Higginbotham Genealogy
BENJAMIN HIGGINBOTHAM,
born ca 1723, one of the older sons of our first Virginia family. He came to
Goochland County, Virginia with his parents (at least his mother) five brothers
and one sister ca 1740, when he was a teenager. His brothers and sister were:
Moses, Joseph, Aaron, Rachael, John and James, whose current descendants
represent a major branch of the Higginbotham family all over the world,
primarily in the South and Southwest U.S. The place of their birth has not been
determined, but might have been somewhere in Pennsylvania. Some family
historians believe his parents were John and Frances (Reily) Higginbotham, who
came to America from England, via the Barbados, West Indies, but no substantial
evidence has been found to support this belief. (Editor’s note; my father,
Joseph Middleton Higginbotham claims that his family came from Ireland.)
The area in Virginia where our family
settled and lived for many years became Albemarle County and still later –
Amherst County. We believe they lived in the tiny community of New Glasco, near
Amherst the county seat. Most of their land lay a short distance east of Amherst
along Higginbotham Mill Creek, which has carried our family name since their
first mill was built, perhaps before 1740.
As we researched the family history, a
clear perspective of the time, dates, etc. was often difficult to grasp. To more
fully comprehend this time period we chose the year 1744, when Benjamin was a
young man, and developed the following story to give a more clear perspective.
THEIR COLONIAL NEIGHBORS
BENJAMIN HIGGINBOTHAM
was still a young man in 1744 – the population of America was small and confined
primarily to Virginia and the eastern seaboard. The first westward growth of the
nation had started in Virginia, pressing westward, north of the James River to
the Blue Ridge Mountains and beyond. It would be another 8 years before New
Years day would be changed to January 1st from March 25th
as it had been since the fourteenth century. A "TITHABLE’ and tax survey was
taken in 1744, in that part of Goochland County north of the James River, along
the Blue Ridge Mountains, north to the area of Charlottesville. This was
probably the most densely populated area west of the tidewater region of
Virginia, where only some 500 families were listed in the entire area –five of
them were Benjamin Higginbotham and his brothers.
Several children living in Virginia
in 1744 were destined to become founding fathers of America. Augustine
Washington died the year before in the northern part of the state, leaving
several children – one being young 11 year old GEORGE WASHINGTON. Peter
Jefferson lived near Charlottesville – his 7 year old son Thomas would become
the third president of the United States. John Henry and his wife Sarah
(Winston) lived in Albemarle County – their son PATRICK was also 8 years old.
Sarah Henry would later move to the old family home "Winston" at Clifford, a
small community located about 2
miles from New Glasgow, where she spent the remainder
of her life. One witness to her will was James Higginbotham, the younger brother
of Benjamin.
The 2430 acres of land which Moses
Higginbotham purchased in Albemarle County in 1745, was owned by Col. George
Braxton, and brother to CARTER BRAXTON, who signed the DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE. When Moses distributed this land among his brothers and sister,
several of the deeds were witnessed by one Thomas Jefferson, who may have been
an uncle or perhaps the grandfather of Thomas Jefferson. Before the Revolution,
Thomas Jefferson built his beautiful home MONTICELLO, just outside
Charlottesville, and one of his friends and neighbors was David Higginbotham, a
nephew of Benjamin.
Some 30-40 miles to the northeast
of Amherst, lived some neighbors whose descendants would not become famous for
more than 225 years – in the 1960s and 70s.
They lived in the small community
of Schuyler (pronounced "Skyler" Virginia on the Rockfish River, in Nelson
County - and better known to most of us as "Walton’s Mountain." Mr. Earl Hammer
made this area and the people famous in his best selling novel (also the movie)
entitled "Spencer’s Mountain." This same novel later became the famous
television series "Walton’s Mountain."
As we searched the old land records
of Albemarle County for traces of our Higginbotham, the Hamner name appeared
many times, proving beyond a doubt the Hamners were indeed old residents of the
area, just as Mr. Hamner suggests in his book. The little community of Schuyler
is situated in a remote area near the Albemarle County line, on the Rockfish
River, where two or three members of the Hamner family still live.
Mrs. Hamner, who is portrayed in
the T.V. series as "Olivia Walton still lives in the old family home. Just down
the street is the community store, still owned and operated by the family
portrayed in the series, as the Ike Godsey’s. The Hamner home doesn’t appear as
it did in the series, but just down the street from "Godsey’s store", there is
an old home which bears a striking resemblance to the one shown in the series.
By 1748 Benjamin and his brother had
acquired considerable land in this area, and in 1751 each of them received two
substantial tracts of land from their oldest brother Moses. Which we believed
that land was the division of the family estate, which the oldest son Moses
purchased in 1745. Their mother apparently died early in 1751, and as a result,
Moses then divided all land between his brothers and sister, in the spring.
Fortunately, the Reverend Robert Rose
recorded in his diary the marriage of Benjamin and Elizabeth Graves on February
21, 1751. As most of their neighbors, they were farmers who apparently grew
tobacco as their cash crop. Many old records clearly indicate that tobacco was a
major crop and was often used as currency to pay debts such as bounty and court
cost, etc. The families were no doubt sufficient, and probably spent much of
their time and labors to this end.
All their children were born in
Amherst County, Virginia, where they grew up and married. At least three of
their sons served with distinction in the American Revolution, either in the
Amherst Militia or the Continental Line, and all attained officer rankings.
Sometime in the year of 1784 Benjamin
and Elizabeth sold their property in Amherst County, moved to Wilkes County,
Georgia (later Elbert County) and began to acquire land there. They were among a
large migration of families who left Virginia and settled in Georgia in the
mid-1780s. Many of those were old family friends and relatives, including at
least one son, Benjamin Jr., their daughter Anne and her husband (and cousin)
Jacob Higginbotham. All their children including their sons, Caleb and William,
would eventually move to Georgia and settle in the same general area.
Benjamin and Elizabeth spent the
remainder of their lives in Elbert County where he prepared his will on February
9, 1790. He probably died in June 1791 as his will was entered for probate July
25th, 1791. Elizabeth was still living at that time and probably
moved to Tennessee with her son William. The time and place of her death is not
known at this time.
(Note: While there are still some
questions about the precise identity of this line of the family, there is little
question that the following families were closely related. To better trace the
direct line of ancestors, as shown here, the names has been entered in BOLD
type).
CHILDREN OF BENJAMIN AND ELIZABETH
HIGGINBOTHAM
-
CALEB,
apparently the oldest was born in Amherst County, Virginia ca. 1752. He grew
up there and married Mary Ann Cash (See following family sheets)
-
ANNE,
born in Amherst County ca, 1754, where she grew up and married her first
cousin, Jacob Higginbotham on October 8, 1772. Jacob was the oldest son of
Joseph and Hanna Higginbotham. Their family also moved to Elbert County,
Georgia, where they raised a large family and spent the remainder of their
lives. Two of their granddaughters married their cousins in Feliciana
Parish, Louisiana – The sons of Joseph and Francis Higginbotham. (See notes
on the youngest son Joseph.)
-
WILLIAM,
born in Amherst County ca. 1755 where he grew up and married Dolly Sandidge
ca. 1780. He was perhaps the most colorful of the Higginbotham cousins who
served in the American Revolution – and the only one to serve in the
Continental Line. He too moved to Georgia with his family where he lived
10-15 years before moving to Hickman and Perry Counties, Tennessee where he
died ca. 1845.
-
BENJAMIN JR,
born in Amherst County ca. 1757. He grew up there where he married Mary
Gatewood, January 21, 1782. This family moved to Georgia where he died in
April 1809. Descendants of this family moved to Kentucky and other
midwestern states.
-
FRANCIS,
born in Amherst County ca 1759. He married Dolly Gatewood on December 1,
1783, this family moved to Georgia where they lived until ca. 1810, when
they along with several members of this family moved to Feliciana Parish,
Louisiana. During the War Between the States, a large branch of this family
lived in Moorehouse Parish, North Louisiana and some later moved to Texas.
-
JOSEPH,
born in Amherst County ca 1761 where he grew up and married his first cousin
Frances Higginbotham, the daughter of Moses, December 17, 1788. By 1790 they
also moved to Georgia where they lived for several years before moving to
Louisiana. Eventually all of their children left Georgia and moved into
Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Descendants of this family later moved
to Dublin, Texas where they founded the Higginbotham Brothers Company in ca
1880. Many of the Higginbotham businesses of today (1990) throughout central
and west Texas are branches of the parent company headquartered in Comanche,
Texas.
______________________
FAMILY OF
CALEB AND MARY ANN CASH-HIGGINBOTHAM
CALEB
HIGGINBOTHAM,
the oldest son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Graves) was born in Amherst County,
Virginia ca. 1752. He grew up there and married Mary Ann Cash ca. 1775. Mary Ann
Cash was the daughter of Howard Cash. During the Revolution and later in
Georgia, Caleb was closely associated with the Cash and Ware Families. His
Revolutionary service, along with several cousins and at least two or three
uncles, are well documented in the old records of Virginia. With the exception
of his cousin Samuel (son of Aaron) is believed to be the oldest grandson of our
first American ancestors.
In the latter
1780s or perhaps early 1790s, Caleb and his family also moved to Georgia, along
with his cousin Samuel and others. They settled in the vicinity of Danielville
in Madison County, adjacent to Elbert County. While there were no doubt, teenage
children at the time they moved to Georgia, those children had been extremely
difficult to identity.
In about
1809-10 the Higginbothams were among another mass exodus from Georgia to the
west into Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters
and cousins left Georgia and headed west – among them were no doubt several of
Caleb and Mary Ann’s children. Some of them are more clearly identified than
others, and therefore we show a tentative list of Caleb’s family.
