CANADA & HIGGINS

 see Home Page for other Canadian Links.

4 Apr 2012

Source: Industries of Canada: city of Montreal: historical and descriptive review - By John Douglas Sutherland Campbell Argyll (Duke of) - Published 1886
Mlller & Higgins. Successors to T. Starr, Royal Victoria Stables, Office and Stables, 97 and 99 Jurors St., Express, Livery, Boarding and Sale Stables, Telephone Connection.— One of the most popular and prominent among the first-class livery and boarding stables in Montreal are these owned and conducted by the firm of Miller & Higgins, and known as the Royal Victoria Stables, and branch stable at 73 Hermine St., opposite Victoria Square The business was established by T. Starr, whe carried it on for some years and was succeeded by the firm of R, J. McNally & Co., and since 1884 has been conducted by the present firm. Messrs. Miller and Higgins have had a long experience in the business and have the finest and largest stables and the best accommodation for horses in the city. Every attention is given to horses left in their charge, which are boarded by the day, week or month upon the most reasonable terms. Experienced grooms only are employed, and as
regards facilities, convenience and ventilation, the stables are among the best in Montreal or vicinity. Messrs. Miller & Higgins have in their care a number of horses belonging to the leading citizens, by whom they are highly recommended as being careful and reliable business men, who personally superintend the management of the stables and all affairs connected with their business. In the livery department they furnish spirited, stylish, driving horses and fashionable carriages and sleighs, and when desired, careful, reliable drivers. The turnouts from the Royal Victoria Stables are not surpassed, and the rates of charge will be found very reasonable. The firm also have large coaches and sleighs for parties, for two or four horses, and also buy and sell horses, carriages and sleighs. Mr. James Miller is from the State of Massachusetts, and Mr. Higgins has resided in the city many years. They are both popular as citizens, and enjoy the distinguished consideration of the whole community. They do a large business, and their patrons are derived from the leading, fashionable and best citizens.

....

19 Jul  2009

Source: Fighting the flames! or, Twenty-seven years in the Montreal fire brigade By William Orme McRobie - Montreal - 1881
(Died while fighting the St. Urbain Street Fire Sunday, April 29, 1877)
THOMAS HIGGINS.
Thomas Higgins had seen considerable service, and was a quiet, unassuming good fellow (steady Tom, as he was called), minded his own business, and never interfered with other people's affairs ; he was a good husband and father, only thirty-five years of age, and left a wife and three children, of whom he was the only support—the youngest never having seen its father—a very hard trial to its poor widowed mother; but God has promised to be a husband to the widow, and a father to the fatherless, and we will, leave them in His hands, who never breaks His promise.
.......................

16 Sep 2008

I am looking for the ancestors of John Higgins. His ancestors were from Ireland but I cannot find his father to make the link across the pond. Any information you have of his brothers, parents or children would be very helpful to my Higgins line.

John Higgins:
  B: 1793 , Fortune, Newfoundland
  M: (1) December 31, 1816 Harbour Grace, NL (Anglican)Anne Walters
      (2) 1832 Newfoundland (Anglican)- Ann Piercey – b. 1817, Fortune, NL
D: Unknown

Children:

John Poole Higgins – b. October 6, 1855 Grand Bank, NL - fisherman (the only child I know of) d. December 9, 1920 – Hespler, Ontario

Married: (1) Jan 6, 1881 – Grand Bank, Burin District, NL) Maria Rose Hickman b. Feb 18, 1859 – Grand banks, NL d. Oct 18, 1895 – Grand Bank, NL (buried in the Main Street Cemetery, Grand Bank, NL)

(2) ? Elizabeth Sheppard (Harbour Grace) b. August 25, 1878 – Lark Harbour, NL d. August 18, 1973 – Kitchener, ON

Thanks Lynne Higgins softpro at shaw.ca

- WEBMASTER'S FINDINGS -
Source: John Poole Higgins' Waterloo County Canadian death record lists his date of death as December 1,1920 . Lists his father as John Higgins and his mother was Nancy Pool ,both of Newfoundland. The informant of the death is his wife Elizabeth Higgins . States he was buried at Hespler(sp?) Ontario on December 3,1920

16 Jul 2008

Samuel Higgins (Ireland-Canada)

I am seeking information on the family of Samuel Higgins, b 1 Jan 1869, Beech Valley Dungannon, Ireland, d. in a railway accident in Columbus, Ohio, USA 5 Jul 1902, buried in Clinton Cemetery, Clinton, Huron County, Ontario, Canada. Immigrated to Canada in 1887, living in Hamilton, Ontario in 1901.
His wife: Clara Carter b. 17 Nov 1873, Hullet Township, Huron County, Ontario, Canada, d. Feb 1951, m. 2 Jan 1896 Huron County, Ontario, Canada.
Later second marriage to Joseph Edward McBrady 3 Sep 1906.
Samuel's father Samuel Higgins and mother Maria Givan (Giffin) m. 22 Mar 1862, Banbridge, District of Banbridge, Ireland.
Samuel's father was David Higgins and Maria's father was Samuel Giffin.

