Biography of
James Bigart of Pawlet, VT

Pawlet (VT) One Hundred Years
Hiel Hollister 
1867 
J. Munsell, Albany

BIGART, JAMES, a native of Scotland, whence he came when a lad, with his father, to this town. He married Lola, da. of Alvin Goodspeed, of Wells, and kept the Vermont Hotel, at North Pawlet, for several years, closing in 1852, when he removed to Sandy Hill, N.Y. His wife died soon after, when he married a second wife, who recently died. He brought out in 1847, the celebrated horse Rattler, which is noticed in the chapter on Stock.

Information contained on page 112 concerning tavern keepers in Pawlet:

Reuben Smith kept tavern where B.F. Giles now lives, some twenty years, closing in 1832.  At north Pawlet a public house was erected some seventy years ago by Bethel Hurd, whose successors have been Joel Simonds, William Stevens, Willard Cobb, Jeremiah Arnold, James Bigart, and perhaps some others.  No tavern has been kept here since 1852.

Information contained on page 124 concerning stock (referred to in the above biography):

Horses  (Page 124)

Great attention has been given to the rearing of good horses from an early day.  The stock of the imported horse Messenger was early introduced, and in so high estimation was it held that all who advertised horses claimed them to be of Messenger extraction.  About 1820 Isaac Bishop brought into the vicinity the celebrated Hamiltonian, believed to have been of Messenger blood.  From this stock Rattler, one of the best, if not the best horse ever raised in the state, sprung.  This horse was bought in 1847, when three years old, of Jacob Burnham, of Middletown, by James Bigart, and, though perhaps inadequately appreciated at home, has won a wide reputation in the western states, in California, and even in South America.  One of his colts, second in descent, was sold in Chili, S. A., in 1863, for thirty thousand dollars.  When Rattler was four years old, Mr. Bigart offered, for a handsome wager, to trot him against any horse in the state.  The offer was not accepted.  We are assured by residents of California and Chili, that no stock of horses is held in so high estimation in those countries as his.  We believe he is still kept by Mr. Bigart at Sandy Hill, N.Y.  Many fine horses are annually sold out of this town, and a handsome revenue derived from their sale.  The requirements of the war caused heavy drafts on our stock of horses, and they are now worth, probably, on an average, two hundred dollars each.