There is some
evidence that Caleb himself moved to St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana with his sons
Nelson, Robert and Samuel where he died ca 1815. While there is still a question
if William was actually his son, there is little doubt that he was somehow
related to this family. Only more research will eventually prove or disprove
their family connection.
CHILDREN OF CALEB AND MARY ANN
-
UNIDENTIFIED SON?
There is good reason to believe there was an older son in this family who
has never been identified. This is based on a careful analysis of
information on a number of families who moved to the eastern part of Alabama
around 1810-20. Many given names and their migration pattern strongly
suggest they were somehow related to Caleb’s family.
-
ROBERT,
born in Amherst County Virginia ca 1777. He is believed to have married
Emily Carter in Georgia and moved first to St. Tammany parish Louisiana,
where he was granted land in 1811. There were at least twelve children in
this family who later moved to Yazoo County Mississippi where Robert and
Emily spent the remainder of their lives. He died there September 18, 1831.
-
NELSON,
born in Amherst County Virginia ca 1779. He is the only son of Caleb and
Mary Ann who has been positively identified, and was among those we find in
southern Mississippi (Pike County) and the adjoining part of Louisiana. He
married first, Judith Ware, and by 1830 had moved to Lafayette Parish,
Louisiana. Their children grew up in South Louisiana and married into the
predominate "Cajun" families who lived in that area. This couple is the
progenitors of many of our Higginbotham "Cajun" cousins now living all over
the South – particularly in South Louisiana, and the Gulf coast.
-
NELLIE,
believed to be one of the daughters of Caleb and Mary Ann. She married
Charles Smith of South Carolina, and moved with her brothers to Pike County,
Mississippi and St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. While we have no documented
proof, this family lived near her brothers in St. Tammany Parish, and
therefore it is reasonable to assume she was one of Caleb and Mary Ann’s
daughters.
-
WILLIAM,
believed to be one of the sons of Caleb and Mary Ann. Born ca 1788 and died
in 1852. (See next
family sheet.)
-
SAMUEL,
believed to be the youngest son of Caleb and Mary Ann, was born in Madison?
County Georgia ca 1793. He grew up there and married Ann Ware on November
27, 1818. This couple is believed to have moved to Pike County, Mississippi
with other members of the family for a short time – but, later returned to
Georgia. Samuel died in Madison County, Georgia on June 28, 1829.
FAMILY OF
WILLIAM AND (1) MARY (DAVIS?) HIGGINBOTHAM
(2) MARY N. ( BRADFORD?) HIGGINBOTHAM
Benjamin1 : Caleb2
WILLIAM HIGGINBOTHAM3, was probably the son of Caleb and Mary Ann (Cash?), and
the grandson of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Graves) Higginbotham of Amherst county,
Virginia.
------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE by Earl
Higginbotham: While we have found no proof that William was the son of
Caleb, our conclusions are based on a careful analysis of his migration pattern
and various known family associations. The following write-up only assumes that
we have identified him correctly and provides details on much of the
circumstantial evidence used in our analysis. Hopefully this information will
be helpful to anyone wishing to do more detailed research.
------------------------------------------------------------
William was born in Amherst? County, Virginia ca 1788, and moved
to Georgia when he was a small child. He grew up in Madison County, Georgia
where he first married Mary Davis? ca 1810. This speculation is based on the
estate records of Moses Davis who died in Perry county, Alabama in 1837. Among
his heirs were the "children of Mary Higginbotham" - not named.
They lived in Madison County, Georgia for at least eight years, where we find a
number of official court records involving William and two relatives, Samuel and
Nelson Higginbotham, believed to be his brothers. The three of them were
apparently business partners. Several suits were filed against them in Madison
County in 1818, which could have influenced their departure from Georgia before
1820. There were however, other compelling reasons for them to leave Georgia at
that time. The Cahaba Land District of Alabama was opened for settlement ca
1818 and resulted in a mass migration from Georgia. We find that William was
among those who purchased land in Dallas County, Alabama on April 7, 1819, in
township 18, range 11.
They lived in the community of Cahaba in Dallas County, Alabama and appear on
the 1820 census records which shows seven members in the family. William, his
wife, and five male children Only the name of the "head of the household" was
required on census records prior to 1850. They still lived in the area ten
years later, when ONLY William is listed on the 1830 census with six sons and
one daughter, his wife apparently having died a short time before. In the
adjacent county of Perry in 1837 we find the estate papers of one Moses Davis,
who identifies among his heirs, the "HEIRS OF MARY HIGGINBOTHAM".
Among the heirs of Moses Davis were the following, who were no doubt his
children or his children's heirs.
Lot #1 The heirs of Mary Higginbotham.
Lot #2 Lucy Thompson
Lot #3 John D. Davis (Administrator)
Lot #4 James W.? Davis.
Lot #5 Elisha Davis.
Lot #6 Linsey Davis.
Lot #7 The heirs of Frederick Davis
This clearly suggests that his daughter Mary Davis was already DECEASED and left
"Higginbotham" children, who were probably the children of William Higginbotham.
Some five years before Moses Davis died, William Higginbotham married Mary N.
Bradford in Perry county on July 27, 1832. Just prior to his marriage to Mary
Bradford, William was elected Constable in 1831, and served in that capacity at
least until 1833. Supporting our identification of William, we find his first
cousin, Benjamin Graves Higginbotham and his family also living in Dallas County
in 1830. Benjamin G. was the son of Benjamin Higginbotham Jr. of Elbert County
Georgia. It is reasonable to assume that the two of them were well acquainted
back in Georgia, before moving to Dallas County, Alabama .
About 1835 both families left Dallas County and moved to Mississippi - Benjamin
G. went to Noxubee County and William and his family went to Kemper county.
These two counties have common boundaries and were part of the Choctaw land
cession of the early 1830s, which drew flocks of settlers to the area. We next
find William's family listed on a special Mississippi census taken in 1837. The
census shows the name of only the head of household, which was William, followed
by the number of males and females by age groups. It is clear that at least two
of the older sons and a daughter were either dead, or had already married and
left home.
We have been unable to identify all of William's older children, but one of them
was no doubt named "MOSES HIGGINBOTHAM", who apparently married in Dallas
County, Alabama and moved along with his parents, to Kemper County, Mississippi.
Moses and his young family are also listed on the 1837 state census, living
near William and his family. This is the last time we find William and Moses
living near each other.
We have tentatively identified Moses and Lindsey Higginbotham as two of the
older sons, and a sister named Bertha Parthenia who married Stephen Stanley in
Lauderdale County, Mississippi on May 28, 1843. This connection is supported by
the fact that Moses Higginbotham and the Stanley family moved to the Gulf Coast
about the same time, and lived for some time in Jackson County. It also appears
that another one of the older sons, whose name is yet unknown, died in
Lauderdale County, Mississippi prior to 1840, leaving a widow and a large family
of children.
In about 1841 William sold out in Kemper County and moved to Bienville Parish,
Louisiana, settling about 6 miles southeast of the present town of Arcadia - in
township seventeen. He again acquired a considerable amount of land near the
Bienville, Lincoln Parish line. Since a number of the older children do not show
up on the 1850-60 census records of Bienville Parish, we can safely assume that
they either remained in Mississippi, or moved elsewhere.
There is no doubt that William and both his wives had children. The older ones
born in Georgia and the younger ones born in Alabama and Mississippi. All their
younger children moved to Louisiana and have been identified as Thomas,
Jackson, Melvina, William Jr., Walker N., Mary Jane, Adeline, and Perry. While
we are confident about the accuracy of our identification of these children,
more research will be necessary to obtain documentation.
William last appeared on the 1850 census records in Bienville Parish, Louisiana
having died in October 1852. His wife Mary N. was appointed administratrix of
his estate, along with Jackson Higginbotham, her older step-son. Three "infant"
children still under age twenty-one are mentioned in the probate records and
since Mary was appointed their natural guardian, we assume they were her own
children. When William's personal estate was sold in 1853, his sons Thomas and
Jackson bought most of the personal and real property, including a considerable
amount of land. Some of this land remained in the family for many years.
Soon after the land was sold, Mary and four of her younger children, all still
single, left Bienville Parish and moved to Smith County, Texas in 1854 and
settled near Tyler. The three sons who remained in Louisiana were considerably
older than those who moved with Mary, and were probably her step-sons. As legal
guardian Mary was required by law to make a final settlement of William's estate
as each of her children reached the age of 21. Those final settlement papers
are recorded in Smith County, Texas and are among the earliest Higginbotham
records in that County. Mary spent the remainder of her life in Smith County,
Texas where she died ca 1865.
CHILDREN OF MARY DAVIS?
1. UNIDENTIFIED SON, b. before 1810 - d. before 1840 (see next
family).
2. MOSES, b. ca 1811 - d. ca 1849 (see p-???).
3. LINDSEY, b. ca 1812 - d. 1873 (see p-???).
4. JACKSON, believed to be an older son, was born in Madison? County, Georgia
ca 1817. He grew up in Kemper County, Mississippi where he probably married his
wife Lucy ? (she might have been a "BARROW"). They lived in Bienville Parish,
Louisiana in 1850 and had no children. Jackson, along with his "step-mother"
Mary was named co-administrator to his father's estate. Jackson and his brother
Thomas purchased most of the family farm. Jackson eventually wound up with most
of the property, after buying the remainder of the land from his brother Thomas.
5. PARTHENIA, (Bertha), might have been one of the daughters of William. She
was born ca 1819, probably in Dallas? County Alabama. She married Stephen
Stanley in Lauderdale County, Mississippi on May 28, 1843. Several children
were born to this couple and were living in Jackson County, Mississippi (Gulf
Coast) in 1860.
