This collection of essays represents Bigelow’s unpublished memoir. It is a rich and deeply personal view of how a rural farm boy from Colchester, Connecticut developed into a renowned school principal, newspaper editor, printer, teacher, and nationally-known proponent of nature study. The text provides a glimpse into Howes’s early experiences with dissection and microscopy, which instilled in him a wonder and love of natural history. The open pages seen here represent an interesting period in his past, including when he was a six- to eight-year-old hunting Passenger Pigeons!
Bigelow’s great-grandsons were unaware they had this item until they discovered it during a move and after an inquiry by a Bruce Museum staff member. The family graciously donated it; the Bruce Museum is honored to be the repository of such a personal artifact. Interestingly, after further research, it was discovered that family members in Texas have another copy as Bigelow gave one to his two daughters and one to his son.
