Biography (DISCLAIMER: THE BIOGRAPHY IS NOT RELATED TO THE CURRENT PROFILE MANAGER)
One of my 32 fourth Great Grandmothers was Ada Ivey. Ada was born 26 Jan 1820 in South Carolina. She married James Terrill Higdon from North Carolina. Together James and Ada had many children, possibly as many as 18. We know for sure they had more than 14. There is some confusion in the Census records so it is difficult to determine the exact number. 1850 through 1880 US Census conclusively demonstrate Ada was the mother of 14. They are Mary, John W., Elizabeth, William Columbus, Robert, James J., Thomas D(orsey?), Joseph T., Leonard Lewis, Joshua E., Francis Serena, Martha A., and Jane R. The additional four that could be her children are Mahala, Doc “D.J., James b. 1863, and Janie R. “Bobby”.
We know from personal memories of both my great grandmother Marietta Higdon b.1882 – d. 1982 and my grandmother Effie Mae Kirksey Owens that Doc “D.J.” was indeed a child of Ada and James Terrill Higdon.
By 1850 Ada and James Terrill had seven children living in their home: 1) Mary Higdon, age 13 Female (Thus DOB is about 1837) 2) John Higdon, age 11, Male (Thus DOB is about 1839) 3) Elizabeth Higdon, age 9, Female (Thus DOB is about 1841) 4) William Higdon, age 8, Male (Thus DOB is about 1842)******My Direct 5) Robert Higdon, age 6, Male (Thus DOB is about 1844) 6) James Higdon, age 4, Male (Thus DOB is about 1846) 7) Thomas Higdon, age 1, Male (Thus DOB is about 1849)
Ada was was 30-yeas old and James Terrill was 34 at the time of the 1850 cinsus. From this information of 1850, we must conclude that Mahala was not a child of Ada and James Terrill, but rather the child of James Terrill Higdon’s parents Samuel Terrill Higdon Sr. and Louisa Burgamy Higdon. Mahala was born about 1812, 25 years before the next child of Ada and James Terrill.
United States Census of 1860 in Alabama list the children of Ada and James Terrill to be:
1) Columbus age 17 2) Robert age 15 3) Dossey age 11 4) Joseph age 9 5) Lewis L age 6 6) Joshua E age 3 7) Frances S less than one year old
The 1870 US Census supports the fact that Ada and James Terrill had two children named James, one born in 1846 and another born in 1863. This 1870 census shows Ada to be head of household with five children at home: 1) Leonard L (age 16) 2) Joshua E ( age 14) 3) Serene (age 11) 4) Martha (age 9) 5) James R (age 6)
The absents of Janie R. “Bobby” from this census, who would have been 5-years old at the time is an indicator that she was not a child of Ada and James Terrill. James Terrill had died the year before this census. However the 1880 US census does list Bobby or Janie R. as a daughter of Ada. Bobby was 16 at the time of the 1880 census.
Ada Higdon in entry as the wife of James T Higdon on the "United States Index to Indian Wars Pension Files, 1892-1926"
In the Alabama, Deaths and Burials records of 1881-1952 Ada has a listed date of death of 29 Nov 1898. The place of death is shown to be Mill Beat, Evergreen, Conecuh, Alabama. It is indicated that she was widowed at the date of death.
Ada is buried in Arkadelphia Cemetery. It is located in Loree, Conecuh County, Alabama. There are two headstones there for her. One is a double monument for her and her husband. The other is a single monument. Both monuments have her correct dates of birth and death. I can give no explanation as to the reason of the two monuments.