6. THOMAS, b. ca 1820 - d. ??? (see p-???).
7. MELVINA, born Dallas? county, Alabama on August 8, 1822. She grew up in
Kemper county, Mississippi. She married first, Charles Stevens on August 8,
1843, probably in Kemper county, Mississippi. They had one daughter named Mary
Ann, born October 26, 1847. The family moved to Bienville parish, Louisiana
where Stevens apparently died, and Melvina married second, Abram Landers Byas,
on August 13, 1849. They also had one daughter named Permelia Melvina, born
February 14, 1858. About 1854 this family moved to Tarrant county, Texas, where
they probably lived the remainder of their lives. Melvina died on October 31,
1906. ( Thanks to Mrs. Trevia Smith of Cushing, Oklahoma for the information on
Melvina (Higginbotham) Byas.)
8. WILLIAM JR., b. September 24, 1824 - d. January 2, 1906. (see p-???)
CHILDREN OF MARY N. BRADFORD
9. WALKER HUBBARD, b. ca
1833 - d. 1863. (see p-???).
10. MARY JANE, born in Kemper? County, Mississippi ca 1835. She grew up in
Bienville parish, Louisiana and moved with her mother and brothers to Smith
County, Texas where she married James William Wilson on December 24, 1854.
11. ADELINE, was born in Kemper County, Mississippi ca 1837. She was a young
woman when the family left Bienville parish, Louisiana and moved to Smith
County, Texas where she married Lorance Nestin Horton on April 16, 1856.
12. PERRY, was born in Kemper County, Mississippi ca 1841. He was living with
his older brother in Smith County, Texas in 1860. His name does not appear in
Smith county again, strongly suggesting that he was killed in the War Between
the States. We must keep in mind, as we ponder the significance of the
following Civil War record, that most of the young Higginbotham men then living
in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana were probably his first cousins. This record
clearly supports our theory that William and Nelson Higginbotham were brothers,
the sons of Caleb and Mary Ann Higginbotham. Although the following record
states that Perry was "born in Texas", I believe it should have stated "lived in
Texas". We have found only one or two Higginbotham families living in Texas in
1841, and neither of them had a son named "Perry".
-----------------------------------------<<<
"Perry Higginbotham,
also identified as T. Higginbotham, was a private in Company C of the 6th.
Louisiana Infantry. He enlisted at Camp Moore, Louisiana on June 4, 1861. He
was single, born in Texas, but was then a resident and farmer in St.
Landry Parish, Louisiana. He was critically wounded in action on July 1, 1862,
and died on July 8th."
HISTORICAL
NOTE
GENERAL JOHN CARLTON HIGGINBOTHAM,
born August 19, 1818, great nephew of Benjamin Higginbotham, and great grandson
of John and Rachel Higginbotham. He was the son of William Thomas Higginbotham
and Mary Francis Riley Coleman. He served as captain in the Confederate Army in
1861, in 1862 he was promoted to Major, then to Lt. Colonel. After the Battle of
Chancellorsville in 1863 (Where General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson was
mortally wounded,) he was promoted to full Colonel. He was wounded seven times
and was fatally wounded at the Battle of Spottsylvania Court House on May 10,
1864 while
commanding the 25th Virginia Regiment, Jones’ Brigade – and died
before his commission as Brig. General reached him. He was unmarried.
FAMILY OF
WILLIAM AND
(1) (UNKNOWN)
(2) MARY N.
(?) HIGGINBOTHAM
WILLIAM
HIGGINBOTHAM,
believed to be a younger son of Caleb and Mary Ann, was born in Amherst County,
ca. 1788. Moved to Georgia as a small boy and grew up near Danielsville in
Madison? County, where he married first ca. 1810, and lived in the area until
ca. 1819. His first wife’s name is unknown. We found him and his wife living in
Dallas County, Alabama in 1820, with five sons. In 1830, same county, it appears
that his first wife had died and there were six sons and one daughter all still
living at home.
Before 1833 he
had married the second time, to Mary N. (?) – and lived in the community of
Cahaba, where he served as constable during 1831-1834. They owned a considerable
amount of land in Township 18 where they sold out in 1835 and moved to Kemper
County, Mississippi, where we find them listed on the 1837 state census records.
On that same census record we find a young Moses Higginbotham and his wife, with
a young son and daughter living near-by.
We believe
this Moses was one of the older sons of William.
About 1845
this family sold their land in Kemper County and moved again to Bienville
Parish, Louisiana where they again acquired a considerable amount of land six
miles east of Arcadia in Township seventeen. William last appeared on the 1850
census records and died ca. October 1852. It appeared that two and perhaps three
of the older sons remained in Mississippi, having married there before their
parents moved to Louisiana. We believed that two of them were Moses and Lindsey.
Lindsey married Mary Ann Warren in Mississippi and later moved to Anderson
County, Texas. Moses moved to the Gulf Coast and lived for some time in Jackson
County, Mississippi. When William died in Bienville Parish in 1852, most of his
property was sold, although his younger son William Junior remained in that part
of the state for many years. Mary and her younger children, all minors, left
Bienville Parish ca. 1854 and moved to Smith County, Texas. Although William
died in Bienville Parish, Louisiana his estate was finally settled in Smith
County, Texas, and only the younger children are mentioned in those papers.
Neither Moses
nor Lindsay are mentioned in the probate records of Bienville Parish or Smith
County, which tends to cast some doubt that they were from this family. There is
a possibility that they were William’s younger brothers.
Their children
were:
(1)-
MOSES,
perhaps the oldest son. (See the following family.)
(2)-
LINDSEY, born ca. 1812. He married Mary Ann Warren, and moved to Anderson
County, Texas, where several children were born. Mary Ann’s father, William
Warren died in Neshoba County, Mississippi, the adjacent county to Kemper. This
is the only clue that tends to link Lindsey with this family. There were perhaps
descendants from this family, but we have been unable to find any Higgibothams.
(3)- OTHER
CHILDREN were born during this time, at least two daughters.
(4)-
JACKSON, born ca. 1817 in Madison County, Georgia. He grew up in Kamper
County, Mississippi and probably married Lucy there. (Lucy is believed to
have been a "Barrow"). This couple lived in Bienville Parish, Louisiana in
1850 and had no children at that time, and probably never had children. In their
household was listed: (1) Hiriam Russaw, age 80, born in Virginia ca. 1770. (2)
Rachael Barrow, age 35, born in South Carolina ca. 1815. This "Rachael" was
probably his sister-in-law.
(5)-
THOMAS, born in Dallas County, Alabama ca. 1820. He married Louisa ?
probably in Bienville Parish, Louisiana and later moved to Winn Parish where
they lived for many years and raised a large family. His son James Jackson
(Jack) married and moved to San Augustine County, Texas where he too raise a
large family, some of whom still live in East Texas. Thomas later moved to
Collin County, Texas with his younger daughter, where he lived the remainder of
his life.
(6)-
WILLIAM JR. born in Dallas County, Alabama on September 24th
1824. He grew up in Bienville Parish Louisiana and married Annie McCloud ca.
1878. This couple remained in Louisiana and raised a large family. Many
Higginbotham descendants of this couple still live in northwest Louisiana.
(7)- WALKER
HUBBARD, born in Dallas County, Alabama ca. 1833. When he was about 22 years
old he moved to Smith County, Texas where he married Elizabeth Quarrels on May 4th
1856. They raised a large family in East Texas, before he was killed in the War
Between the States. Descendants of this family still live in East Texas and
Oklahoma.
(8)- MARY
JANE, born in Kemper County, Mississippi ca. 1835. She moved to Smith
County, Texas with her mother where she married James William Wilson December 24th
1854.
(9)-
ADELINE, born ca. 1837. She too moved to Smith County, Texas where she
married Lorance Nestin Horton April 16th, 1856.
(10)-PERRY,
born in Kemper County, Mississippi ca. 1841. He was living with his older
brother in Smith County, Texas in 1860. There is a marriage record in Smith
County dated August 22, 1856-Richard Higginbotham married Ella Foster. It is
reasonable to assume his name was "Richard Perry Higginbotham" – and he too
might have died in the War Between The States.
FAMILY OF
MOSES AND
MARTHA WHITTINGTON-HIGGINBOTHAM
MOSES
HIGGINBOTHAM.
Believed to be one of the older sons of William and his first wife, was born ca.
1811 in Georgia, probably Madison County. We first find him and his young family
living near William and Mary in Kemper County, Mississippi on the 1837 state
census. We believe Moses’ mother died in Dallas County, Alabama, and his father
married second "Mary N.?"
Several
members of this family moved to Jackson County, Mississippi before 1840, where
Moses is listed with two daughters and one son. The birth place of their
children and later census records, indicate they moved back and forth several
times between Alabama and Mississippi, but we have been unable to determine
where in Alabama they lived.
We assume
Moses died ca. 1849. We found a widow named
Martha Higginbotham
with several children, living in Harrison County, Mississippi in 1850. Harrison
County was formed from Jackson in 1841. By 1860 Martha had moved with her family
to Columbus, Marion County, Mississippi where her son George W. is listed on the
census records as a "mail carrier." The family apparently began to split up
during the War Between the States, as we find members of this family living back
in Jackson County, Mississippi in 1870.
Without
visiting the various counties where this family lived over the years it would be
virtually impossible to determine where they might have lived in Alabama,
although we might expect that to be Dallas County. Dallas County however, is a
considerable distance from the Gulf Coast where we believe Martha died. We have
constructed the following family based on various census and other records, but
do not claim this to be documented evidence of their true identity.
CHILDREN OF
MOSES AND MARTHA
1.
MARTHA JANE,
born in Kemper? County, Mississippi ca 1835. She is believed to have married
James H. Alexander in Harrison County, Mississippi on October 9, 1857.
-
William (A?).
