, and
Panama, touring leisurely, having
plenty of time and means and brains
at his command
He was the first to take canoe trip
through the Iron Gates of the Danube
and he presented the canoe to the
emperor Wilton, then his f1rmest
friend.
He studied tropical colonization in
nearly every colony of the world, &C
curing a knowledge wide, valuable,
informing, of which he has been tell
ing the reading public a good deal,
since the war began.
The holiness of his pioneer canoe
trip was an indication of his love for
athletics, which took a concrete form
when, in 1885, he founded Outing, the
first American magazine exclusively
devoted to amateur sport
The educational world was not slow
to recognize the fact that he had
knowledge which he was ready to
ern history and on colonial admins
tration at nearly ali the principal uni
versities.
He did signally good work as CORES
pOnOeQL IOF the LOnQOn Times during
the Spanish war. He was
considered important enough to be
formally expelled from Russia on ac-
count of his political writing. in 1892.
Honors have been bestowed on him,
and of the most coveted sort. He is
an honorary member of the Royal
United Service Institute, London, of
the Royal Artillery Institute, Wool
witch; Of the chronological society,
London; a life member of the Royal
Geographical society, the American
Geographical society, the New York
Historical society, the American Po-
litical Science association, the Army
Relief society and various other organ
izations of the highest rating.
With all his habits of the student
the author and the traveller, he has
not neglected the social side Of ex-
istence. He is a member Of the Cen
fury club, New York, an honorary
member of the New York Canoe club,
chairman Of the Ends of the Earth
club, New York, Authors club, Royal
Corinthian Yacht club, Golden club,
and the Imperial Yacht club of Kiel
Among other works he has written
The German Emperor and His Eastern
Neighbors, Paddles and Politics down
the Danube, The Borderland of Gar
and Kaiser, History of the German
Struggle For Liberty (four vofHmes)
White Mans Africa, Children Of the
Nations and innumerable magazine
and newspaper articles.