1858-1859: France, Italy, Switzerland
1858-1859: France, Italy, Switzerland
John and Jane Bigelow, along with their three children Grace, John Jr., and Poultney, set sail from New York on the Fulton on November 13, 1858. Led by Captain Wotton, the ship landed in Havre on November 28th and in Paris a day later, where the Bigelow family temporarily stayed at Hotel du Bad.
On November 29th, John traveled to Lyon to meet the U.S. Consul Mr. Joel White to discuss his new consular position. The family traveled to Chambery and stayed at the Hotel du Petit Paris before crossing into Italy via the Alps on January 1, 1859. Their trip throughout Italy lasted for almost 7 1/2 months, departing on July 12th for Bern, Switzerland.
John and his family returned to Paris in 1861 when he was permanently seated by Abraham Lincoln as the U.S. Consul to Paris during the American Civil War.