Born in Kemper? County, Mississippi ca. 1836. We find records of Confederate
service for a William, (Could have been this one.) He married Ellen? In
Jackson County, Mississippi and raised at least four children. From the
Registration of Confederate Graves in Mississippi, we find that one "W. A.
Higginbotham", born in Harrison County, Mississippi in 1836, died in 1911.
He is buried in Lamar County and listed his home as Purvis. We also find one
"William Higginbotham" recruited in Harrison County in the 3rd
Mississippi, Company E. (Biloxi Rifles). After the war, he is listed as a
"Ferryman" on the coast where he lived the remainder of his life. This could
have been one and the same.
-
A daughter,
born in
Jackson County, Mississippi, probably died as a child.
-
GEORGE
WASHINGTON,
born in Mobile County, Alabama on February 20, 1841. He married Anna
Elizabeth (Eliza) Hanna Barrow, August 13, 1863. Where they were married has
not been determined, either Jackson County, Mississippi or Alabama (See
family sheet that follows).
-
JOHN H.,
born in Alabama? Ca. 1843. We find that John H. Higginbotham was enlisted in
the "Jeff Davis Sharpshooters" of the 7th Mississippi volunteers
in Marion County, Mississippi in 1861. He was living at home with his mother
in 1860 in Marion County. We also find that one John Higginbotham owned
property in Jackson County, Mississippi, perhaps one and the same. Family
legend has it that John ran afoul of the Carpetbagger law, as did so many of
the people of the South during the so-called Reconstruction Period and moved
to Texas. His family never heard from him again. This was a common legend in
many families following the War Between the States, and most of them are
true. (We have found no further information).
-
RAMSEY,
born in Harrison?
County, Mississippi, ca. 1848-49. At age 20, he was living in Jackson
County, in 1870 in the household of Harriet (Allen) Barrow Smallwood.
Harriet Smallwood was the mother of Hannah (Anna) Elizabeth (Eliza) Barrow,
who married Ramsey’s brother George Washington Higginbotham.
-
MARINDA,
born in Harrison County, Mississippi ca. 1850. It is apparent that her
father died before she was born. When the 1850 census was taken, she was not
listed, but her mother is shown to be the head of the household and the
father was gone. On the 1860 census, she is listed as being 10 years,
apparently born after the 1850 census was taken.
FAMILY OF GEORGE W. AND ANNA
ELIZABETH BARROW-HIGGINBOTHAM
GEORGE WASHINGTON HIGGINBOTHAM,
believed to be the second son of Moses and Martha (Whittington) Higginbotham,
was born in Mobile County, Alabama on February 20, 1841. All evidence indicates
that his father died when he was about 9 years old, at which time the family
began a series of migrations, perhaps moving with relatives of the mother
Martha. In 1840, one year before George was born his parents were living in
Jackson County, Mississippi. The exact location of their residence has not been
determined, but all evidence would indicate they lived very near the Alabama
line, of Mobile County. In 1850 the family was living in Harrison County,
Mississippi, the adjacent county to the west of Jackson County. By 1860 the
family had moved to Marion County, Mississippi, near the town of Columbia, some
65 miles to the north. The 1860 census records show George to be a Mail Carrier,
at the age of 19.
The Confederate service records of
Marion County, Mississippi show that George Washington Higginbotham was enlisted
in the 7th Mississippi – 46th Battalion, "Steed’s
Cavalry." George’s older brother, William and his younger brother John were also
enlisted in the same unit, at the same time- although they were in the "Jeff
Davis Sharpshooters" Unit. Among the same records was a muster roll taken in
August 1861 which shows only William and John were still in this unit. The
records show that these men were enlisted between May 4th and July 30th,
1861. These records can be found in the Mississippi state archives, Jackson,
Mississippi taken from Marion County conveyance book "D" pages 89-94.
George enlisted into the 3rd
Alabama Cavalry from Mobile on March 4th, 1863. How or why he changed
to the 3rd Alabama Cavalry is not known. It is known however that he
injured his right leg as a child. Their old home had a tree stump under the back
door of the house which was used as a step, and as he ran up to the house, he
fell and struck his leg on the edge of the stump, doing considerable damage to
his leg below the knee. He apparently lost quite a bit of skin, as the injury
never healed and developed a chronic ulcer. One can only speculate that he was
discharged from Steed’s Cavalry because of the injury and perhaps by 1863 the
situation in the South necessitated his service again despite the injury. While
serving in the 3rd Alabama Cavalry, he fought in and around Atlanta,
Georgia.
George was given an Honorable
Disability Discharge from the 3rd Alabama Cavalry on December 11,
1864 in camp, near Springfield, Georgia.
When he was about 65 years old, he
finally had to have his right leg amputated at the knee. The doctor came to his
home in Kipling, Louisiana in a buggy pulled by a horse and amputated his leg on
the front porch of his home. There was no such thing as anesthetic at the time,
and the only thing available to dull the pain was whiskey.
My cousin Nora Bailey Austin was a
small child at that time and remembered that when the doctor arrived, he made
the children leave the vicinity and told them to "show reverence at what had to
be done." They stopped and watched from a distance. She said they heard the poor
old fellow screaming as his leg was being amputated.
He married
Anna Elizabeth (Eliza) Hanna Barrow
in Mobile, Alabama on August 13, 1863, where their first two children were born.
Before 1870 the family was living in Jackson County, Mississippi although, they
may have moved a short distance from Mobile County, Alabama. From there they
moved to Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana about 1876, where their last four children
were born. They lived at Sugartown, near DeRidder, which was in Calcasieu Parish
until 1913, when Beauregard Parish was formed. All their children grew up in
that area.
Anna Elizabeth (Eliza) Hanna Barrow
was born in Alabama (probably Mobile County) on May 14, 1847- The daughter of
Harriet (Allen) Barrow Smallwood, who was born in North Carolina in April of
1820. Harriet died June 7, 1907. She came to Louisiana with George and Eliza and
was still living in their household in 1900.
George died on September 10, 1904. His
wife Eliza died November 13, 1913. Both are buried at Hopewell Baptist Church
Cemetery, in DeRidder, Louisiana.
Their first two children were born in
Mobile County, Alabama. Their third and fourth children were born in Jackson
County, Alabama, although they may have moved only a short distance from Mobile
County, Alabama. About 1875, the family moved to Calcasieu Parish Louisiana.
Calcasieu Parish was later split, and the new parish where they lived was
renamed Beauregard Parish. Their children were:
1.
Roxey Ann,
born December 27, 1865 in Mobile County, Alabama. She moved to Calcasieu Parish,
Louisiana with her parents when just a young girl. She married Alford L. Bailey,
who was born on June 20th, 1845 and died there on August 12, 1926.
Roxey Ann died on June 28, 1953. Both are buried at Hopewell Cemetery in
DeRidder, (Beauregard Parish), Louisiana.
-
Harriet Jane, born in Mobile
County, Alabama on January 21, 1868. She grew up in Beauregard Parish
where she married James Macon Bailey. He was born on February 14, 1865
and died on August 6, 1947. Harriet died on
February 10, 1934. Both are buried at Hopewell Cemetery in
DeRidder, Louisiana.
-
Martha Elizabeth,
born in Jackson County, Mississippi on August 4, 1871. She grew up in
Beauregard Parish and married William Isham Bailey.
He was born on March 10, 1868 and died on April 16, 1943. Martha died on
December 7, 1956. Both are buried at Hopewell Cemetery in DeRidder,
Louisiana.
-
Margaret O.,
born in Jackson County, Mississippi on August 28, 1874. She married
Henry Daniel (Dan) Lee in the year of 1900. She died June 10, 1936. Both
are buried in Hopewell Cemetery, in DeRidder, Louisiana.
5- Mary
Evelyn, born in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana on November 29, 1876. She was
married in 1892 to James Monroe Stracener.
(No additional information available, but both are believed to also be
buried in Hopewell Church Cemetery in DeRidder.)
6- Simon
Peter,
born in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana on August 7, 1880. He grew up there and
married Minerva Dunn, who was born on March 12, 1888. He died October 12, 1954.
Both are buried in Hopewell Cemetery in DeRidder, Louisiana.
(See family
sheet below.)
7- William
Frank,
born in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana on December 8, 1886. He grew up there and
married Rachael Nina Austin. She was born on February 28, 1886, and died on June
23, 1976. Frank died on December 14, 1959. Both are buried in Hopewell Cemetery.
(See family sheet below.)
8- JOSEPH
MIDDLETON (MID),
born at Sugartown, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana May 26, 1889. He grew up there
and married IDA
WILLIAMS
on February 16, 1913. (See family sheet, following).
He died on
July 19, 1968. Ida died on September 14, 1967. Both are buried at Brookside
Memorial Cemetery in the north side of Houston.
(See family
sheet below, beneath the families of Simon & William Frank Higginbotham.)
FAMILY OF:
SIMON PETER and MINERVA JANE (DUNN) HIGGINBOTHAM
Benjamin1 : Caleb2 :
William3 : Moses4 : George W.5
SIMON PETER
HIGGINBOTHAM6, the oldest son of George Washington and Hannah Eliza (Barrow),
was born in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana on August 7, 1880. He grew up there and
married Minerva Jane Dunn ca 1906. She was born March 12, 1888. They were
living in Calcasieu Parish in 1910 near the town of DeRidder, which became a
part of Beauregard parish in 1913. At least nine children were born to this
couple, all lived around DeRidder. Simon and Minerva lived the remainder of
their lives in that area where he died on October 12, 1954. Minerva lived until
June 28, 1984, and both are buried in the Hopewell Cemetery.
