Woman of the Century/Ella Augusta Bigelow

ELLA AUGUSTA BIGELOW. BIGELOW, Mrs. Ella Augusta, musician, born in Maiden, Mass., in 1849. Her father, Lewis Fisher, and mother, Ruth Benchley, are both of good old English descent. For many years her home was in the town of Milford. Her parents being in good circumstances, the best of instruction was given her Developing a taste for music, she was placed under the care of the most advanced teachers in Boston. As a church singer she has been well known in Fitchburg and various other cities, singing at intervals with such artists as Carlyle Petersilea and Eichberg with his "Germania Orchestra." In 1873 she went to Germany, residing while there chiefly in Berlin. There she studied with Ferdinand Sieber, court professor of music, and Fraulein Kess, both of whom gave her strong encouragement to choose a musical career. Becoming acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. George Bancroft, he being minister to Berlin at that time, the opportunity was given her, through their kindness, of meeting many celebrities and making many friends. Before returning to America she traveled through Europe. At a later period she was married to Edward L. Bigelow, of Marlboro, Mass. where she now resides in an old Colonial house, full of antiques and souvenirs of travel. There she devotes her time to the education of her three children, making home-life attractive and giving to the public frequent helps to intellectual improvement. She has published "Prize Quotations" (Marlboro, 18871, "Venice" (Marlboro, 1890), "Old Masters of Art" (Buffalo, 1888), and "Letters upon Greece" (Marlboro, 1891). She has for years contributed articles for papers both in the East and the West, and has been president of numerous literary clubs as well as musical ones. Full of sympathy for those who are striving for education and true culture, the doors of her home are ever open to pupils of all classes in life.