charles higgins

[mark foot]

Bessie was the mother of my grandmother Margaret Higgins. Bessie had Margaret when she was in her 30's. Margaret born 1902 at Yeovil and Bessie lived with her father a couple of miles away at Trent just inside Dorset.  Bessie was not married but I have suspicions the father was a 'March'who lived locally but I can not dfind any records showing financial support.

[Annette7]

Bessie was the mother of my grandmother Margaret Higgins. Bessie had Margaret when she was in her 30's. Margaret born 1902 at Yeovil and Bessie lived with her father a couple of miles away at Trent just inside Dorset.  Bessie was not married but I have suspicions the father was a 'March'who lived locally but I can not dfind any records showing financial support.

Thank you for explaining that.   I see that Margaret was living with her Uncle William and family.

Annette

[mark foot]

Charles is proving to be a real challenge and apart from a possible mention re the local military in 1884 the latest definite knowledge I have about his whereabouts is witnessing a will on the 16.7.1883 in his role as a sols clerk for his employee rs Messrs Tucker and Forward of Chard, Sim. At his brothers inquest in May 1889 it was mentioned a brother had come over from the USA 4 years earlier for a visit. My grandmother told him he had drowned. I can find no details of his entry or departure from this country or death. He appears to have disappeared. I have family photographs for many members of the Higgins family but nothing for him. I would have expected to have come across some if he had survived. Any lines, thoughts would be much appreciated.  Mark

[mark foot]

The Bath Chronicle dated 15/3/1888 and other newspapers have recorded a death at sea, having left Portland (I believe in USA). Charles Higgins was drowned. He was then a cook and might it be possible he was working his passage home? I wonder if anyone has access to suitable records? July 1883 is the last 100% record for him although it might be him a year later in the local military.

Any help/suggestions re this mystery would be much appreciated. My grandmother, when she was alive said he had drowned and I was young at the time and can't recall anything else about Charles (Chas) Higgins.

Mark

[mark foot]

I'm still stuck but is this a possibility?
1881 census shows a Charles Higgin not Higgins born in Somerset around 1863. I can't find a Higgin from Somerset around that time.
I believe he went to America and returned once and at sometime drowned. There is a record of Charles Higgin from Somerset with the correct age going to America in 1884. This would seem to tie up with the inquest report of his brother Heorge Higgins in Tredegar that reported a visit from a brother from America about 4 years prior to the death of George in 1889.

Any help/thoughts would be fantastic. My grandmother told me he drowned but I have no further details. Thanks Mark

[chempat]

Might have more information?

https://www.nytimes.com/1888/02/28/archives/four-men-drowned.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1888/07/06/archives/two-bodies-found.html

if it was going from New York to Portland, he was not working his passage home.

There are Charles Higgins born in Maine in 1863 etc who could be that death.

[mark foot]

Many thanks but my relation was born in Crewkerne in Somerset. He worked near by in Chard and his parents and siblings lived at Tatworth, all Somerset, England.

[chempat]

OK.

So you are no longer interested in any further information about the drowning reported in the Bath Chronicle?

[jonw65]

So you are no longer interested in any further information about the drowning reported in the Bath Chronicle?

Whether he was from Maine or not, his death is announced in the Courier—Gazette (Rockland, Maine), 6 March 1888, page 3
Deaths
HIGGINS—Drowned at sea at the wreck of schooner Nellie Bowers, off Richmond Island, Feb. 25,
Charles Higgins, aged about 25 years.