1. EDNA L., born in Calcasieu Parish ca 1907. She married first Harold La Grome in Beauregard parish on August 28, 1927. He was born ca 1899 the son of
J. K. and Margurite LaGrone. After about a year this marriage fell apart and
Edna married second Johnnie Robertson in Beauregard parish on June 4, 1928. He
was born in 1906.
2. EMILY MYRTIS, born ca 1908. She grew up in Beauregard parish where she
married C. R. Roberts on November 2, 1926. He was born ca 1902 the son of LeRoy
and Ellen Roberts.
3. EDITH GERTRUDE, born ca 1910. She married Elijah (Lige) Williams.
4. JEWES AUGUSTUS - b. August 1, 1912 - d. July 9, 1965 (see next family).
5. EUNICE E. born ? married Acy Marshall. After he died Eunice married ?
Parker, and they still live in Rosepine.
6, LAURA LEE, born ?
7. BULAH VASITY, born ? married Red Davis. They had at least one daughter
named Gertrude. She is currently (1996) in a rest home in Lake Charles,
Louisiana.
8. EVERETT MIDDLETON, born September 23, 1921. He was a WW2 Veteran, and
married Mildred Silvice in Beauregard parish on August 16, 1944. She was born
ca 1924. They had one son before Everett died as a young man on July 25, 1954.
He is buried in the Hopewell Cemetery. Mildred and her son moved to
Pennsylvania and never returned.
(A) EVERETT
MIDDLETON JR., born ?
9. EARNIE ANDREW, born June 4, 1925. He married Edna Louise Alexander in
Leesville, Louisiana ca 1945, where their five children were born and raised.
They were still living in that area when Earnie died on August 21, 1996. He is
buried in the Hopewell Cemetery near DeRitter.
(A) LINDA,
born in Leesville on March 15, 1947. She married first James ? They later
divorced and she married second Kinney Reeks.
(B) DOROTHY
FAYE, born in Leesville ?
She married A. J. Smith.
(C) SANDRA KAY,
born in Leesville ? She married Johnnie Canady.
(D) MICHAEL,
born ? He married Anita Jeans on August 13, 1986.
(1) JAMES
MICHAEL, born ?
(2) DAVID
ANDREW, born ?
(E) CONNIE
SUE, born ? She married
Herbert Quam
10. JESSIE ALTON, born August 10, 1935, and as a young boy died with lock-jaw on
June 29, 1944.
------------------------------------------------------------
FAMILY OF:
JEWES A. and EFFIE ALMA (PHILLIPS) HIGGINBOTHAM
Benjamin1 : Caleb2 :
William3 : Moses4 : George W.5 : Simon6
JEWES AUGUSTUS
HIGGINBOTHAM7 - the oldest son of Simon and Minerva (?), was born in Beauregard
parish, Louisiana on August 1, 1912. He grew up there and married Effie Alma
Phillips ca 1937. She was the daughter of William and Annie (McCullough)
Phillip. They lived in the DeRitter area and raised a large family. Jewes was
only fifty three years old when he died on July 9, 1965, and was buried in the
Hopewell Cemetery. Effie married second Charles Parker on December 7, 1972.
1. MILTON, born in Beauregard parish August 9, 1938. He married Wanda Faye
Fountain on January 2, 1965 in Newton county, Texas. She was born ? the
daughter of Johnathan Malachi and May Fountain. They lived in Harris county for
several years but returned to Merryville, Louisiana where they currently (1996)
live. They have six children.
(A) BOYD ALAN,
was born in Harris county, Texas on August 20, 1966. He married Janet Marie
Martinez on ? They have one daughter
(1) REAGAN KAY,
born ?
(B) RICKEY L.,
born July 10, 1968. He married Melissa Gail Fletcher on March 9, 1990. She was
born January 23, 1973 the daughter of Sidney and Betty Jane (Collins) Fletcher.
(1) KATHLEEN
NICHOLE, born ?
(C) BRYAN,
born in Merryville, Louisiana on ? 1972. He is still at home.
(D) LISA FAYE,
born February 13, 1975. She married David Isaac Keel on July 26, 1994. He was
born April 12, 1974 the son of Melvin and Barbara (Bullard) Keel. They have one
daughter, Aspen Leigh Keel, born April 4, 1996.
(E) TERRY
WAYNE, born November 21,
1979. He is still at home.
(F) SHANE JAY,
born November 22, 1983. He is still at home.
2. HILTON (Dunk), born Beauregard parish ca ? He married Ella Mae Forche on
September 18, 1963 in Newton county, Texas. He died in 1976.
3. FAIRLENE, born ca 1942. She married Charles D. Brister on October 30, 1959,
in Beauregard parish. He was born ca 1929, the son of Mat and Charity (Austin)
Brister.
4. LIDA MAE , born in 1945. She married Charlie J. Parker on July 2, 1962. He
was born ca 1941, the son of Charlie and Donnie (Dunn) Parker.
5. TROY, born November 10, 1949. He married Sharon Marie Young on August 27,
1971. They have three children and currently (1996) live in Merryville,
Louisiana.
(A) JANETTE
GAIL, born July 2, 1972.
She married Harvey Allen Cruse on September 4, 1993. He was born November 30,
1967, the son of ?
(B) JAMES
ARTHUR (Jamie), born
October 19, 1976. He married Tammy Miller on February 17, 1996.
(C) HAYLEY
DENICE, born July 18,
1987.
6. ROY, born March 22, 1953. He married first Doris Jean Molander on February
18, 1972, and they had three children. They were divorced and Doris married
Tommy Lynn Cowart on October 17, 1987. Roy married second, Sandra Kay Self on
August 8, 1988. He married third Gloria J. Baldwin January 31, 1992. She was
born March 19, 1960, the daughter of T. C. and Patsy (Chandler) Parrish. Roy
married fourth, Donetta F. Smith on December 3, 1994. She was born August 16,
1954, the daughter of Robert and Jaunita (Emerson) Smith.
(A) PAMELA ANN,
born May 8, 1973. She married Steven Lane Cowart on May 12, 1989. He was born
June 21, 1968, the son of Tommie and Jennie (Willett) Cowart.
(B) PATRICIA
A., born February 14,
1977. She married Collin P. Baggett on June 3, 1995. He was born June 15, 1975
the son of James P. and Linda (Honea) Baggett.
(C) KAYLA,
born ?
------------------------------------------------------------
FAMILY OF:
WILLIAM FRANKLIN and RACHEL A. (AUSTIN) HIGGINBOTHAM
Benjamin1 : Caleb2 :
William3 : Moses4 : George W.5
WILLIAM
FRANKLIN HIGGINBOTHAM, the second son of George W. and Hannah Eliza (Barrow)
was born in Calcasieu Parish December 8, 1886. He grew up there and married
Rachael Austin on October 8, 1903. She was born February 28, 1886. They lived in
Beauregard Parish, near DeRidder, where they raised a large family. Several of
their children also grew up in that area where they too married and raised
families. Frank died there on December 14, 1959, and Rachel died on June 23,
1976. Both are buried in the Hopewell Cemetery, near DeRitter.
1. CINTELLA L., born in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana on August 17, 1904. She
married Walter Carroll Jarrells on March 18, 1951 and they had one daughter.
Walter was born in 1908. Cintella died in Beauregard parish on November 8,
1969, and buried in the Hinson Cemetery near Knight, Louisiana.
2. ILLA, born in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana on December 29, 1905. She married
Ernest Johnson but never had children.
3. DELLA, born in Calcasieu Parish on July 15, 1907. She died at the age of
eighteen on May 28, 1925, and was buried in the Hopewell Cemetery. She never
married.
4. SILAS AUGUSTA, born in Calcasieu Parish on October 11, 1908. He married
Sarah Ellen Keel in Beauregard parish on October 9, 1934. She was born on
January 14, 1916, the daughter of F. N. Keel. They had four daughters. Silas
died in Beauregard Parish on November 9, 1966 and buried in the Cypress Creek
Cemetery.
(A) MILDRED
IVA JEAN, born August 27,
1935 - married George Blair Pickett.
(B) VIVIAN
ROSE, born August 6, 1937
- married first Kenneth David Matthiiiis in Beauregard parish on October 12, 1955.
He was born ca 1932 the son of Vernon and Ada (Berry) Matthis. She married
second Elliott V. Kaplan.
(C) MARY ETTA,
born September 26, 1945. She married first Steven Simmons on June 19, 1964 in
Beauregard parish. He was born ca 1947, the son of Percy and Catherine (Young)
Simmons. Mary Etta married second Kenneth Arthur Mitchell.
(D) DENICE,
born March 2, 1952 - married a Box - and Scott Bailey.
5. JOSEPH FRANKLIN, (Joe) born in Calcasieu Parish on September 17, 1910. He
married Vicy Marie Keel on February 2, 1937 and they had six children. Marie
was born ca 1915. the daughter of F. N. and Candis Keel. Joe was a WW2
Veteran, and died in Beauregard parish on December 4, 1960, buried in Hopewell
Cemetery.
(A) CANDIS
CHRISTINE, born October
7, 1938. She married three times, first to Aubrey Garner on November 19, 1954.
Aubrey died and is buried in the Brown Cemetery at Goldthwaite, Texas. They
had four children: Myrtle Marie Garner born January 12, 1956; James Isaac
Garner, born September 25, 1957; Buelah Beatrice Garner, born January 8, 1963;
and Sandra Susan Garner, born April 12, 1965. Christine married second Jerry B.
Keel, who also died and is buried at Hopewell Cemetery. She married third Jerry
Callahan.
------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE by Earl
Higginbotham: I am much indebted to Christine Keel for her generous assistance
in compiling much of the information on the descendants of her grandfather
William Franklin Higginbotham. Without her assistance much of the details on
this family might have been missed.
------------------------------------------------------------
(B)
FRANCES, born in
Beauregard parish on August 5, 1943. She grew up there and married twice - to
brothers. She married first Novel J. Babin on ? She married second Irvin J.
