In 1844 Harrison Bigger and wife Lucinda Crews Bigger arrived in Linn County from Marion County, Kentucky. There were five children born to this union, one of which was Clellan Guy.
He was county surveyor for several terms as well as holding other county offices. While in office as county surveyor he assisted in platting Marceline as a town. In 1912 Mr. Bigger was the Marceline City engineer.
His first venture in public life was teaching school. After this he studied medicine under Dr. John Fred Powers. He met and married Dr. Powers’ daughter, Leah Jean.
They moved to the farm presently owned by V. R. Preston. In 1881 they moved to the farm which is now owned by a grandson, Fred Bigger.
Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Bigger were the parents of nine children, all of whom are deceased. Guy and Ray were merchants in the early days of Marceline. Edwin married Nelle Moore a school teacher in Marceline and moved on the homeplace in 1912. C. G. Bigger moved to Marceline to make his home. Mable lived in Bucklin, Eva and Locelle went to Chicago, Charlie was a cabinet maker in Kansas City, Kansas, and Harry was contractor in Texas. Ida remained in the home.
The children all attended Carpenter School of which was reorganized in 1952 to the Public school of Marceline R5. Edwin’s children Lois and Fred attended eight years at Carpenter and went to High School in Marceline. Fred’s daughter Maurice attended Carpenter three years, making three generations in the same schools. The Carpenter schoolhouse was bought by the neighborhood for a Community Center.