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Title
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Bignell, Thomas H.
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THOMAS
H
BI GN E LL
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-cThomas H. Bignell, who was of English parentage, wa s born in Clarkson, Monroe county, New York,
July 25, 1820.
His first marriage was to Miss Ann Janet Dexter, April 5, 1845, the ceremony being read by Reverend George
c.
~
Overhiser in Easton township, Ionia
county, Michigan.
There were no children.
After the death of this wife he married Miss
Mary Dowell at Byron, Shiawassee county, Michigan,
Jttly 1, 1850, the ceremony being performed by the
Reverend J. J. Whitmore.
em~r
This wife was born Nov-
25, 1818 and died January 8, 1909.
They
were the parents of:
Ann Janet, named for the first wife, born
May 2, 1851, at Portla rd., Michigan, taught
school in her younger days, was married
by her father October 25, 1885, to the Rev.
G. L. Pearson, was the mother of George
Clarence Pearson, who was born in Tombstone, Arizona, October 27, 1888, and at
the time of this writing., 1939, is a
minister in California - Ann Janet was
also the mother of Mary Medora, who was
bor·n in Arizona June 1, 1888 and resides
in the Hawaiian Islands;- Ann Janet died
March 25, 1927;
a
James Levi, torn November 3, 1852, at Prairievi l le, Michigan, and died in infancy;
J
John Wesley, born July 9, 1854, at Dowagiac,
died un~arried at Grand Haven, June 22,
1894;
Jamies, born December 12, 1856, at Sohoo1oraft, Michigan, married in Grand Haven
b.Y the Rev. s. P. Warner January 1, 1881,
to Hattie Clark, who was born in Robinson township, Ottawa county, Michigan,
June 4, 1858 and they are the parents
of Gala E., born May 16, 1882, married
B. R. Lang, has eight children, is a
widow, resides in Grand Rapids, MichiganThomas Raymond, born August 3, 1885 at
Muskegon, Michigan, married Della Rutledge, had four cilildren, died April 12,
1921 - Garnet, born Mar oh 6, 1888, unmarried, resides in Detroit, MichiganDora, born November 22, 1890, resides
with her father and mother.
Thomas H. Bignell was from a religious family.
One brother, John Bignell, was a Methodist minister
and at one time served the ohuroh of that denomina-
tion at Ionia, Michigan.
Thomas was also a minis-
ter in the Methodist Episcopal Church and was the
first minister of that deno mi. nation to hold. services in Grand Haven.
A group of people, some of
whom were colored, asked him to hold the services
and from that 'teginning has grown the present
Methodist Churoh.
Death came to Thomas H. Bignell in Grand
Haven Nov em l:sr 9, 1900.
He planted, other watered
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and God gave increase.
Mr. Bignell did some writing and a
has l:een preserved
prose selections.
oontaini~
~nphlet
three poems a.nd two
One of the latter is entitled,
•The Foundation of My Hope of Immortality,• and
the other is, aMy Christian Experience.•
the poems are:
8
Two of
Lines to His Granddaughter on Her
Fourth Birthday, • and "Lines to His Granddaughter
on Lea vi ·qs the Fa rm Home. •
titled and reads
as
The third poem is en-
follows:
Li ms To a Departed One
Farewelll thou oft remembered one, farewell;
No more, thy artless smile my sorrows shall
dispel;
No more, alas, no more, well pleased shall I
Thy interesting company enjoy;
No more thy long sought presence shall impart
Peace's tranquil beam to this disconsolate heart;
No more the dreams of future bliss must find
A fond indulgence in this melancholy mind.
Yet while I write, thought orowds on thought so
fast,
Of earthly joy, so pure, and pleasures past,
That now my mind proceeding so unwillingly
To the gloomy eoenes of dark futurity
Would stop awhile and fondly linger near
Those favored scenes esteemed so dear,
When in thy preaenoe the cheerful hours so swiftly flew.
And time with s wifter wing did quick his peaoe
renew,
And round my willing heart, free then from pain,
Entwined affections warm and growing ohain.
0, joyful, happy days of other years,
Why do you mok my blinding tears?
If I your hope inspiring hours had never known,
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These swift descending tears ha d never flown.
As living bodies, dead, more heavy lay,
So present hopeless grief past joys outweigh.
Why so I grieve, the prize was never mine,
What I ne'er possessed can I not resign?
Yet what will cool imparted reason •vail
Against fond passions, strong, though riven,
sail?
Why this living death of unsubdued desire, .
Like to the bursting forth of smothered fire?
O, oome thou dark despair, with leaden wing,
Around my heart thy heavy mantle fling,
Chill the vital current of this oft indulged
desire,
Dampen the heat of hopes internal fire,
Break stretgth of strong affection's chain,
Cool the frenzy of my reali :rg brain,
Dry, 0 no, dry not these tears that flow,
These some relier may give to my deep woe
And s wift descending o'er my lengthened cheek,
Forbidden language to my tongue these loudly
speak;
Let them then flow without the least restraint,
And silently proclaim my heart's complaint.
J
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Bignell, Thomas H.