Babin.
(C) HILDRED
NEWTON, born in
Beauregard parish on February 5, 1946. He married first Susie Ann Foraker on
July 30, 1965 in Newton county, Texas. They had three children. Hildred married
second Helen Allene Bell on January 2, 1981. She was born November 29, 1936 the
daughter of Emmett and Martha (Cantrell) Filkins. Hildred married third Evon
Parker on July 23, 1982. She was born February 2, 1947 the daughter of N. A.
and Lou (Corkran) Parker.
(1) WANDA GAIL,
born February 10, 1967. She married Tommy Dean Roy on June 9, 1984. She
married second David Gregory Minnick on August 22, 1986 - both in Newton county,
Texas.
(2) KIETH
ALLEN, born June 27,
1968. He married Robin Burks and they have two children.
(a) SHANTEL
MARIE, born June 16,
1988.
(b) KEITH
ALLEN JR., born September
16, 1990.
(3) MARCUS
WAYNE, born June 10,
1969. He married Beth Aye and they have two children - twins.
(a) MARANDA
ELAINE, (twin) born
December 5, 1991.
(b) MARCUS
WAYNE JR., (twin) born
December 5, 1991.
(D) JOYCE
MELVERIA, born in
Beauregard parish on June 9, 1948. She married John Joseph Dittmann on June 4,
1966. He was born June 15, 1942, the son of John and Virginia (Schwalb)
Dittmann.
(E) BERNICE,
born in Beauregard parish on April 1, 1952. She married Ronald Dean Spencer.
(F) JOSEPH
FRANKLIN JR. (Joe), born
Beauregard parish on June 12, 1956. He married first Elizabeth Ann Neely and
they had one daughter. He married second Jerry Lanette Keel on August 9, 1986
in Beauregard parish. She was born on December 26, 1951 the daughter of J. B.
and Anita (Reed) Keel.
(1) ALICIA A.,
born January 8, 1978.
6. GEORGE WASHINGTON (Wash), born in Calcasieu Parish on May 9, 1912. He
married first Verda Mae Woodward on May 23, 1936. She was born on January 17,
1915, the daughter of Thomas Mitchell and Betty (Lamberth) Woodward. They had
at least four children. He married second Vera Mae Comier on January 14, 1956.
She was born on ? 1938, the daughter of ? and had several more children.
Goughnell?
(A) BOYD,
born ?
(B) CAROLYN G.
born October 18, 1940. She married Vernon Eugene Jones February 25, 1971. He
was born January 5, 1936 the son of Charlie and Lillie (Ashworth) Jones.
(C) DAUGHTER
?
(D) DAUGHTER?
CHILDREN OF VERA COMIER (SECOND
WIFE)
(E) DONALD WAYNE,
born May 19, 1957. He married Linda Diane Shively on February 11, 1978 in
Beauregard parish. She was born November 14, 1959, the daughter of Carl and
Willie (Meek) Shively.
(F) DWAYNE
EDWARD, born ?
(G) MARY
EVELYN, born ?
(H) ?
(I) ?
7. ELVIN ARTANIS, born in Beauregard Parish on February 22, 1914. He married
Bessie Mae Watson ? and raised a family. He is buried in the Gravel Hill
Cemetery (Cravens) near Pitkin, Louisiana.
(A) INFANT,
born and died on February 9, 1945 - buried at Hopewell Cemetery.
(B) JERRY DON,
born on December 7, 1946, and was killed on Bundicks Creek on June 15, 1969. He
is buried at Hopewell Cemetery. He was only twenty two when he died and never
married.
(C) BOBBY RAY,
born February 5, 1949. He married his cousin Lucille Melvina Ward on May 15,
1970. Lucille was the daughter of Tom and Odessa (Reffitte) Higginbotham.
(D) MARY RUTH,
born September 21, 1953. She married first Ocie Montville in Newton county,
Texas on June 8, 1971. She married second Michael Albrecht in Beauregard parish
on April 21, 1977. He was born April 11, 1955 the son of Michael Albrecht.
Mary married third Almon Johnson on January 20, 1993. He was born March 29,
1918 the son of Mark and Drusilla Johnson. She married fourth a Young.
(E) JO ANN,
born March 9, 1958. She married James Charles Snapp on March 20, 1975. He was
born March 20, 1948 the son of Marvin and Eleanor (Studor) Snapp.
8. THOMAS MOSES, (Tom) born in Beauregard Parish on March 8, 1916. He married
Odessa Mae Reffitte on April 28, 1945. She was born September 9, 1925 the
daughter of ? Tom and Odessa lived near DeRidder, Louisiana where Tom was
employed as an electrician for many years. In 1948 they moved into a small
house in the country which is now on Hi-School Drive, where all their children
were born and grew up. Tom died on June 25, 1991 and is buried in the Hopewell
Cemetery. Odessa currently (1996) lives in the same small house which she has
called home for the past 48 years.
(A) MELVINA
LUCILLE, born in
Beauregard parish on June 28, 1945. She married three times. She married
Geisel Ward two times - first on February 19, 1961, and again on July 24, 1963,
both in Newton county, Texas. She then married her cousin Bobby Ray
Higginbotham on May 15, 1970. Bobby Ray is the son of Elvin Higginbotham. She
married third Robert W. Thompson (Buddy) on December 9, 1982. Buddy was born May
4, 1932, the son of Lawson and Carrie (Moss) Thompson.
(B) THOMAS
MOSES JR. (Tommy) was
born in Beauregard parish ca 1946. He later moved to DesAllemands, Louisiana
where he married Gail Trout. They have no children.
(C) ROGER
GALE, born on December
28, 1956. He married two times. First to Jennie Beckwith on February 26, 1977.
She was born September 4, 1958, the daughter of Jackie and Ovida (Peters)
Beckwith. They had one daughter. He married second Kathy Rodricker.
(1) SONYA,
born ?
(D) MILDRED
IVA JEAN, born ? She
married Thomas Waguespack.
(E) NELDA
PAULINE, born November
12, 1960. She married first Anthony K. Brown on September 26, 1978. He was born
December 2, 1958 the son of Robert Verba J. (Redfern) Brown. She married second
a Mitchell, and third Gale Touchard.
(F) SISSY,
born and died on October 30, 1964. Buried at Hopewell Cemetery.
(G) INFANT,
born and died in May, 1965.
9. OLLIE MAE, born in Beauregard Parish on January 7, 1918. She married
Sylvester Whittington.
10. LULA EMILY, born in Beauregard Parish on December 3, 1919. She married
Andrew O. Fowler in Beauregard parish on September 12, 1936. He was born in
1915. They had one daughter, Dorothy Emily. Lula died as a young woman in
Beauregard parish on March 15, 1940, buried in Hopewell Cemetery.
11. INFANT, born and died on November 10, 1921.
12. CHARLIE, (Sonny Boy) born in Beauregard parish on July 4, 1923. Died at
the age of eight years on October 10, 1931, and buried in Hopewell Cemetery.
13. HANNAH ELIZA, born in Beauregard parish on June 7, 1925. She married
Gipson Willis on February 8, 1944 and had three daughters. Gipson was born ca
1925 and was killed by a bolt of lightening as a young man. He is buried in the
Gravel Hill Cemetery near Pitkin, Louisiana. Hannah married second William
Waller and they had four children.
FAMILY OF
JOSEPH
MIDDLETON AND IDA WILLIAMS-HIGGINBOTHAM
JOSEPH
MIDDLETON HIGGINBOTHAM,
the third son of George W. and Anna Barrow-Higginbotham, was born at Sugartown,
Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana on May 26, 1889. He grew up in that area where he
married IDA WILLIAMS
on February 16, 1913 at the Hopewell Baptist Church in DeRidder,
Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, by the Rev. Norman Lofton. Ida was born on January
26, 1891, the daughter of Thomas H. and Laura Blackwell-Williams. (See William’s
family link) They lived in the area of DeRidder until about 1920, at which time
a doctor in DeRidder diagnosed Joseph as having tuberculosis, at which was at
that time a fatal and incurable disease.
The doctor
advised them to move to a dry climate such as Arizona or Colorado. They sold
their home and moved to LaJunta, Otero County, Colorado, where he worked for the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad (AT&SF Railroad) until the workers went
on strike in about the summer of 1923. The strike was never settled. Next, he
found a job with the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad in Salida, Colorado, where
they lived until early the next spring, when the railroad company reduced their
work force and he was laid off work. At this time, they moved to Houston, Texas
where they lived the remainder of their lives.
Ida lived to
be over 76 years old, and died on September 14, 1967. Joseph was over 79 when he
died on July 19, 1968. Both died at St. Joseph Hospital in Houston, Texas and
are buried in Brookside Memorial Cemetery in the north side of Houston. Their
children are:
(1)-
ETHEL,
infant daughter, died at birth, premature.
(2)-
MARVIN DOUGLAS,
born in DeRidder on November 17, 1914. In the year of 1937 he
joined the army and was stationed at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio,
Texas. He was assigned to Battery B of the 12th Heavy Field
Artillery.
He was honorably discharged at the end of his hitch. About the time World War II
started, he rejoined the military service, this time with the Army Air Force and
served until the end of that war. He died in Houston, Texas on May 16, 1968. He
is buried in the Brookside Cemetery beside our parents and our sister, Mildred
Opal Higginbotham-Stoerner.
(3)- MILDRED
OPAL, the second and
only surviving daughter of Joseph and Ida
Williams-Higginbotham, was born in DeRidder, Louisiana on September 17,
1917. She grew up in the Houston area, where she married Hugo Stoerner on
January 13, 1941. She died in Houston Texas on January 7, 1997. (See Family
Sheet.)