Any information that related to the ancestors of Samuel Higgins would be very much appreciated.

Thank you  Al Higgins afhiggins AT cogeco.ca

- Webmaster's Findings -

1901 Census of Canada (No image available)
Name Age
Sam Higgins 30 Gender: Male Marital Status: Married Age: 30
Birth Date: 1 Jan 1871 Birthplace: Ireland Relation to Head of House: Head Immigration Year: 1887 Racial or Tribal Origin: Irish
Nationality: Canada (Canadian) Religion: Church Of England
Occupation: Laborer Province: Ontario District: Hamilton (City/Cité)
District Number: 69 Sub-District: Hamilton (City/Cité) Ward/Quartier No 5 Sub-District Number: E-7 Family Number: 80 Page: 7

Clara Higgins 26 Gender: Female Marital Status: Married Age: 26
Birth Date: 17 Nov 1875 Birthplace: Ontario
Relation to Head of House: Wife Racial or Tribal Origin: English
Nationality: Canada (Canadian) Religion: Church Of England

Cland W Higgins 5 Gender: Male Marital Status: Single Age: 5
Birth Date: 14 Mar 1896 Birthplace: Ontario Relation to Head of House: Son Racial or Tribal Origin: Irish Nationality: Canada (Canadian) Religion: Church Of England

Bual C Higgins 2 Gender: Male Marital Status: Single Age: 2
Birth Date: 6 Jun 1898 Birthplace: Ontario Relation to Head of House: Son Racial or Tribal Origin: Irish Nationality: Canada (Canadian)
Religion: Church Of England

William Carter 39 Gender: Male Marital Status: Single Age: 39
Birth Date: 21 Dec 1862 Birthplace: Ontario Relation to Head of House: Lodger Racial or Tribal Origin: English Nationality: Canada (Canadian) Religion: Church Of England Occupation: Rail Road Laborer

1911 Census of Canada
Name Age
Edward Mc Brady 42 Gender: Male Marital Status: Married Age: 42 Birth Date: Jun 1868 Birthplace: Ontario Family Number: 187
Relation to Head of House: Head Spouse's Name: Clara Tribal: Irish
Province: Ontario District: Hamilton East District Number: 77
Sub-District: Ward six Sub-District Number: 9 Place of Habitation: 193 King Wm Census Year: 1911 Page: 19

Clara Mc Brady 37 [Clara Carter] Gender: Female Marital Status: Married
Age: 37 Birth Date: Nov 1873 Birthplace: Ontario Relation to Head of House: Wife Spouse's Name: Edward Mother's Name: Charlote Tribal: English

Clande Higgins 15 Gender: Male Marital Status: Single Age: 15
Birth Date: Mar 1896 Birthplace: Ontario Family Number: 187
Relation to Head of House: Son

Buel Higgins 13 Gender: Male Marital Status: Single Age: 13
Birth Date: Jun 1897 Birthplace: Ontario Relation to Head of House: Son
Mother's Name: Clara Tribal: Irish

Gelbert Higgins 8 Gender: Male Marital Status: Single Age: 8
Birth Date: Nov 1902 Birthplace: Ontario Family Number: 187
Relation to Head of House: Son Mother's Name: Clara Tribal: Irish

Orilla Mc Brady 4 Gender: Female Marital Status: Single Age: 4
Birth Date: Mar 1907 Birthplace: Ontario Family Number: 187
Relation to Head of House: Daughter Father's Name: Edward Mother's Name: Clara Tribal: Irish

Lellian Mc Brady 2 Gender: Female Marital Status: Single Age: 2
Birth Date: Mar 1909 Birthplace: Ontario Family Number: 187
Relation to Head of House: Daughter Father's Name: Edward
Mother's Name: Clara Tribal: Irish

Charlote Cartes 76 Gender: Female Marital Status: Widowed
Age: 76 Birth Date: Jul 1834 Birthplace: England Relation to Head of House: Mother-in-law Immigration Year: 1856 Tribal: English

