Charles Higgins from England (lost at sea?)

[mark foot]

Sometime ago I tried to search for Charles but without success. I have had some wonderful recent help and thought it worth just trying again.
Charles Higgins born 1863 in Crewkerne/Chard area of Somerset. His family lived in the village of Tatworth. His father George was a policeman and his mother was Charlotte Ring.
1866 christened Charles Paul Higgins at Tatworth.
There is a possible mention re the local military in 1884. The last 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 employers Messrs Tucker and Forward of Chard, Somerset.
At his brother George inquest in May 1889 (Tredegar, South Wales) it was mentioned a brother had come over from the USA some 4 years earlier for a visit. Although hersay, it does suggest he went to the USA.
My grandmother told him he had drowned. This was some 50 years ago and I wished I had asked her for the background. 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 something if he had survived. Any lines, thoughts, would be much appreciated. Did he change his name? Why did he leave a respectable job? What happened to him?   Mark

[Lucy2]

Always helpful to have information of previous searching.   

 Earlier thread same topic >

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=784078.0

added :   and this one too >
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=856151.0

[mark foot]

I am pretty certain he was not the cook on the ship where a George Higgins drowned. But such a mystery that there is no record. My mind has imagined all sorts of things. Did he do something wrong and fled his sols job? Unfortunately his father moved his police role from Tatworth to Curry Rival around that time otherwise I would have expected to find a reference at Tatworth to someone who had been living there. There was a young Higgins at Chard (nr Tatworth) winning rifle competitions in the local military organinisation. Perhaps he joined the military but I can't find any reference. If it was him to tried to help his brother (I think it must be) then he should appear somewhere. Did he change his name?
I feel there has to be a lucky break at sometime but I'll have to look at all the Chas/Charles' and alternative spellings for Higgins. The best best however  must be the drowning comment. But where? It would seem unlikely that a 20 something would drown in a river or pond. If so it would surely be recorded prominently.

[Erato]

Have you tried searching US newspapers for reports of a drowning?

For a start:

https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/newspapers/
https://fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html

[mark foot]

Thank you so much for the suggestion and the link. It isn't something I knew about and hopefully may just turn up something. Mark

[hanes teulu]

Welsh newspapers   https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4411186/4411188/8/

This report, artists impressions included, has George Higgins as a native of Shropshire - age 28-30.
George Higgins and Charlotte Ring married 22 Feb 1863, Bradford Abbas and had 7 children 1863-1874 all born Chard - but no George.   

[mark foot]

Many thanks The Shropshire ref is incorrect and the other reports correctly say he was from Dorset. George was born George H Ring (hiis mother was Charlotte Ring). Later she married George Higgins who was also from Bradford Abbas and later references confirm you George to be the son of George the older ( he was a policeman who moved to live in Tatworth, Som)