(4)- MERRION GALLION,
the second son of Joseph
and Ida Higginbotham was born in Beauregard
Parish, Louisiana on November 17, 1918. (See Family
Sheet.)
(5)- MURPHY CHESTER,
born in LaJunta, Colorado on April 30, 1921. He
grew up in Houston and during World War II joined the Army with his older
brother Merrion (above) on October 17, 1940. He remained in the Army and
became one of the elite Rangers. He served in the Normandy Invasion. He
married Lucille Pearl Edwards on June 7, 1942. Murphy was buried in Rosewood
Park Cemetery in Humble, Texas. (See Family sheet below)
(6)- MILTON JOSEPH,
born in Houston, Harris County Texas on August 18, 1925.
He grew up there and joined the Navy on December 14, 1942 at the age of
17 years. He was discharged from the Navy about March 31, 1946. He died on
December 2, 1965 in Houston, and is buried in Rosewood Park Cemetery in
Humble, Texas next to his older brother Murphy.
(7)- MAURICE EDWIN,
born in Houston on
February 23, 1934. He grew up there where he
married EDNA MARIE PIERCE
on December 13, 1952.
(See Family sheet below)
FAMILY OF
MILDRED OPAL HIGGINBOTHAM-STOERNER
MILDRED OPAL HIGGINBOTHAM,
the second and only surviving daughter of Joseph and Ida Williams-Higginbotham,
was born in DeRidder, Louisiana on September 17, 1917. She grew up in the
Houston area, where she married Hugo Stoerner on January 13, 1941. They were
later divorced. He died on January 4, 1966. Mildred passed away at approximately
2:00 A.M. Tuesday January 7, 1997 in Houston, Texas. She was 79 years, 3 months
and 25 days old. She was buried in Brookside Memorial Park, located at 13401
Eastex Freeway at Lauder Road, at 11:00 A.M. Thursday January 9, 1997.
Their children were:
A- ROBERT JOHN STOERNER, born in Houston, Texas on July 11, 1942. He
also grew up in Houston and married Allyne Schuermann on June 4, 1961. Robert
John disappeared without a trace on April 16, 1980, in the vicinity of Beltway 8
(North Belt) and Aldine-Westfield Road in the north end of Houston. He was
traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed on Beltway 8, when his automobile
left the road
and struck the third telephone pole west of Aldine-Westfield Road in the
eastbound lane. He had been having martial trouble and some believe it was a
suicide attempt. He left the scene carrying a Remington semi-automatic 12 gauge
magnum shotgun with a Poly-Choke installed. A wrecker driver stopped to assist
him, when he jumped out of the vehicle and ran into the nearby woods and
disappeared forever. His mother was told later that day by someone at the
Houston Police Department that he had been picked up by he police and was in
jail, but early the next morning when we tried to find out exactly which jail he
was being held in, his mother was informed that the earlier report was in error,
and the man they were holding was not Robert John.
So, began a long and fruitless search for him. Several search parties were
formed and the area was thoroughly searched and no sign of him was found.
Bloodhounds were then called in but apparently the trail was cold. So far, it
remains an unsolved mystery as to what happened to him. All attempts to find
him failed. Every agency that we thought may be able to help could not,
including the Social Security
Administration. Detectives and “psychics” were employed by
his mother, also to no avail. (Those “psychics” of course, were con-men who take
advantage of desperate people.) But, his mother was grasping for straws to find
him.
Finally, in the spring of 1996 after still another attempt to find a record of
him, we were informed by the Social Security Administration that he had died in
the Month of April, 1982. (Two years after he disappeared.) We were informed
that because of the “Privacy law” that no one besides Robert John himself could
get any other information on the circumstances of his death, or anything. More
stupid standard government red tape. We then contacted our U.S. Congressman,
also to no avail.
Their children are:
(A)- CHRISTOPHER JONATHAN, born 2-20-1963.
(B)- CHRISTI LYNN, born 4-11-1966.
(C)- PATRICK L. born 10-5-1967.
2- CAROLYN STOERNER, Infant daughter, born on Friday the 9th day of July
1943 at 11:55 A.M. Died at birth.
3- CHERILYN KAY STOERNER, Born 7-17-1946. She grew up in Houston
and married first, Fred Chumley on March 28, 1964.
Their children are:
(A)-BRUCE KENDALL CHUMLEY,
Born 12-5-1965. born in Houston.
(B)- JERROD BRADEN CHUMLEY, born 6-18-1969 born in Houston.
Cherilyn and Fred Chumley were divorced, and she later married David
Thomas Wackerly.
FAMILY OF MERRION AND ETHEL
WELLS-HIGGINBOTHAM
MERRION GALLION HIGGINBOTHAM,
born in DeRidder, Louisiana on November 17, 1918. In the year of 1920 the family
moved to LaJunta, Colorado, where they lived about four years before moving
again to Houston, Texas. He grew up in Houston and during World War II he joined
the Army together with his younger brother Murphy, on October 17, 1940, where he
attained the rank of First Lieutenant. He later transferred to the Army Air
Force and became a fighter pilot, serving in the European Front. After returning
from the war, he married ETHEL EILEEN WELLS
on May 1, 1946.Ethel was
born in Wyoming, Iowa on January 4, 1924.
Merrion died at St. Luke’s Hospital in Houston, Texas at approximately 7:30 P.M.
Wednesday, February 11, 1987, at the age of 68. He was buried February 13, 1987
at Brookside Memorial Cemetery on the north side of Houston.
Their children are:
1. ARLEEN JOYCE, born in Harris County, Texas on November 9, 1948. She
grew up there and married ARNOLD ELLEDGE.
They live in
Houston, Texas. Their
children are”
(A)- MEREDITH ANN, born February 2, 1973 in Houston, Texas. She
married Jonathan Peter Garrou. He was born on November 1,
1977. They were married in Houston, Texas on June 22, 2002.
Their children are:
(1)- Hannah Noelle, born on August 7, 2003.
(2)- Abigail Renee’, born on August 24, 2004.
(B)- MELLISA KAY, born March 1, 1983. Adopted December 5, 1983.
2. ALAN ROY, born in Harris County, Texas on December 20, 1951. He grew
up there and married Mitzi Jo Ann Cash on September 1, 1973. Alan is a career
railroad engineman. (Engineer) He began his railroad career with the old
Southern Pacific Railroad in Houston. Later, the Southern Pacific
merged with the Union
Pacific Railroad. At present, they live in the north end of Houston.
Their children are:
(A)- PHILLIP ALAN, born in Harris County, Texas October 24, 1978.
He married Jacqueline Goodwin on March 8, 2003. She was born
February 4, 1977.
(B)- MARK WESLEY, born in Harris County, Texas January 3, 1980.
He married Kelly ??????? on July 24, 2004.
(C)- AARON CASH, born in Harris County, Texas December 10, 1981.
(3). DORIS LEE,
(Twin) born in Harris
County, Texas October 20, 1954. She grew up
there and married Michael Eugene McGee. Their children are:
(A)- ANDREW MICHAEL, born September 14, 1977 in Arlington,
Texas. He married Amy Goltz. She was born on January 3, 1976.
Their children are:
(1)- Magdalene (Maggie) Merrion, born on March 10, 2003.
(B)- JOSHUA DANIEL, born February 15, 1980 in Humble, Texas.
(C)- JOSEPH WESLEY, born August 7, 1984 in Arlington, Texas.
(D)- KATLYN ELISABETH, born December 9, 1991 in Tomball,
Texas.
(4). DONNA LYNN, (Twin) born in Harris County, Texas on October 20, 1954.
She grew up there and married Robert Mark White. At present, they have
one daughter:
(A)- JESSICA EILEEN, born January 3, 1989 in Houston, Texas.
FAMILY OF MURPHY AND LUCILLE
EDWARDS-HIGGINBOTHAM
MURPHY CHESTER HIGGINBOTHAM,
the third son of
Joseph Middleton and Ida Williams-Higginbotham, was born in Otero County,
Colorado near the town of LaJunta on April 30, 1921. The family lived in that
area a short time before moving to Houston, Texas, where Murphy grew up and
married LUCILLE PEARL EDWARDS
on June 7, 1942. She was born in Peoria, Illinois on April 18th 1922. Murphy
died on July 30th 1965, as a young man of only 44 years. At the time of his
death, he was living at 2511 Kowis Street in Houston. He is buried in Rosewood
Park Cemetery in Humble, Texas beside their baby daughter, Mildred Ida, and his
younger brother Milton. Lucille moved to Alto, Texas and lived the remainder of
her life near her sons and daughters. She died on December 1, 1992, and was
buried at Wells, Texas.
Their children are:
(1.)- MURPHY DANIEL (DANNY) HIGGINBOTHAM,
born in Harris County,
Texas on January 22, 1944. He grew up there
and moved to East Texas, where he married Martha Marie Stone on June 5, 1965.
Danny contacted cancer in April of 1997 and put up a very
courageous fight for his life, but lost the fight on April 20, 1998. He was
buried in the Old Palestine Cemetery just east of Alto, Texas.
Danny was a very good man with a very likable personality and
sense of humor. He is sorely missed by all of us.
He was also a true American patriot, like the rest of our family,
who believes strictly in our Constitution and the way it was originally set up
to form a Constitutional Republic, with each state running it's own affairs with
out unnecessary governmental interference.
