Richard Higgs ~ 1772- 1858?
~1772. Richard Hicks was born in Grosmont , Monmouthshire. He likely had a brother David born ~ 1780 - this from 1851C . Cannot find baptisms for them on FMP, Monmouthshire records online
1802. Richard Hicks married Sarah Beech on 11/8/1802 in Grosmont Roman Catholic - Dusty Docs- Free Reg
Richard Higgs & Sarah seem to have children James Hicks 1810, Samuel Higgs 1812 & Sarah Higgs 1815 baptised in Grosmont. Google Grosmont Baptisms, these exist online 1808-1812 . Also Martha Hicks 1805, Elizabeth & Richard Hicks 1820 , William Hicks 1822, Benjamin Hicks 1825 all to parents Richard & Sarah in Grosmont - FS.
Thus Sarah Beech was likely born ~1780-1784 and died 1825-1837- no death on Bmd July 1837-1841 .
But an Evans Ancestry Family Tree has her as Sarah Ann Beech, born Skenfrith 1778 and dying 1844. This tree just has children, Esther 1819, Samuel 1812 & William 1822 - from who the tree is descended . There is indeed a Sarah Higgs 60 living with Richard Higgs 20 in Grosmont in 1841C . But no death on bmd 1841-1851!!
There are several Ancestry family trees for Richard- but nearly all have >1800 entries and are non sensical in at least some parts!!! So, not worth contacting them!!One of them has Sarah dying 3/3/1835. Several have Richard b. 12/1/1780 - this seems far out from 1772-1774
But I have contacted Emma Sanger - on 24/8/2015- who has a sensible tree, just 670 people on it, and is descended from Richard through his son Richard 1820
1821.A Sarah Higgs, 37, thus b. 1784, is buried 7/3/1821 in Llantilio Pertholey - this ~10 k W of Llantilio Crossenny - FS . This cannot be the Sarah who was married to Richard and giving birth to the children above, up to 1825!!!
I cannot prove that the Richard Higgs below in 1841C and 1851C and then dying in 1858 is indeed the father of our James, but I suspect he is. Or, could there be 2 Richard Higgs with close connection to Grosmont?? maybe our one could have died before 1841?
1841C. Richard Higgs, 60, farmer, b. Monmouthshire, is living Little Hill, Llantillio Crossenny
Richard | Hicks | Male | 60 | 1781 | Monmouthshire, Wales | farmer |
Easter | Bird | Female | 30 | 1811 | - | |
Easter | Bird | Female | 10 | 1831 | - | |
Joseph | Lewis | Male | 45 | 1796 | - | male servant |
Richard | Hicks | Male | 25 | 1816 | blacksmith |
Emma - do you think this is your family? The 1851C siting I have quoted for Richard 31 ag.labourer, certainly seems to be
Easter/Esther is his daughter- this from 1851C -- but I have not found a baptism for her ~1810: also 1851C does not have her born in Grosmont, where Richard & Sarah married in 1802 and had children baptised from 1805-1825.
The Richard Hicks here, with ages rounded down in the 1841Cs, could be the Richard baptised in 1820
Elizabeth 20 and Benjamin 14 are in service in Skenfrith Monmouth in 1841C . William 19 in Abergavenny . No David Hicks/Higgs ~1780 found . A James Heggs 30,ag.lab. married with 2 yr old daughter in Grosmont
1851C. Richard Higgs, 77, widower, b. Grosmont, is living Little Hill, Llantillio Crossenny
Richard | Higgs | Head | Widower | Male | 77 | 1774 | Farmer Of 14 Acres | Grosmont, Monmouthshire, Wales | |
Esther | Bird | Daughter | Married | Female | 41 | 1810 | Farmer's Daur | Herefordshire, England | |
Esther | Higgs | Grand Daughter | Unmarried | Female | 22 | 1829 | General Servant | Grosmont, Monmouthshire, Wales | |
David | Higgs | Grand Son | Unmarried | Male | 4 | 1847 | - | Monmouthshire, Wales | |
David | Higgs | Lodger | Widower | Male | 71 | 1780 | - | Grosmont, Monmouthshire, Wales | |
Joseph | Lewis | Lodger | Unmarried | Male | 54 | 1797 | - | Gloucestershire, England |
I never found a baptism of Esther to Richard & Sarah!! There is a baptism 1829 of an Esther to just a mother Esther, so maybe the elder Esther married Unknown Bird/Bria? after 1829.
In 1851C "supposed "son Richard Higgs is 31, ag.lab, b.Grosmont, married ,wife Eliza, with children Martha 2, William 4 - ODD he is not still a blacksmith! There were both a Martha Higgs baptised 1805 & a William Higgs baptised 1822 to Richard & Sarah- so would suggest the same family .
A David Hicks died Monmouth Sep 1852
1858 Richard Higgs, 86, is buried Llantilio Crossenny - this ~ 8 k S of Grosmont - on 23/4/1858 - FS. Died Monmouth Jun 1858 - Monmouth reg. district included Llantillio Crossenny