Lewis Bigelow (August 18, 1785 – October 2, 1838) was a U.S. Representative from

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. Born in Petersham, Massachusetts, Bigelow graduated from Williams College,

Williamstown, Massachusetts Williamstown is a town in the northern part of Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts, United States. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropol ...

, in 1803. He was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

and commenced practice in Petersham. He served as member of the State senate 1819–1821. He was editor of the first seventeen volumes of Massachusetts Reports and of a digest of six volumes of Pickering's Reports. Bigelow was elected as a

Federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of de ...

to the Seventeenth Congress (March 4, 1821 – March 4, 1823). He moved to

Peoria, Illinois Peoria ( ) is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and the largest city on the Illinois River. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 113,150. It is the principal city of the Peoria Metropolitan Area in Ce ...

, in 1831 and continued the practice of law. He was interested in the real estate business and in the operation of ferry boats. He served as

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or '' puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the s ...

. He was appointed clerk of the circuit court of Peoria County, November 26, 1835, and served until his death in

, October 2, 1838.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bigelow, Lewis 1785 births 1838 deaths People from Petersham, Massachusetts Williams College alumni Politicians from Peoria, Illinois Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts 19th-century American legislators