Charles Cartes 50 Gender: Male Marital Status: Single Age: 50
Birth Date: Feb 1861 Birthplace: Ontario Relation to Head of House: Brother-in-law Tribal: English

William Cartes 48 Gender: Male Marital Status: Widowed Age: 48
Birth Date: Dec 1862 Birthplace: Ontario Family Number: 187
Relation to Head of House: Brother-in-law Tribal: English

.......
Ontario, Canada Births,
Name: Buel Clara Higgins Date of Birth: 6 Jun 1898 Gender: Female (indexed as female,actually Male)Birth County: Wentworth
Father's Name: Samuel Higgins Mother's Name: Clara Carter
Roll Number: MS929_144

Name: Orella Clara Higgins* Date of Birth: 28 Mar 1907 Gender: Female
Birth County: Wentworth Father's Name: Edward Higgins
Mother's Name: Clara Carter Roll Number: MS929_189
* as written in birth ledger,father is actually Edward McBrady
......
Ontario, Canada Marriages
Name: Buel Clare Higgins Birth Place: Canada Age: 27
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1897 Father Name: Samuel Higgins
Mother Name: Clara Carter Spouse Name: Sarah Nixon Spouse's Age: 27
Spouse Estimated Birth Year: abt 1897 Spouse Birth Place: Ireland
Spouse Father Name: Alexander Nixon Spouse Mother Name: Maria McCourt
Marriage Date: 7 Jun 1924 Marriage Place: Wentworth
Marriage County: Wentworth Registration district: Wentworth

http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~maryc/huron96.htm
005575-96 (Huron Co): Samuel HIGGINS, 25, dredger, Ireland, Clinton, s/o Samuel HIGGINS & Maria GIFFEN married Clara CARTER, 22, Huron Co, Clinton, d/o Robert CARTER & Charlotte WATSON. Wit: H. V. PARKE and LaVerne PARKE, both of Clinton. June 2, 1896 at Clinton

25 Nov 2007

Source: HISTORY OF TORONTO AND COUNTY OF YORK ONTARIO
PUBLISHED. 1885.

PATRICK HIGGINS, wholesale and retail boot and shoe merchant, 144 Yonge Street. is a native of Roscommon, Ireland, being the only son of Charles Higgins, who came to Toronto in 1838, and died in 1874. Mr. Higgins commenced business in 1859, near Richmond Street West, and in 1864 removed to the premises he yet occupies.

11 Oct 2005
  http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/pageant/06/higginsavenue.shtml  
John Higgins and Higgins Avenue
by Ross Mitchell
Manitoba Pageant, January 1961, Volume 6, Number 2 

The names of Winnipeg's streets tell her story but the oblivion of time makes us insensitive to their message. Few people who drive along the winding course of Higgins Avenue from Louise Bridge to Princess Street or who cross it at the intersection of Main Street, the busiest traffic crossing in Winnipeg, have any knowledge of the man who gave it his name.

Begg and Nursey in their invaluable book, Ten Years in Winnipeg, 1870-1879, state that John Higgins came to The Forks of the Red and Assiniboine many years prior to 1870 and successfully carried on the business of a pedlar. He made and saved money, then opened a general store with W. H. Lyon near the present site of the McIntyre Block on Main Street. Later they separated; David Young joined Higgins and designed their fine three-storey brick store which they occupied in December, 1874. It stood on the west side of Main Street, across from that of their principal rival, Bannatyne and Begg. Later partners of Higgins and Young were John A. Peebles, who managed the dry goods department, and S. J. Jackson. One of Winnipeg's first millionaires, the late Alexander Macdonald, began his career as manager of the grocery division.

In the early 1850s and '60s, Fort Garry was the principal rendezvous of the plains hunters who came to exchange their furs for goods. The Hudson's Bay Company tried to enforce its monopoly of trade but this was challenged by the free traders. When the sale of Rupert's Land was made in 1870, the Company reserved the property adjacent to its forts. This explains why the free traders or merchants built their stores a half mile north of Fort Garry, so that a little village grew up about the corner of Main and Portage.

"Andrew McDermot led the way," say Begg and Nursey, "and was quickly followed by his son-in-law, A. G. B. Bannatyne. Then came John Higgins, W. H. Lyon, F. Gingras, Henry McKinney, Wm. Drever, Dr. John Schultz, George Emmerling, H. S. Donaldson, R. Patterson, 0. Monchamp, W. G. Fonseca and Alexander Begg. These men and a few others not in trade were the original founders of Winnipeg and the name adopted by them became the name of the city at its incorporation."

