I have decided to take a break from sharing our Pioneer family history from mom's (Bonnie's) side and share a little from dad's (Don's) side. I have reconnected with some of my Higginson first cousins via Facebook so I thought it would be fun for us all to learn a little more about our Irish lineage.
Many years ago, Dad gave me a copy of a book entitled, Descendants of the Reverend Thomas Higginson, written by Thomas Boyd Higginson. This book is a treasure trove of our family's history and I am so grateful to have had it in my possession for all of these years. The pages are soft as butter after so many perusings on my part. If anyone is interested in checking it out for yourselves, you can find it at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and you can make copies of it's pages.
I corresponded with Thomas Boyd Higginson for a few years before he passed away. As all of our Higginson line stayed in Canada after arriving there in 1817, he considered us the American branch of the family. My great grandfather, Thomas William Higginson came to America and married Elizabeth Irle of Wisconsin. That's where Grandpa Don's father, William Raymond Higginson was born in 1888.
I don't know what brought Thomas William to Wisconsin, but I would love to find out. If any one knows, please share. Think of how all of our lives would be so different if that one man had stayed in Canada. History would be very different for us all.
The very first Higginson we meet in the book is George Colonus Higginson, the father of the Reverend Thomas William. I will include some background history of the Higginson clan in the next post. For now I would like to introduce you all to the earliest known members of our direct line.
"On June 5, 1718 there entered Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland one Thomas Higginson, aged 18 son of George, 'Colonus', born in Ballinderry, County Antrim. (The catalog of graduates of Trinity College, Dublin, states: "Cultor, Agricola, and Colonus are used alike for a farmer of a few acres and a country squire of great possessions.")
He (Thomas) had been a pupil of the well known Dr. Clarke of Lisburn. He must have been a student of some distinction as in 1720 he was elected to a foundation scholarship. In 1722 he obtained the B.A. degree.
It is difficult to trace his career in the Church of Ireland as all the pertinent records were destroyed in 1922. However, thanks to the kindness of His Lordship, the Bishop of Connor, a kindness hereby most gratefully acknowledged, some light has been thrown on it. He was curate of Tickmacrevan (Glenarm) in 1728, and Curate of Cairncastle from 1731 to at least 1768. In 1766-7 according to a letter recieved from the Rector of Larne in 1927, he was also Perpetual Curate of Larne."
"Our tradition is that he married Mary Boyd, daughter of Archibald Boyd, and this is supported by the reference in the autobiography of the Rev. Adam Clarke, mentioned in the introduction (of this book.)
In 1758 he obtained a grant of lands in Corkermain from James Tullus, and in his will, dated March 31, 1775, he left these to his sons, William and Boyd.
I believe that we can accept 1775 as the year of his death, as the signature on his will seems that of a dying man, and it was apparently the custom to defer making a will till almost the last moment in those days." He is believed to be buried at Cairncastle.
Thomas William Higginson is my fifth great grandfather, Grandpa Don's 4th great grandfather. You can determine your relationship to him by determining your relationship to Grandpa Don.
This is our direct line through George Higginson:
His son, Thomas William, born about 1800 in Ireland
His son, Boyd, born about 1745 in Ireland
His son, George, born 1783 in Ireland
His son, William, born 12 November 1820 in Hawkesbury, Ontario, Canada
His son, Thomas William, born 18 February 1851 in Hawkesbury, Ontario, Canada
His son, William Raymond, born 5 May 1888 in Star Prairie, Wisconsin
His son, Donald Lee, born 9 February 1930 in Hayward, Alameda, California.
We are greatly blessed with a wonderful heritage from our Higginson line. Many of our ancestors played an important role in building communities in Eastern Canada. They built schools and churches and were very involved in local politics. They were military men who gave their lives in fighting to protect our allies in Europe. In Hawkesbury, the city offices are located on Higginson St. Some of the Higginson homes are still standing and if you google Higginson barn and Higginson Tower you will see some unusual architecture from our ancestors. More on that later as well.
Thomas William, my great grandfather married second a woman named Elizabeth Irle. She was born in Brooklyn, New York soon after her parents arrived here from Prussia and Bavaria. I have quite a bit of information on her line as well and will share that with you in later posts. His first wife, Jane Smith died soon after giving birth to thier second son. I will include that information at a later date as well.