Less than six months after Danny died his beloved wife Martha
Marie Stone Higginbotham was tragically killed in an automobile accident, on
October 6, 1998. She and a friend had just finished their training as registered
nurses and were on their way to Beaumont, Texas to take their state board
examination for the state-nursing license. Both Marie and the other lady were
killed instantly, when struck broadside by an 18-wheel truck-trailer rig, at the
highway intersection near Zavalla, Texas where highway 1818 intersects Highway
69. Everyone called her by her middle name Marie.
Marie's friend was driving. They had left home very early in the
morning and it was still totally dark when the accident happened. Highway 1818
makes a sharp curve to the right very close to the intersection, and apparently
they didn't see the stop sign until their headlights picked it up after they
rounded the curve, by that time, it was too late to stop and they ran by it and
was struck in the driver's side of their automobile.
Marie had been working as a nurse at the Lufkin State School.
Services were held at 2:30 p.m., Thursday October 8, 1998 at the
Gipson-Hunter-Metcalf Chapel in Lufkin, Texas. She was buried beside Danny in
the Old Palestine Cemetery near Alto, in Cherokee County, Texas.
Marie was a good friend and a wonderful person. She was a good
mother to their children and was always friendly and helpful. Every time we
visited them, she went all out, cooking great meals for us. We always enjoyed
visiting with Danny and Marie and will always remember how we enjoyed their
company and the games of "42" we
used to play. It is so sad to realize both of them are gone. God Bless you Danny
and Marie. We miss both of you greatly.
Their children are:
(A)- WESLEY DANIEL HIGGINBOTHAM,
born at Alto, Texas on
June 18, 1966
(B)- STEVEN LUKE HIGGINBOTHAM,
born in Alto, Texas on September 15, 1970.
(2.)-
MARILYN FAY HIGGINBOTHAM, born in Harris County, Texas on
April 27, 1946. She grew up there. After moving to the east Texas area, she
married Walter Ray Nowell on February 14, 1981. Their children are:
(A)- SAMUEL RAY NOWELL,
born August 16, 1981.
(B)- JAMES DANIEL NOWELL,
born on July 19, 1984.
(3.)- KAREN ANN HIGGINBOTHAM,
born in Harris County, Texas on
January 23, 1950. After moving to East Texas, she married John Raymond Loden
on April 15, 1970.
Their children are:
(A)- Angela Jean Loden,
born August 27, 1972.
(B)- Amanda Marlene Loden,
born July 13, 1974
(C)- Rachelle Anna Loden,
Born August 5, 1981.
(D)- Rebecca Leanne Loden,
born May 15, 1986.
(4)- PAUL RONALD HIGGINBOTHAM,
born in Harris County, Texas on August 13,
1951. He grew up in the vicinity of Alto, Texas and married Brenda
Sue House in April of 1974. This couple lives in Frankston, Texas. The House
Family was from Frankston Texas, where Brenda Sue was born.
Their children are:
(A)- Ronnie Paul,
born on January 30, 1975 in Tyler,
(B)- Dennis Clinton,
born in Tyler, Texas on July 17, 1979.
(5)- DONALD LEE
HIGGINBOTHAM, born in Harris County, Texas on
December 4, 1952. He grew up in the vicinity of Alto, Texas and married Tina
Rene Klores on June - 15, 1974. This couple moved to Guffey, Colorado, and
have one child:
(A) Kaleb Dyer
Higginbotham, born April 8, 1994 in Nacogdoches,
Texas. Birth weight was 7 pounds, 12 ounces. Although, his first name begins
with the letter "K," he was named after one of his great-great-
grandfathers, Caleb Higginbotham, who was born in Amherst County,
Virginia ca. 1752. Caleb served with distinction in the American
Revolution. Kaleb already had his proper name as well as his nick name
picked out before he was born. Through the use of a sonogram, he was
determined to be a boy before he was born. Because of the fact that he was
so active in his mother's womb, his mother started calling him
"Tumbleweed."
(6)- MILDRED IDA HIGGINBOTHAM,
born in Harris County, Texas on
March 5, 1956. She died at Texas Children's Hospital of pneumonia on March
1958, at the age of 2 years. She is buried beside her daddy in Rosewood Park
Cemetery in Humble, Texas. She was one of the sweetest little girls in the
world.
(7)- MELVIN ROY
HIGGINBOTHAM, born in Harris County, Texas on
November 18, 1958.
(8)- JEAN ANNETTE HIGGINBOTHAM,
born Harris County, Texas on
September 10, 1960. She married William Allen Monroe on October 4, 1980. After
their children were born, they moved to Mississippi. Their children are:
(A)- Aaron Michael Monroe, born September 7, 1982.
(B)- Adam Douglas Monroe, born April 8, 1985.
(C)- Mark Daniel Monroe, (Twin) born September 14, 1986.
(D)- Mathew David Monroe, (Twin) born September 14, 1986.
FAMILY OF
MAURICE EDWIN AND EDNA MARIE
PIERCE-HIGGINBOTHAM
MAURICE EDWIN HIGGINBOTHAM,
the fifth and youngest son of Joseph Middleton and Ida Williams-Higginbotham,
was born in Harris County, Texas on February 23, 1934. He quit school when he
was in the 9th grade of junior high school, and attended the Flory Telegraph
School in Houston, graduating as a telegrapher in about the middle of December,
1950. At the age of 16 years, he went to work for the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe
Railroad in Galveston, Texas on December 16, 1950. Soon, he was transferred to
Alvin, then later to Bellville, Texas to finish his telegrapher's
apprenticeship. On February 17, 1952, he hired out with the Houston Belt &
Terminal Railroad in Houston. He retired in November of 1982 with over 30 years
of service.
He married the girl next door,
Edna Marie Pierce
on December 13, 1952. The ceremony was private and took place at our
part-time preacher's house, which happened to be Louie Welsh, a member of the
Church of Christ in Houston. Mr. Welch later became the mayor of the City of
Houston. Edna Marie Pierce was born in Houston, Texas on April 10, 1936, the
daughter of John Jefferson and Effie Katherine Eddins-Pierce. (See Eddins &
Pierce genealogy below.)
In early 1986, Maurice and Edna’s
family moved to Elkhart, Texas, where they bought a farm with 100 acres and
started a small ranch for a few years, the heard averaging about 40 head of
cattle. In 1995 they sold the ranch and bought eight acres just around the
corner from the ranch, and built a new home there. Edna worked at various jobs
through the years, after the children were grown. She retired on her 60th
birthday. She was eligible for early retirement through my employment with the
railroad. Their children are:
Three daughters who wish to remain
anonymous.
(4)- ROBERT CORLEY HIGGINBOTHAM,
(Our only son,) born at Parkway Hospital in Houston, Texas on October 25, 1971.
He attended elementary schools at Porter and New Caney, Texas, and high school
in Elkhart, Texas. He graduated from Elkhart high school on May 25, 1990. He
then attended and graduated from Trinity Valley Community College (Nursing
program) on Friday May 13, 1994 at six-thirty in the evening in the Men’s
Gymnasium at the Henderson County Campus in Athens, Texas, thus ending 35
continuous years in which we had kids in schools. A reception was hosted by
Phi-Thetta-Kappa, following the graduation ceremony. A reception was also given
at the Elkhart Church of Christ at 2 o’clock P.M., Saturday May 14, 1994. He
worked his first night as Graduate R.N. on the night of May 23, 1994 on a 12
hour shift from 7:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M. at Trinity Valley Medical Center in
Palestine, Texas. He attended nursing school and became
a registered nurse. He presently works at Palestine
Regional Medical Center in Palestine, Texas. He married Charla Snodgrass
on April 4th 1998. Charla had one child, Mathew Royce Ray.
Their children are:
(A)- MATHEW ROYCE (RAY)-HIGGINBOTHAM,
born on
August 30, 1993.
(B)- JOSEPH LEE HIGGINBOTHAM,
born at Palestine Regional
Medical Center in Palestine, Texas on September 3, 1999.
FAMILY OF AMANDA LYNNE HAGEMEIER
AND LYNN GROSS
(Debroah and Dwayne Hagemeier’s
daughter)
(Written by Amanda herself.)
Amanda
Hagemeier graduated from Elkhart High School on May 31, 1993. She married Lynn
David Gross on June 5, 1993 at Palestine, Texas. Their first child, Dustin Lynn
Gross was born March 4, 1995 at Trinity Valley Hospital in Palestine, Texas. She
had another boy young'un she named Colton David on June 15, 1996 also at Trinity
Valley Hospital in Palestine, Texas. Baby boy number 3, Tristan Joseph
(after his Great- Great-Grandpa Joseph Higginbotham) was born March 19, 1998 at
the same hospital. On May 8, 2000, they were blessed once again with yet
another little boy, Weston Cade. This was at the same location, now
known as Palestine Regional Medical Center. God is continually raining
down blessings, so once more, a beautiful bouncing baby boy, Austin Dwayne
(after his Grandpa Dwayne Hagemeier) came into our ever- growing family on
October 29, 2001. In the midst of all the babies, Amanda managed to
graduate from Trinity Valley Community College School of Nursing with an
associates’ degree in applied science to become a Registered Nurse. At the
present time (2004) she is working toward her master’s degree in nursing.
Amanda works at Palestine Regional Medical Center in the Maternal-child health
department. Lynn is a car-man at Union Pacific Railroad, Palestine Car
Shop. The children attend Palestine Christian School (where Amanda also
teaches in her spare time, haha, high school biology and grammar) and have very
high aspirations. Dustin, now 9, wants to be a minister. At this
time, Dustin is a third - degree brown belt in karate and plays baseball and
soccer. Colton, age 8, wants to be a veterinarian. He is the short stop
for his little league baseball team and an awesome soccer player. Tristan, age
6, (a true cowboy through and through) wants to be a cowboy and a police man.
He has recently started dummy roping and plans to take lessons. He also plays
baseball (first base) and soccer. Weston is now 4 years old and plays
baseball and soccer. He wants to be a firefighter when he grows up.
Austin, age 3, is still a little young at this time to foresee a career, but is
very interested in doing everything his brothers are doing.
The End