THE BIGGAR FAMILY OF BELFAST AND COUNTY ANTRIM.

By FRANCISJOSEPH BIGGAR, M.R.I.A.

THE Biggar's are a family long connected with Belfast and County Antrim, Ireland, having left Nithsdale, in Scotland, about the year 1640. It is believed they came from the parish of Kirkpatrick Irongray. The “ Biggers of that ilk ” had long been landowners i11Nithsdale, and the head of the family was designated “ Laird,” and is believed to have been Herbert Bigger of Barbuie. Three brothers arrived in Ireland, and settled in the village of Belfast, and also at Biggerstown, adjoining the Parish of Carnmoney. They are believed to have been a branch of, or connected with, the Stewarts of Galloway, whose crest (a pelican in her piety) they still wear, their shield also having a close resemblance, whilst the Biggar's wore the tartan and the colour of the Stewarts.

In the year 1642 Ensigne Bigger was an officer in the army of Sir James Montgomery. In the years 1657 and 1666 Michael Bigger and James Bigger issued trade tokens in Belfast, which are still extant, and in 1673 were “ Commissioners ” to the first Presbyterian Congregation. In 1666 three Biggers appear on the Hearth Tax List. The entry close to the old Market House in the High Street of Belfast was known as Bigger’s Entry, and had formerly been the entrance to the old family residence, which was built a little off the street. Subsequently premises were built out to the street, and were in the occupation of the Biggers from 1650 ‘till the end of the nineteenth century. At Biggerstovm, Carnmoney. Co. Antrim, the whole district was in their possession in the last century, and they are still owners of a considerable portion.

In 1662 Michael Bigger was part owner of the good ship Unicorn, of which Belfast was then very proud, and about the same time James Bigger was proprietor of 3 acres adjoining “ Goose Lane,” outside the North gate of the town, and also of a meadow in the Cromac marshes, which he specifically bequeaths by Will in 1721, and also leaves “ to the poor of the Parish Church of Belfast the sum of twenty shillings ster., to be paid to such of them as the Rev. Mr Fletcher shall think most fltt.” The Will of Michael Bigger was written in Edinburgh, to which place he must have gone for that purpose, as he had long resided in Belfast and died there. The language employed is the “ broadest, Scotch,” and to most Irish people now would be unintelligible.

There are many other Wills and documents in the possession of the family at Ardrigh, Belfast, in which the most curious phrases occur. In the Will of Eliz. Bigger, 1694, the testatrix refers to High Street as follows-—“To my loving son James All That ye house in fore Street now in possession of William Crawford, Esq., Soveraign nth back house and shades now possessed by him, Reserving the Parlour as it is now of ye sd house for a shop.” _ _ In 1698 Rev. William Bigger was thrown into prison for preachmg in Galway, and the Lords Justices were petltloned to prohibit the establishment of dissent, which they did.

The Will of “ Michael Bigger, Yeoman,” 1718, starts with a long pious Introduction. and states Imprimis “ I leave all my body Cloths ,linen and wooling, except a ticken vest and briches to,"’ &-C. “ Also  ’three mills crowns pecess and my chattels to be roped I or sold by Publick Cant at a covenant time after may decease at the discretion of my Exactr and over seear.” The following curious spelling occurs Eshew (issue), moyitty (moiety), sorviours (survivors), Housall (household), Revoack (1-evoke)’ legesseyes (legacies), and the curious Christian name “ Peacock ” is mentioned_ James Bigger was one of the earliest enrolled volunteers and was a delegate at Dungannon in 1782. ’

William Bigger and his son Matthew worked a woolen factory at Biggerstown, and were subsidized by Parliament during the Irish Independence. Matthew Bigger was a Colonel on the Irish side at the Battle of Antrim, in 1798, and his friends were also well represented there. David Bigger started the Carnmoney Cottcn Printing Min about 1800, which is now Campbell’s Mossley Mills. He was also one of the original Governors of the Belfast Academical Institution, and one of the original committee of the Linen Hall Library and the Belfast Charitable Society, and at the beginning of the century he held a foremost litera-ry and social position in Belfast. His name will be found subscribed to all the Resolutions calling upon the Emancipation of the Catholics by the Irish Parliament about 1790. He was the seventh son of William Bigger of Biggerstown, and the late Joseph Bigger of Ardrigh was his seventh son, and he has also left a seventh son, Francis Joseph Bigger, the compiler of these notes. The late Joseph Bigger of Trainfield, Belfast, was a wealthy merchant, a landowner in County Antrim, and Chairman of the Ulster Bank. His son, Joseph Gillies Bigger, was M.P. for Cavan, a man of great popularity and force. The late William F. Bigger, J .P., D.L., left Belfast and settled in Derry many years ago, where some of his family still live. Another branch of the family settled at Dundalk, where some of them still reside. The late Professor James L. Bigger, M.A., was of the Derry branch. The late Joseph Bigger of Ardrigh left a large family, which includes Colonel S. F. Bigger; F. C. Bigger of the Treasury, S.A.; Dr E. Coey Bigger, of the Local Government Board; and F. J. Bigger, M.R.I.A. There are also others of the name in Dublin and elsewhere in the north of Irela

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