Family Mystery - African American in Scotland 1870s?

[flower2912]

One of the other men charged in the 1884 street preaching incident (see Reply #5) was a John M'Ewan.

Could be just a coincidence, but Edward's mother was a Caroline McEwan Haig (according to his marriage record).

Could that John M'Ewan be a relative? Perhaps he needs following-up.

Also, the Civil War database has Edward's record under HIGGS.  So, is Higgs his actual name?

These two names match the Pension document for him (which says Higgs is the alias).

Higgs, Edward
BATTLE UNIT NAME: 25th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry
SIDE: Union
COMPANY: C

Will definitely be following up - I would imagine this was a common surname in Scotland but this could be a relative of his mothers

[flower2912]

Not sure why you think Edward Haig was "in a disabled veterans home under alias Edward Higgs."
In 1900 census he's clearly listed as Edward Haig- click on 'image' to see actual page-
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMF1-WVJ

Sorry for late reply - I have found numerous records on ancestry where his name is Edward Haig Alias Higgs. Wonder why he had an Alias

[flower2912]

There is a lot of info on the internet about the US Civil War that Edward fought in.

The familysearch wiki has some about the regiment Edward was in…

https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/25th_Regiment,_United_States_Colored_Infantry

PB

Thank you for this - I just checked through company C and found Edward listed as 'Edward Higgs' I wonder why he went by this alias. I wonder if it was to do with the haig surname as I know there was a haig plantation in South Carolina where he was born.

[flower2912]

After doing some more research I came across this in the archives,

What we can now say is as well as working as a labourer he was also doing evangelical work and preaching during his time in Scotland.

This article also suggests he could have been a slave or his parents maybe were.

It is also worth noting that I was told that there were land records where Edward Haig (caroline his mother was listed) had some land in South Carolina.

I can't seem to find anything about his mother or trace any records of her in South Carolina around the time he was born