Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I've been researching my Highton family history and made some progress but am now struggling and I wonder if anyone may have information to help me?

I've traced my family back to James Highton who was born in Liverpool on 11th January 1769. He was apprenticed as shipbuilder to his uncle (name unknown) when 14, became a Methodist, married a Mary Fisher at St Ann's in Liverpool on 15th December 1789, fell out with his uncle and by 1827 was in Tranmere. There's then a gap until 1838 when he went to the Isle of Man. probably with or following his daughter Elizabeth who had married a Thoma Fyfe in Liverpool in 1816. He had a number of children including George, Elizabeth, James and Mary.

I cannot trace James' parents - Edward Highton and Sarah Halewood. Has anyone come across them please? I can only assume they were living in Liverpool as James' obituary, written by his son James, states he was born in Liverpool. There could be a shipbuilding/carpenter connection.

I'm also struggling to fill in some large gaps in the life of James' son George Highton. He was born 11th July 1792. I'm pretty sure he married a Hannah Murcott in 1816 at St James Church in Liverpool and they may have had a son George. I then lose track of him until he has a daughter Georgina Catherine with an Elizabeth (?) on 4th March 1840, then a son James Edward by mother unknown on 27th June 1843. He then has a number of children with Sarah Emmery (who he finally marries in Chester in 1858). The children are George 1843, Athelstan Henry 1845, John Fisher 1847, Alfred Halewood 1850, Harold Murcott 1852, Sarah Elizabeth 1855, Arthur Frederick 1857 and Caroline 1859.

I'm trying to fill in the gap between his marriage to Hannah Murcott in 1816 and his children with Sarah Emmery starting about 1843. I can't believe there are not more children in those years.

George was an architect/surveyor who in 1841 was listed as living in Upper Stanhope St, Toxteth Park, 33 Vine Street in 1851, 37 Barnes St Everton in 1861, Holyrood Court in 1871 and finally at Huskisson St in 1881. He had property in the area and may have been involved with Highton Court at 4 Prince William Street.

Sorry, I've gone on a bit!

Any information or advice to help fill in the gaps will be much appreciated.

Thanks

David Highton

Hi and welcome to the forum. You've done very well so far, but I hope some of our members might be able to assist with your problems.

The name would appear to be very much more common in the St Helens/Rainford area rather than Liverpool, something that might be worth keeping in mind for earlier dates.

I assume that this is George's wife buried Upper Stanhope Street Chapel , Wesleyan

Sacred to the memory of Hannah the beloved wife of George HIGHTON who departed this life 4th Nov 1838 aged 50 years. If a man die shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait till the change comes. This languishing head is at rest, Its thinking and aching are o’er The quiet unmorable breast is heard by affliction no more. This head is no longer the seat of trouble and torturing pain. It ceases to flutter and beat it never will flutter again for I know that my Redeemer liveth.

Highton isn't a terribly common name in Liverpool, so I'll just mention this one also in case there is a connection.

Buried in Anfield
Sacred to the memory of Ellen Arnold who departed this life Aug. 5th 1866 aged 66 years. Also Abraham Highton, son of the above, who died September23rd 1868 aged 40 years. He was a kind husband, an affectionate father, and the uprightness of his disposition endeared him to a large circle of friends. Also of James BAINES, nephew of the above, who was a much loved and dutiful servant, most affectionate friend for many years to one afflicted by loss of eyesight, died June 26th 1878 aged 26 years, interred June 30th. Faithful, honest, always true, his duty was his pride, gone now from earth to Heaven to rest by Jesus side. He loved his earthly master, and served him ever true, though he might more have prospered, he would not bid adieu, to him like second eyesight, for seventeen years his guide, from 9 years old he led him, rare absent from his side, but now he’s gone for ever, from his blind master kind, let’s hope to realms of glory, a Heavenly one to find.

On the www.familysearch.org website James HIGHTONs name is given as James HUYTOn born 11 Jan 1769 christened at St Nicholas Liverpool 22 Jan 1769. What appear to be his siblings are given as HIGHTON

Mary ch 7 Sept 1757
Elizabeth 7 July 1761
William 26 Feb 1764
Nathan 8 Dec 1771

I wonder if Highton is a derivative of Huyton and the name originated with people who came from Huyton. I think you may have to look at both spellings the further back you go.