In the interval between the transfer of authority from the Council of Assiniboia to the Government of the new Province of Manitoba there was much political unrest. A Provisional Government, headed by Louis Biel, assumed power, seized Fort Garry and held it until the arrival of Colonel Wolseley's force on August 23, 1870. The opening paragraph of Ten Years in Winnipeg begins thus: "The arrival of the troops inspired confidence amongst the people; trade which was almost dead suddenly revived and money became very plentiful. Bannatyne and Begg, John Higgins and W. H. Lyon found their stores crowded with customers."

The need of a railway to Winnipeg to replace the ox-cart trails to St. Paul and the Red River steamboats soon became evident. In March, 1875, a meeting was held in the Court House on Main Street, where the Bijou Theatre now stands. Gilbert McMicken was in the chair and John Higgins seconded this motion: ... "if necessary in order to obtain the railway and station in Winnipeg we will build the bridge and give the right of way, the Dominion Government guaranteeing the interest on the debentures." In spite of all this the bridge was not built until July 26, 1881, when Louise Bridge was completed.

On October 10, 1876, R. C. Steele of Steele Bros., seed merchants of Toronto, arrived in Winnipeg to buy seed grain. Steele Bros. reasoned that the flinty, amber-colored Red Fife wheat, grown on fertile new land in a northern climate, would have desirable qualities of hardness and early ripening. For a week the Manitoba Free Press carried this advertisement: "Higgins and Young and Higgins, Young and Peebles will pay cash for choice wheat to export to Ontario for nine days, 80 cents per bushel."

It was late in the season, the last river steamboat was waiting, but by Saturday, October 21, twelve farmers had brought in 875 1/6 bushels. This was packed in two-bushel sacks, taken to McMillan's mill at the foot of Post Office (Lombard) Street, and loaded into the Minnesota of the Merchants International Steamboat Line. Captain Charles B. Thimens co-operated in delaying the departure. The Minnesota made the trip to Fisher's Landing (Moorehead) without trouble but forty-eight hours later the river froze over. By rail and boat the wheat passed to Duluth, Sarnia and Toronto, where it sold for seed at $2.50 per bushel.

In his later years, John Higgins and his family lived in a fine brick house, "Roseville," which stood on the bank of the Red River at the foot of Gomez Street. Their view took in St. Boniface and the fishermen who set and hauled in their nets twice a day. The house and grounds were surrounded with a brick wall, but house and wall have long since disappeared.

John Higgins died on November 22, 1884, age seventy-nine, and was buried in St. John's Cathedral cemetery. He deserves well of Winnipeg.

On June 11, 1932, the first shipment of wheat from Manitoba was commemorated by the unveiling of a bronze tablet affixed to a massive granite boulder which had been brought to the corner of Lombard and Mill Street. Archbishop Matheson gave the prayer of dedication and Dr. E. Cora Hind, agricultural editor of the Winnipeg Free Press, unveiled the tablet. A few years later the tablet was wrenched off and was not recovered. A similar fate befell the tablet which replaced it. The third tablet is now in the Legislative Building by the entrance to the office of the Minister of Agriculture.


Best fit and only John Higgins in Manitoba in this

1881 census Household:

Name Marital Status Gender Ethnic Origin Age Birthplace Occupation Religion 

John HIGGINS           M Male Irish            73 Ireland Gentleman Episcopal 
Catharine J. HIGGINS M Female Norwegian 29 M <Manitoba> Episcopal 
Elizabeth O. HIGGINS Female Irish             7 M <Manitoba> Episcopal 
Arabella HIGGINS      Female Irish              5 M <Manitoba> Episcopal 
Florence HIGGINS     Female Irish            <1 Born: Aug; 8/12 
                                                             M <Manitoba> Episcopal 
Meriah KAY             Female English           29 England Governess
                                                               Roman Catholic 
Mary ROBERTSON    Female Scottish         16 O <Ontario>
                                                              Servant Presbyterian 
Frank BRADFIELD M  Male English              28 England Laborer Episcopal 
D. N. MCMILLAN      Male Scottish             36 O <Ontario> 
                                                               Clerk Presbyterian 

Source Information:
Census Place Winnipeg, Selkirk, Manitoba 
Family History Library Film 1375918 NA Film Number C-13282 
District 183 Sub-district C Division 1 
Page Number 22 Household Number 97 
...

Perhaps Related  1901 Manitoba Census 

. . . . . . . . . . . .