John Higginson

26th Jun 1776 - 21st Dec 1834

Claimant or beneficiary

Biography

Liverpool and Barbados merchant and slave-owner. The executor of John Higginson, Richard Deane (q.v.) was awarded the compensation under 12 awards in Barbados as executor.

  1. John Higginson and his family were almost certainly in Barbados until the baptism of his sixth child in 1816; his three youngest children were baptised in Liverpool (1819 to 1829). John and Sarah Ann Higginson had nine children: Jonathan (1807-1859) (q.v.), Haynes Barrow (1809-1862: Merchant trading to India who left about £3000 upon his death), John Montague (1811-1895: Reverend in Thormanby, North Yorkshire), Ann Campbell (1813-1900: never married, and left £8780 when she died aged 87), Sarah (1814-, probably died young), George Irlam (1816-1893: lived near Harrowgate and left £946 when he died), Elizabeth (1819-1897: married married Owen Tudor in 1845, who became Secretary Stock Exchange, Liverpool), James Pickford (1823-1876: coal merchant in Liverpool who left £40,000 when he died), and Frederick Weekes (1829-1852: died in Australia). In 1841, John Higginson's widow, Sarah Ann, was living in Liverpool with four of their children, aged 15 to 30, and six servants; she died in 1859.

  2. Partner in Barton, Irlam and Higginson. Died 21/12/1834 at Liverpool. Buried St George Everton 26/12/1834 aged 58.

  3. The will of John Higginson [at present] of St Michael Barbados made in 1833 was not proved until 14/12/1840 in London. Under the will he left an annuity of £600 p.a. to his wife Sarah Ann, to be reduced to £100 p.a. if she intermarried, together with his house on Everton Terrace. He instructed his trustees to provide £150 p.a. for the support of each of his children until 15, and then amounts at their discretion up to £250 p.a. for each child until 21, when each was to receive £5000. His son Jonathan inherited his estates at 'Over Peevor' in the County of Chester. He made his sons his co-residuary legatees, failing whom his sisters.

We are grateful to David Barker for his assistance in compiling this entry.


Sources

T71/898 Barbados claim no. 3999 (Joes River).

  1. Census online; Death Index, Cheshire, 1861, Q1; Probate 1862. Census online; Death Index, Yorkshire North Riding, 1895, Q2. Census online 1871; Death Index, Lancashire, West Derby, 1900 Q2; Probate 1900. Census online; Death Index, Warwickshire, 1897, Q1. Census online, Death Index, Lancashire, West Derby, 1876, Q1; Probate 1876. Census online; Civil Registration Death Index, Lancashire 1859, Q2.

  2. Ancestry.com, Liverpool, Lancashire, England, Burials, 1813-1974 [database online].

  3. PROB 11/1937/326.


Further Information

Absentee?
British/Irish
Spouse
Sarah Ann Barrow
Children
Jonathan and others
Occupation
West India merchant

Associated Claims (11)

£2,726 9s 9d
Beneficiary deceased (Judgement creditor)
£1,969 2s 6d
Previous owner
£2,716 15s 4d
Beneficiary deceased (Assignee)
£5,705 8s 4d
Deceased claimant successful
£1,497 4s 8d
Deceased awardee
£2,491 10s 2d
Beneficiary deceased
£1,190 8s 3d
Beneficiary deceased
£3,297 8s 4d
Beneficiary deceased
£3,788 14s 5d
Beneficiary deceased (Mortgagee)
£5,612 3s 9d
Claimants in List E or Chancery cases
£930 3s 9d
Beneficiary deceased

Associated Estates (13)

The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:

  • SD - Association Start Date
  • SY - Association Start Year
  • EA - Earliest Known Association
  • ED - Association End Date
  • EY - Association End Year
  • LA - Latest Known Association
1820 [EA] - 1834 [LA] → Mortgage Holder

It seems likely that Higginson's exceutor, Richard Deane, was able to claim the compensation on the basis of Higginson's holding of the mortgage on the estate.

1832 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Other

Owner of and lessor of enslaved people leased to Castle Grant

1823 [EA] - 1823 [LA] → Owner
1820 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Owner

See 1825-1826 evolutions for the involvement of the firm of Barton, Irlam & Higginson.

1823 [EA] - 1829 [LA] → Owner
1826 [EA] - 1826 [LA] → Seller

Seller of 202 enslaved people before the 1826 registration

1832 [EA] - 1834 [LA] → Owner
1823 [EA] - 1826 [LA] → Joint owner
1829 [EA] - 1834 [LA] → Owner
1826 [EA] - 1826 [LA] → Other
1823 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Owner
1826 [EA] - 1826 [LA] → Owner
1825 [EA] - 1826 [LA] → Other

Higginson acted as merchant intermediary in buying the plantation from Jones and selling it on to Lovell.


Legacies Summary

Commercial (1)

Name partner
Barton, Irlam & Higginson
West India merchant  
 

Relationships (3)

Father → Son
Business partners
Testator → Executor

Addresses (1)

Everton Terrace, Everton, Liverpool, Lancashire, North-west England, England