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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: mark foot on Thursday 28 November 19 22:03 GMT (UK)
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Charles Paul Higgins was born in Crewkerne, Somerset, England in 1863. He was baptised at Tatworth, Somerset on the Ist November 1866 with my great grandmother Bessie Higgins. Their father, George Higgins was a policeman at Tatworth, Somerset, where the family lived. Their mother was Charlotte (nee Ring).
Charles worked as a solicitors clerk at near by Chard and witnessed a will on the 16th July 1883.
Then it appears he vanishes. My grandmother told me when I was young that he drowned but being a child I did not ask any more.
One of his siblings Mary Jane Higgins (a ladys maid) later married a Mr Brown and lived in the Seattle region. A postcard gives the address as Route3, 145 Seattle.
The siblings had an older brother named George Higgins who died in 1889. At the inquest it mentioned that some 4 years earlier he was visited by a brother who came from America. If accurate I feel this would have to be Charles.
I have photographs and other bits and pieces regarding the Higgins family but nothing on Charles. I think it highly likely that he drowned when he was a young man. I have checked parish records at Tatworth, newspaper and death records and have had no joy. I haven't found him on a ship. It is possible he worked his passage.
I can not find anything else about Charles and any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Mark
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His birth was registered just as Charles- no middle name. Was Paul added at his baptism?
Births December qtr 1863
Charles Higgins Chard 5c 504
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Have you already discounted this death - age about 2yrs out calculating time of year born in 1863 and qtr of death
Deaths September qtr 1910
Higgins Charles P 44 Shepton Mallet. 5c 230
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The 1871 has a Charles P Higgins aged 5 but b Pylle and living with grandfather Edward. Possibly his death in 1910
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The siblings had an older brother named George Higgins
Parents George & Charlotte married March qtr 1863. Charles was b Dec qtr that year so was their firstborn
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Finally found them in 1871. Son George aged 10 so born before marriage
Births June qtr 1860
George RING Sherborne 5a 372
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Was Charlotte King or Ring as it seems to vary.
The 1860 birth above is Ring on freebmd and on the GRO index yet no trace on GRO online when I went to check mmn. I noticed the 1863 marriage shows her as King on freebmd but the marriage transcription on Family Search is Ring
I tried the 1860 birth as George King and it matched - no mmn so illegitimate
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Thank you for your help.
I have only found the middle name Paul used at his baptism.
He survived his young years and became a sols clerk at near by Chard.
Pylle Higgins is a different person.
King name wrongly recorded for Ring.
George H Ring was the child of George Higgins and Charlotte Ring prior to their marriage. Assume H for Higgins.
Very many thanks again.
Mark
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I am still searching without success for Charles P Higgins. Confusingly there is another Charles P Higgins of Pylle, Somerset who is nothing to do with my Charles. There may be some new records that you are aware of but frustratingly I am recalling my grandmother telling me over 50 years ago that he drowned and I am almost certain it was at sea.
My gut feeling is that he emigrated in the late 1880's and died fairly soon afterwards but my research has so far been fruitless. Why would a young solicitors clerk move away? I could understand a farmer or something of that nature and that has only added to the intrigue. If he had joined the navy I feel I would have come across his record by now.
Any further suggestions would be most appreciated.
The family were from around Bradford Abbas, Dorset but his father married Charlotte Ring and became a policeman at Chard, Somerset living at near by Tatworth. Around the time that I believe Charles drowned his father moved to Curry Rivel. I would have thought that if his son drowned that there would have been a newspaper write up or something recorded. Thanks for any help.
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Have you checked any of the US census entries for him?
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The 1910 death I gave in my earlier reply 2 checks out on GRO online as Charles Paul Higgins. No other birth for a Charles Paul Higgins
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Many thanks. I haven't found him on a census and I think Charles Higgins isn't unusual a name to stand out especially for ship records as often it would be recorded as jus Higgins or with an initial. He was baptised at Tatworth and given the name Paul as a second name although this is the only time I can find with of the middle name give.
Being inquisitive I kick myself for not asking my grandmother more. It does seem a mystery though that someone can just disappear. I question why a young sols clerk would move away. Hopefully he didn't do anything wrong and wanted to hide or perhaps he changed his name or simply is there no record or was his name misreported? As his father had been the local policeman and the family had lived at Tatworth for years I would have thought that even if he died abroad that there would have been something recorded. It would be lovely to find out. I have a number of photos of that generation but none of him so my best guess that he died crossing the sea. Intriguingly at his brother's inquest in 1889 there is a reference to a brother visiting from abroad a few years before and I am confident that it couldn't be one of his other brothers. Thanks again for your suggestions. The US records probably will be my best hope. Mark