Our Higgins line begins with Luke Higgins, of County Mayo, Ireland, born about 1808. He married a girl named Mary (surname unknown) and they had six known children:
Michael born about 1836 in County Mayo, Ireland
Luke born September 15, 1844 in County Mayo, Ireland
John born about 1846 in County Mayo, Ireland, married Maria McElinn January 19, 1881
Mary born about 1850 in County Mayo, Ireland, married Martin King Feb. 19, 1870
Bridget born about 1851 in County Mayo, Ireland, married Thomas Cleary April 28, 1881
Catherine born about 1856 in County Mayo, Ireland, married edward Baynes October 27, 1875
In an article in the Journal of The South Mayo Research Foundation, Luke (family of five) Higgins is listed among those whose houses were torn down during the evictions on the Lord Lucan Estate during 1848/49. However, Lord Lucan must have continued to employ him on other land, probably in the Castlebar area, because in 1881 Luke's son, John, is listed as a herd for Lord Lucan.
Luke died in Aughadrinagh Townland in County Mayo on July 20, 1873 and his wife, Mary, died in the home of her son-in-law, Thomas Cleary, on November 1, 1891.
Michael Higgins married Bridget Biggins on April 20, 1861 in Ballinrobe, County Mayo, Ireland. They had 14 children all born in Cavan, County Mayo, Ireland:
Patrick born August 26, 1862
Mary born May 22, 1864
Bridget born December 26, 1865, died April 9, 1905 in Hampshire, IL, married Richard Powers
Catherine born May 15, 1867, died May 2, 1935 in Chicago, IL, married William Nolan in 1890
Ellen born December 7, 1868, married James Kavanagh in 1892
Luke born August 20, 1870, married Annie Dermody
John born May 25, 1872, died in May of 1921 in Derry, Ireland
Anne born August 8, 1874
Thomas born November 27, 1875, died Feb. 14, 1941in Kilmaine, Ireland, married Mary Igoe,
Mary died on Feb. 14, 1963 in Dublin, Ireland
Michael born September 26, 1877
Eliza born January 15, 1879, married James McHugh in 1900
James born November 27, 1881, died march 5, 1882
Maria born February 2, 1883, died April 20, 1898
Teresa born December 27, 1884, died May 28, 1885
At 18 years of age, Luke Higgins (old Luke's son) went to England, presumably to secure funds to emigrate to America. During his stay there, he met and married Bridget Carroll of Tuam, Ireland. In 1870, they made their way to America, eventually purchasing a dairy farm near Hampshire, Illinois.
Luke and Bridget had three boys:
Thomas born about 1870 near Hampshire, IL
Thomas Higgins married Emma Ruch and lived in
Chicago, Illinois until his death on September 13, 1919. He made his
living by selling the milk from the family farm in Hampshire. Each day,
he picked up the milk at the train station and sold it from a street-
cart in the neighborhood. The milk wasn't bottle, but was shipped in
milk-cans and ladled into the customer's containers. In September of
1919, Thomas suffered a ruptured spleen, apparently from lifting the
milk-cans, and died a few days later. This left Emma to raise four boys
on her own. Thomas and Emma had five children all born in Chicago, IL: Thomas Luke: b. 6/27/04 d. 12/3/68 in South Bend, IN
John T. Higgins married Nellie Connery of Huntley, IL. The couple
lived in Huntley where Nellie died in January of 1908, just four days
after giving birth to their son, Thomas. John later moved to Chicago
with his children where, for a time, he sold milk furnished by the
Higgins farm in Hampshire. Later, he became involved in Chicago politics
and was a guard at the Cook County Jail. He died in Chicago on July 10,
1952.
John and Nellie had two children born in Huntley, IL: Cecilia Ellen: b. 8/1/05 d. 7/27/94 in Oak Park, IL m. John Clement McDermott
William Higgins married Mary Dow. He stayed on to work the farm in
Hampshire which he inherited. William and Mary had three children born in Hampshire, IL: Ester Carol: b. 2/24/10 d. 8/5/92 m. Clark Melms
If we're researching the same line or if you'd just like to chat
about genealogy, in general, and Higgins, in particular, drop me a line.
Copyright ©: 1996, Becky Higgins. Revised - (November 26, 1997)
John T. born in 1871 near Hampshire, IL
William born in 1874 near Hampshire, IL
Edward Michael: b. 7/25/06 d. 1/2/88 in Chicago, IL
Mildred Mary: abt 1908 d. 6/11, 1912 of "inward measles" in Chicago, IL
Charles Roy: b. 12/2/09 d. 4/12/71 in Chicago, IL
Francis Joseph: b. 11/9/13
Thomas Charles: b. 9/22/08 d. 10/12/75 in Maywood, IL m. Grayce Ebel 9/9/44
Helen: b. 7/4/12 m. Ronald Fredrick
Clare: b. 1/24/15 m. Owen Calhoon
BHiggins@aol.com