California Pioneer Harmon Higgins

L-R: James Alexander Howie, Clara Elnett Hand-Howie standing next to the post.
Flora L. Howie-Mayo sitting with Marjorie Mayo-Waage.
Sitting in the chair, Albert Gardner Parker. Standing on right post:
Helen Desdemonia Rider-Howie-Parker.
Sitting on step: Thomas Clay Mayo, holding Mabel Mayo-Somfelde.

I am going to tell a story now about cousin Annie Howie.  She was born April 18, 1884 in Potton, MISSISQUOI, Quebec, Canada, an area just north-east of Lake Champlain.  She was the second child of James Alexander Howie c. 1855 and his wife, Clara Elnett Hand.  The family were farmers in the Stanstead area of Canada for many years.  Her father James was the older brother to my Great Grand-father William George Howie, c. 1856.   At this point I am not currently aware of the how or the when, however Annie and her younger sister Flora Howie moved out west to Southern California.  Here is where my story begins.  Flora first appears in the 1900 U.S. Census taken in Compton California.  A young girl of 15 years.  Flora next appears November 16, 1909 on a marriage certificate to Thomas Clay Mayo.  Thomas was born to a farming family in Compton on August 27, 1885.  They had two children together, daughters Marjorie and Mabel in 1910 and 1911.  Thomas Mayo registers for the draft for WWI in 1917 at the age of 32.  In the 1920 Census data for his listed occupation, it has now changed from farmer to Ranch operator and we now see also appearing on the same census, Annie & Flora's younger brother Robert Maitland Howie, c. 1890, his wife Naomie Gaines-Howie and their newly first born son Robert Howie, c. 1920 living on the adjacent ranch.  Above is a four generation family photo above taken on the Mayo family farm in Compton in 1916 with James and Clara Howie in the back and Marjorie and Mabel in the front and Helen D. (Rider) (Howie) Parker standing besides her husband Albert Parker while he sits on the porch in a rocking chair.

Henry J. Mayo, the father of Thomas Clay, was born c. 1849, in Missouri. He was listed as a laborer in Lea's Summit Missouri, at the age of 21 on the 1870 U.S. Census. The tracks for the Missouri Pacific Railroad were being laid at the time, and the Lees Summit R.R.station was being built.  He may have even labored to get the railroad through Jackson County.  This was probably his ticket to California. As I next found him

registered to vote in August 1875, in Compton, California.
The date of marriage to his wife Augusta Ann Higgins is not yet known by me.  Augusta was born c. 1858 in the Oregon Territory.  She became a school teacher in Compton, and leaves her legacy today, as there is still a school named in her honor, and a street called Mayo.

Augusta Ann Higgins

Augustas' father was Harmon Higgins a farmer from Illinois, and her mother Melinda Durbin was from Missouri where her parents Daniel and Thersa (Fugate) Durbin were also farmers.


Harmon and Melinda Higgins were California Pioneer's.  Making their way west by wagon pulled by oxen along the Oregon Trail.  There are many books published, so I will let two pages of a historical biography on the Higgins journey tell their story. Let me begin with a photo of Harmon Higgins.

Harmon Higgins

 

I need to correct just a little bit of time line from the wonderfully written story above.  As the writer pointed out the 7 month journey on the Oregon Trail from Missouri to Oregon, the final journey to California was no easier.  We find the Higgins family in the 1850 U.S. Census, farmers in Napa, California.  Then ten years later we find the Higgins family in the 1860 Census, farmers in Visalia, Tulare, California.  Then 1870 & 1880 census finally reaching southern California to Compton and then on to Wilmington California.

From the story we can surmise they were survivors, and successful.  There are many books out there written about the Oregon trail.  Many of the stories mention Harmon Higgins, as he quickly became the Captain of the wagon team.  His young bride at the time Melinda must have been a strong woman.  Here is a photograph of Melinda in the early years.

Melinda Higgins, Mary E. Higgins, Harmon Higgins c. 1857

Malinda Frances Durbin-Higgins

It appears to me to be 1887 probably the funeral for Harmon Higgins

Probably sitting in the parlor of the home pictured below.

1st row L-R: James Polk Higgins (oldest son), Malinda F. Higgins (holding the photo of Harmon), Cassandra M. Higgins-Holman (Youngest). 2nd row: Dallas A. Higgins (2nd oldest), Josiah, (holds Harmon Jrs pix, Harmon Jr. