Maryland Eastern Shore Higgins References, 1800-1809

 

Year:

1800

Meanwhile:

Nearly 1000 slaves met outside Richmond, VA and plan to march on the city. Gabriel Prosser, the slave of Thomas H. Prosser, was about 25 years old when he came to the attention of Virginia authorities late in August 1800. With the help of other slaves, especially Jack Bowler and George Smith, Prosser designed a scheme for a slave revolt. They planned to seize control of Richmond by slaying all whites (except for Methodists, Quakers, and Frenchmen who were thought to be "friendly to the idea of libertty") and then to establish a kingdom of Virginia with Prosser as king. The recent, successful American Revolution and the revolutions in France and Haiti--with their rhetoric of freedom, equality, and brotherhood--supplied examples and inspiration for Prosser's rebellion. In the months preceding the attack Prosser skillfully recruited supporters and organized them into military units. Authorities never discovered how many slaves were involved, but there were undoubtedly several thousand, many armed with swords and pikes made from farm tools by slave blacksmiths. The plan was to strike on the night of Aug. 30, 1800. Men inside Richmond were to set fire to certain buildings to distract whites, and Prosser's force from the country was to seize the armory and government buildings across town. With the firearms thus gained, the rebels would supposedly easily overcome the surprised whites. On the day of the attack two slaves who did not want their masters slain disclosed the plot; then Virginia governor James Monroe alerted the militia. That night, as the rebels began congregating outside Richmond, the worst rainstorm in memory flooded roads, washed out bridges, and prevented Prosser's army from assembling. Prosser decided to postpone the attack until the next day, but by then the city was too well defended. The rebels, including Prosser, dispersed. Some slaves, in order to save their own lives, testified against the ringleaders, about 35 of who were executed. Prosser himself managed to escape by hiding aboard a riverboat on its way to Norfolk. In Norfolk, however, other slaves, who claimed the large reward for his capture on September 25, betrayed him. Returned to Richmond, Prosser, like most of the other leaders, refused to confess to the plot or give evidence against other slaves. He was tried and found guilty on Oct. 6, 1800, and executed the next day.

 

 In the U.S. presidential election, commonly referred to as the revolution of 1800, John Adams was defeated, but, because Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr had the same number of votes, the election was decided by the House of Representatives, and made Thomas Jefferson president. The tie started a debate that resulted in the Twelfth Amendment (1804), which required that separate ballots be cast for President and Vice-President. Maryland representatives to the Electoral College had voted: John Adams, 5; Thomas Jefferson, 5; Charles Pinckney, 5; Aaron Burr, 5.

 

 

Year:

1800 Queen Anne’s Co.

 

Charles Higgins

 

7 Aug 1800. Joseph Newman manumits negro “George”. Wit: Charles Higgins, Francis McCabe, Thos. J. Seth

Source:

Queen Anne’s County Land Records  STW 5  1799-1802, R. Bernice Leonard

 

 

Year:

1800 Queen Anne’s Co.

 

Joseph Higgins

 

11 Sep 1800/21 May 1803. Will of Thomas Emory. Wit: Joseph Higgins, Ebenezer Dodd. WHN:4/94

Source:

Legacies of Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. Abstracted Wills Liber WHN:4 1801-1810, Cathy Downes

 

 

Year:

1800 Kent Co.

 

Rachel Higgins

 

Married Samuel Sparks 12 Apr 1800

Source:

"Kent Co. Marriages", M & DE,9-8

 

 

Year:

1800 Queen Anne's Co.

 

Thomas Higgins, Joseph Higgins

 

30th Sept. one thousand eight hundred (1800), Thomas Higgins of Queen Anns Co. for consideration of the sum of £74 current money paid by Joseph Higgins of the county and state afsd. doth sell the following chattels: one bridle, one saddle, one gray mare, one colt, one cow, one calf, one ----, four hogs, etc. Thomas (his mark) Higgins Wit: Wm. Clayton

Source:

Queen Anne's 1800 Grantor Land Records STW:5, p.240

 

 

Year:

1801 Talbot Co.

 

John Higgins, Sr.

 

16 Feb 1801. Bond: “We, David Robinson, James Dudley and John Higgins, Senr all of Talbot Co are firmly bound to [the] state of Maryland in sum of one thousand pounds... condition being that David Robinson will diligently and carefully execute the office of tobacco inspector. Wit: W. Dawson, David Kerr.”

Source:

Land Records of Talbot County, Maryland 1798-1802, Irma S. Harper

 

 

Year:

1801 Talbot Co.

 

Langford Higgins, Louiza Higgins

 

Named in will of William Applegarth 24 Dec 1801. "Langford Higgins..son-in-law..7½ barrels of long corn to be taken out of the present crop...Louiza Higgins...granddaughter..[to receive] Negro girl 'Rhody' "

Source:

Talbot County, Maryland Wills Libers JP #5 1795 - 1801, Leslie and Neil Keddie

Clues/Cross Reference

Langford Higgins married Nancy Applegarth, 23 Dec 1798 St. Peters Parish, Talbot Co.

 

 

 

Year:

1802

Meanwhile:

Maryland property qualifications for voting are removed by constitutional amendment in local and State elections (granting suffrage to adult white males).

 

 

Year:

1802 Queen Anne's Co.

 

John Higgins

 

Letters at Centreville Post Office

Source:

"Republican Star", 26 Oct 1802

 

 

Year:

1802 Talbot Co.

 

John Higgins, Sarah Higgins

 

Married Sarah Bowdle. License: 25 Dec 1802. Minister: Works

Source:

Talbot County Marriage Licenses 1794 - 1824 with a History of Talbot County Churches and Biographical Sketches of the Ministers, Raymond B. Clark Jr. and Sara Seth Clark

 

Married in Maryland License Records In Talbot County 1794-1824, Irma S. Harper and Cynthia V. Schmidt

Clues/Cross Reference

John and Sarah (Sally) Higgins inherited a 1/8 share from Henry Bowdle, possibly Sarah's father.     

Source: Talbot Co. Land Records. 1812. Liber 36/415

 

John and Sally Higgins to Henry Mullikin Bowdle, sale of part of tract "White Philips"

 

John S. Higgins witnessed will of Tristram Bowdle of Talbot Co. 14 Feb 1823. Exectx of will was Sarah Bowdle, wife of Tristram Bowdle

 

Source: Talbot County, Maryland Wills Libers JP#8 1823 - 1829, Leslie and Neil Keddie

 

 

Year:

1802 Talbot Co.

 

John Higgins, Jr.

 

John Higgins, Jr. Manumission to slaves "Hannah and Mintah in the following manner. Hannah to be free on the first day of January eighteen hundred and five, Mintah to be free on January the first eighteen hundred and eleven."

Source:

Talbot 1802 Land Records Liber JL:29,p.394

 

 

Year:

1802 Talbot Co.

 

John Higgins, Sr.

 

James Parrott to John Higgins Sr... $400... “Lowes Ramble”

Source:

Talbot County Land Records 1802  Liber/Folio 29/212

 

 

Year:

1802 Dorchester Co.

 

Mahala Higgins

 

Married Moses W. Nesbet 23 Feb 1802

Source:

US GenWeb Marriage Records 1780-1867 Dorchester County Maryland, contributed by Barbara & Steve Woolston

 

 

Year:

1802 Talbot Co.

 

Nehemiah Higgins

 

Sale of "goods and chattel" from Nehemiah Higgins to Elizabeth Tilghman

Source:

Talbot 1802 Land Records Liber JL:29 Bills of Sale 219 and 337

 

 

Year:

1802 Talbot Co.

 

Salathiel Higgins

 

Married Nancy Mersley (Musley?). License: 12 May 1802. Minister: Hynson

Source:

Talbot County Marriage Licenses 1794 - 1824 with a History of Talbot County Churches and Biographical Sketches of the Ministers, Raymond B. Clark Jr. and Sara Seth Clark

 

Married in Maryland License Records In Talbot County 1794-1824, Irma S. Harper and Cynthia V. Schmidt

 

 

Year:

1802 Talbot Co.

 

Solomon Higgins

 

6 Apr 1802. Peter Sharpe liberates and sets free from bondage a negro named Jack. Wit: Peter Denny, Solomon Higgins

Source:

Land Records of Talbot County, Maryland 1798-1802, Irma S. Harper

 

 

Year:

1802 Talbot Co.

 

Solomon Higgins

 

27 Apr 1802. Indenture between William and Henrietta Hayward, and Benjamin Wilmott to James Marshall for a parcel of land in Easton... mentions Solomon Higgins’ house

Source:

Land Records of Talbot County, Maryland 1798-1802, Irma S. Harper

 

 

Year:

1802 Talbot Co.

 

William Higgins

 

Born 1744. Died after 1790 Prince Georges. Married Susannah Duvall. Son John married Sarah Bowdle 1802 Talbot Co

Source:

Marriage license of John Higgins and Sarah Bowdle

 

 

Clues/Cross Reference

1 Jan 1775/18 Aug 1775. Administration account of William Higgins. Next of Kin: Richard Higgins, Samuel Higgins. Admin: Susannah Higgins

Source: Maryland Records of Deaths: 1718-1777, Annie Walker Burns

 

                   Abstracts of the Inventories of the Prerogative Court of Maryland 1774-1777, V. L. Skinner, Jr.

 

2 Jul 1776. Administration account of William Higgins. Sureties: Benjamin Duvall, Richard Higgins. Distribution: to widow (1/3 of estate), only child (unnamed). Admin: Susanna Higgins

 

Source: Abstracts of the Balance Books of the Prerogative Court of Maryland 1770-1777, V. L. Skinner, Jr.

 

 

Year:

1803

Meanwhile:

Ohio is admitted as the 17th state.

 

 

 

Louisiana Purchase made, paying France $15 million for the Louisiana Territory—828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River. After repeated Spanish closures of the Port of New Orleans to American settlers shipping goods down the Mississippi, the U.S. was determined to either buy or reach some accommodation with France (New Orleans was now back in French hands). The original French plan had been to use "New France" as a staging and supply area for French territories in the Caribbean. After the French defeat in Saint Domingue (the future nations of Haiti and Dominican Republic) by the island's former slaves, and given the prospect of an expensive war with England, Napoleon abandoned those plans and instead offered to sell not only New Orleans but all French possessions in America.

 

 

Year:

1803 Talbot Co.

 

Elizabeth Higgins

 

Married Hynson Jones. License: 27 Jan 1803. Min: Works

Source:

Talbot County Marriage Licenses 1794 - 1824 with a History of Talbot County Churches and Biographical Sketches of the Ministers, Raymond B. Clark Jr. and Sara Seth Clark

 

Married in Maryland License Records In Talbot County 1794-1824, Irma S. Harper and Cynthia V. Schmidt

 

 

Year:

1803 Queen Anne’s Co.

 

John Higgins

 

Letters at Centreville Post Office as of 1st Jan 1803

Source:

"Republican Star", 11 Jan 1803; "Republican Star", 18 Jan 1803

 

 

Year:

1803 Talbot Co.

 

S. Higgins

 

Letters at Easton Post Office as of 1st Jan 1803

Source:

"Republican Star", 11 Jan 1803; "Republican Star", 18 Jan 1803

 

 

Year:

1803 Talbot Co.

 

John Higgins

 

Letters at Easton Post Office as of 31st March 1803

Source:

"Republican Star", 5 Apr 1803; "Republican Star", 12 Apr 1803; "Republican Star", 19 Apr 1803

 

 

Year:

1803 Talbot Co.

 

John Higgins

 

“The result of Saturday’s meeting in the several districts of this county, so far as we have received, stands as follows: … Third District (Trappe) Samuel Stevens, Junr,. John Higgins, and John Willis… were duly authorized to attend in behalf of their several districts, a meeting to be held at Mr. Lowe’s tavern, this afternoon, at three o’clock, in order to select four suitable characters to recommend to the republican voters of Talbot count, to represent them in the next general assembly.”

Source:

"Republican Star", 14 Jun 1803

 

 

Year:

1803 Talbot Co.

 

Rachel Higgins

 

Married John Fletcher. License: 5 Aug 1803. Min: Works

Source:

Talbot County Marriage Licenses 1794 - 1824 with a History of Talbot County Churches and Biographical Sketches of the Ministers, Raymond B. Clark Jr. and Sara Seth Clark

 

Married in Maryland License Records In Talbot County 1794-1824, Irma S. Harper and Cynthia V. Schmidt

 

 

Year:

1803 Dorchester Co.

 

Rhoda Higgins

 

Married John Lewis 16 May 1803

Source:

US GenWeb Marriage Records 1780-1867 Dorchester County Maryland, contributed by Barbara & Steve Woolston

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