Objective:
Find full birth dates of Edward and John Higgins in U. S. records, if
possible. Do they match the dates of
birth/baptism from the RC Parish of Lismore, Co. Waterford, Ireland?
The Lismore dates were:
John Higgins: 9 December 1842; Edmund
Higgins: 25 February 1844
Names of parents for both John and Edmund on Lismore records: Michael Higgins & Mary Walsh [1]
***
I've made a small chart for John Higgins using all of the records I have which refer to his birth, directly or indirectly. The list may grow as I encounter more records, but for now this is it. During the process, I discovered that civil Connecticut birth records, such as those for "Michael J. Higgins" and "Francis Wm. Higgins," were more likely to list the age of the parents, while civil records from Massachusetts were not.
The 1900 U. S. federal census is the only record so far that mentions the month of birth: December. This, at least, matches the Lismore record. The names of parents on John's civil death record match the names on the Lismore record as well, knowing that Welch is a common spelling of Walsh:
The 1900 U. S. federal census is the only record so far that mentions the month of birth: December. This, at least, matches the Lismore record. The names of parents on John's civil death record match the names on the Lismore record as well, knowing that Welch is a common spelling of Walsh:
Dates of Birth and parental info for John Higgins in U. S.
Records
Today:
At the FHC from 10 to 12. Checked Suffolk County grantee and grantor indexes for Edward Higgins and John Higgins, in the database Massachusetts Land Records, 1626-1986 (familysearch.org) for the years 1800-1899. Edward's name appeared in connection with Lark St. He and Edward Barry [his brother-in-law] became grantees of two different lots on Lark St. -- on the same day -- 31 Jan 1874, just 17 days before Edward Higgins married Bridget Tobin. The grantor was Susan C. Johnston, whose name spanned two pages in the grantor index. I traced Susan-- born in England as Susan Cain, married William Johnston who was born in Scotland. They had several children.
Edward Barry was grantee for lot 9 and Edward Higgins was grantee for lot 16 [v. 1196, pp. 137-138]. I did not see John Higgins' name in the grantee index. Edward Higgins' mortgage on lot 16 was discharged 15 Jan 1876.
Notes:
[1] Irish Family History Foundation.
[2] Higgins-Norris marriage, 7 February 1869, St. Patrick's Church marriages, p. 114, St. Patrick's Church, Hartford, Hartford, CT, 285 Church St, Hartford, CT 06103-1196.
[3] FHL film 1313829.
[4] 1870 U. S. census, Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford, population schedule, Hartford, 6th district, p. 113, dwelling 989, family 981, line 24, John Higgins household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed August 2006), citing National Archives microfilm publication M593, roll 101.
[5] FHL film 1313829.
[6] In August 2011, the Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters (M.C.O.F) record collection was moved to the University Archives and Special Collections at the Joseph P. Healey Library, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts. See "Proposition for Membership" for John Higgins, St. Joseph's Court no. 11, Boston, death 10 December 1908, claim 3023.
[7] 1900 U. S. census, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, population schedule, Boston, Ward 17, enumeration district 1411, sheet 3B, dwelling 32, family 54, line 61, John Higgins household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed August 2006), citing National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 684.
[8] "Massachusetts, Deaths, 1841-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NWTL-GL4 : accessed 2 May 2010), John Higgins, 10 Dec 1908; citing Boston,,Massachusetts, 20, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2217886.
[9] Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters, "Certificate of Death" for John Higgins, 10 December 1908. See note 6.
[10] "Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage, and Death Announcements, 1851-2003," Boston Daily Globe, obituary printed 12 December 1908, entry for John Higgins; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 September 2006).
Source
|
Date of Birth
|
Name of Parents
|
1869 marriage record [2]
|
Age 22 [Abt. 1847]
|
|
14 Jan 1870: birth of son
Michael J. [Joseph] Higgins [3]
|
Age 27 [Abt. 1843]
|
|
1870 U. S. Federal Census [4]
|
Abt. 1843
|
|
29 Jan 1872: birth of son
Francis Wm. Higgins [5]
|
Age 29 [Abt. 1843]
|
|
1880 U. S. Federal Census
|
Abt. 1842
|
|
28 June 1880 Proposition for membership, MA Catholic Order of
Foresters [6]
|
Age 34 [Abt. 1846]
|
|
1900 U. S. Federal Census [7]
|
Abt. Dec 1847
|
|
10 Dec 1908, civil death certificate [8]
|
Age 62 [Abt. 1846]
|
Michael Higgins
Mary Welch
|
10 Dec 1908: MA Catholic Order of Foresters, Certificate of Death [9]
|
Age 62 [Abt. 1846]
|
|
12 Dec 1908, death announcement [10]
|
Age 62 [Abt. 1846]
|
|
14 Dec 1908, Burial index card [11]
|
Age 62 [Abt. 1846]
|
Today:
At the FHC from 10 to 12. Checked Suffolk County grantee and grantor indexes for Edward Higgins and John Higgins, in the database Massachusetts Land Records, 1626-1986 (familysearch.org) for the years 1800-1899. Edward's name appeared in connection with Lark St. He and Edward Barry [his brother-in-law] became grantees of two different lots on Lark St. -- on the same day -- 31 Jan 1874, just 17 days before Edward Higgins married Bridget Tobin. The grantor was Susan C. Johnston, whose name spanned two pages in the grantor index. I traced Susan-- born in England as Susan Cain, married William Johnston who was born in Scotland. They had several children.
Edward Barry was grantee for lot 9 and Edward Higgins was grantee for lot 16 [v. 1196, pp. 137-138]. I did not see John Higgins' name in the grantee index. Edward Higgins' mortgage on lot 16 was discharged 15 Jan 1876.
Notes:
[1] Irish Family History Foundation.
[2] Higgins-Norris marriage, 7 February 1869, St. Patrick's Church marriages, p. 114, St. Patrick's Church, Hartford, Hartford, CT, 285 Church St, Hartford, CT 06103-1196.
[3] FHL film 1313829.
[4] 1870 U. S. census, Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford, population schedule, Hartford, 6th district, p. 113, dwelling 989, family 981, line 24, John Higgins household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed August 2006), citing National Archives microfilm publication M593, roll 101.
[5] FHL film 1313829.
[6] In August 2011, the Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters (M.C.O.F) record collection was moved to the University Archives and Special Collections at the Joseph P. Healey Library, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts. See "Proposition for Membership" for John Higgins, St. Joseph's Court no. 11, Boston, death 10 December 1908, claim 3023.
[7] 1900 U. S. census, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, population schedule, Boston, Ward 17, enumeration district 1411, sheet 3B, dwelling 32, family 54, line 61, John Higgins household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed August 2006), citing National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 684.
[8] "Massachusetts, Deaths, 1841-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NWTL-GL4 : accessed 2 May 2010), John Higgins, 10 Dec 1908; citing Boston,,Massachusetts, 20, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2217886.
[9] Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters, "Certificate of Death" for John Higgins, 10 December 1908. See note 6.
[10] "Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage, and Death Announcements, 1851-2003," Boston Daily Globe, obituary printed 12 December 1908, entry for John Higgins; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 September 2006).
[11] Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline, Burial index card for John Higgins, interred 14 December 1908, Walk J, grave 119; Holyhood Cemetery Association,990 Lagrange Street, West Roxbury, MA 02132.