The date of the marriage would be likely to be around 1756ish. Not all marriage registers for that time are available on line so you may have start looking at perhaps getting films of registers not on the IGI (family search) to your local LDS centre. Unfortunately I'm not that sure what you should start with. Some suggestions would be Childwall, St Thomas Liverpool, St Mary Walton on the Hill, St Chad Kirkby, Huyton.

Hilary
Ed Officer

Thanks you both for such quick and helpful responses. You've opened up some new doors.

MaryA, that certainly looks right for Hannah. I need to see what more I can find from Wesleyan sources as I can only find one possible child from this marriage- George born about 1826 - listed in the 1841 census and then no further trace of him.

Thanks too Hilary as that seems right for James. Oddly, I'd come across that group but in the records I found there was no mention of James. However, the other siblings match up so definitely looks hopeful. I take your point about Huyton.

I'll do some more research and see where these leads take me.

Thanks again

David Highton

Hi David,
I see from FreeBMD that there are 4 George Highton deaths in Liverpool between Jun qtr 1841 and Mar qtr 1851, including a George Rathbone Highton in 1845.

If he is one of the above it would account for his not appearing in the 1851 census and later.

Dickiesam

Many thanks for this Dickiesam. I've found the four and will see if I can connect one of them back to George and Hannah.

David Highton

Buried in Anfield
Sacred to the memory of Ellen Arnold who departed this life Aug. 5th 1866 aged 66 years. Also Abraham Highton, son of the above, who died September23rd 1868 aged 40 years. He was a kind husband, an affectionate father, and the uprightness of his disposition endeared him to a large circle of friends. Also of James BAINES, nephew of the above, who was a much loved and dutiful servant, most affectionate friend for many years to one afflicted by loss of eyesight, died June 26th 1878 aged 26 years, interred June 30th. Faithful, honest, always true, his duty was his pride, gone now from earth to Heaven to rest by Jesus side. He loved his earthly master, and served him ever true, though he might more have prospered, he would not bid adieu, to him like second eyesight, for seventeen years his guide, from 9 years old he led him, rare absent from his side, but now he’s gone for ever, from his blind master kind, let’s hope to realms of glory, a Heavenly one to find.

I am currently researching my family tree, my mums side are hightons from Birkenhead, mainly Tranmere and Bebbington.. My grandfather was William V Highton, his father was William also and married Lily Winchester, His father was again called william and was married to Ann Jane, his father was Abraham who married an Elizabeth and whose mother was Ellen Arnold.
So thank you for that lovely piece of information... I wonder if anyone else has any further information on names and dates..
We seem to have a lot of fake memories.. My mother insists she had an Uncle Sammy, brother of William V, However we can find no listing of him.. so we assume he used Sammy instead of his real name which i suspect is George G Highton.

Hi

The Hightons I've been researching have certainly got connections with Bebbington and Tranmere. James Highton, a brother of my great-great grandfather George, lived much of his life in Claughton in the nearby parish of Bidston, north of Bebbington. Also, as I mentioned, his father, also James, lived in Tranmere for a time.

I've come across Abraham Highton and his wife Elizabeth in my research. He is listed as a tobacconist in 1851 then a carriage owner in 1861. Is that the same one? If there's a connection, and I suspect there may well be, then I think the link goes back to the 1720/30s and the siblings of Edward Highton, George's grandfather. I haven't yet been able to find out anything about him other than the family bible has him marrying Sarah Halewood (who I think I may have found being baptised at Kaye St Presbyterian Church on 16th May 1737). I suspect Abraham may be a descendant from a brother of Edward.

We'll just have to keep plugging away and see what turns up. If I can help at all from my side please let me know.

Thanks

David

Hi David

It certainly sounds liek the same family link..
I have Abraham married to Elizabeth, and i have his father as abraham also, married to Ellen rimmer.. I havent so far found his father tho as have been working on other parts of the family.
Its all very interesting!

Claire