Best conclusion is that James Terrill Higdon and Ada Ivey had 17 children: 1) Mary born 1837 in Alabama 2) John William, Born 10 Feb 1839, Alabama, d. 2 Feb 1912, Burnt Corn Alabama. Married Martha Elizabeth Hines and had the following children: James (Jimmy) Jackson (1860-1917) Martha Elizabeth (Betty) (1864-1946) Eliza Alice (Dutch) (1866-1946) Drusilla (Dru) (1873-1956) 3) Elizabeth, born 30 Apr 1841, Alabama, d. Jun 1878, married a Stokes and had the following children: Janie and Adrenia 4) Columbus M.C., (born 1843, m. Spouse last name Hines) Children Emmie Shummie Billie 5) Robert (b. 1845, Alabama) 6) James (b. 1846, Alabama) 7) Thomas Dossie (b. 28 Mar 1849 – d. 5 Mar 1918) Spouse Elizabeth L. Hines m. 15 Jul 1869, Children: James Isaac (1870-1938) Thomas (1872-1939) John R. (1872-1902) Henry R. (1875-1906) Phoebe (1877-1954) Mary Elizabeth (1879-1945) Sarah (1881-1947) Lewis (1883-1954) Emma Zola (1885-1976) Martha Janie (1887-1966) Pickney Charles (1890-1953) Laura (1892-1966) Ruth (1894-1957) Effie Mae (1898-1980) 1 8) Joseph T. (b. 3 May 1851 – d. 29 Apr 1919) Spouse: Anna Eliza Thompson m. 4 Nov 1869, Conecuh Co, Alabama Children: Florence Beulah Clarence Eugene (1894-1963) Rufus Hugh (1891-1936) Rachael Zellie Callie 9) Leonard Lewis (b. 8 Jan 1854) Spouse: Mary Elizabeth Brantley m. 15 Oct 1874, Conecuh County, AL Children: Kathryn Sarah Wesley Turner (1878-) Martha Ellen “Elizabeth” (1882-) Mary Frances (1877-) Harriet Elizabeth (1880-) Martha Ellen (1882-) Henry Travis (1876-) 10) Joshua E. (b. 1856, Alabama) 11) Doc “D.J.” (b. 8 Jul 1856 - 5 Nov 1932) never married 12) John (b. 1858) 13) Jerone (b. 1859) 14) Frances Serana (b. 31 Jul 1859 – d. 23 Dec 1935) Spouse: James A. Hines Married 13 Jul 1874 Children: Ely C. (1878-1932) Albert Thomas (1880-1960) Martha Elizabeth (1883-1958) Sarah Francis (1886-1971) Nellie Eugenia (1888-1941) 15) Martha A. (b. 21 Sep 1861 – d. 25 Mar 1926) Spouse: James Thomas J. T. "Jim" Davis Children: Wesley Candace Tom Phebia Hugh 16) James R. (b. 1863) 17) Janie “Bobby” (b. 26 Jan 1864, Conecuh, Alabama – d. 3 Oct 1941
Sources: 1) Alabama Census records as listed above in content 2) Conecuh county, Alabama survey of Cemeteries 3) Find-A-Grave resources 4) Book “Early Settlers of Mississippi Territory” 5) Book Higdon Genealogy by Lucille B. Coone 6) Notes and Information shared by Cheryl Higdon 2014 7) Information found online at the “Higdon Family Association” 8) Higdon GEDCOM by James Barker 9) Notes and document from Frances Smith 10) Personal recollections of Effie Mae Kirksey Owens recorded in 1998 by myself. 11) Personal recollections of Marietta Higdon Kirksey as related by both Effie Mae Kirksey Owens and Helen Owens Jackson over many years. 12) Book “Robert Ivey Sr. (c1730-c1802) and His Descendants” written by Robert W. Baird 13) Book “History of Conecuh County” written by Rev. B.F. Riley 1881 14) Research conducted by the University of South Alabama on the “Old Federal Road”
This biography was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import.[1] It's a rough draft and needs to be edited.
Contents |
Found multiple copies of DEAT DATE. Using 29 NOV 1898Array
Prior to import, this record was last changed 15 MAR 2014.
"United States Index to Indian Wars Pension Files, 1892-1926," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDRY-NZY : 13 March 2018), James T Higdon, 1893; citing Pension, Alabama, NARA microfilm publication T318 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 821,614.
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49415883/ada-higdon : accessed 29 January 2022), memorial page for Ada Ivey Higdon (26 Jan 1820–29 Nov 1898), Find a Grave Memorial ID 49415883, citing Arkadelphia Cemetery, Loree, Conecuh County, Alabama, USA ; Maintained by FYost (contributor 47463380) .[1]
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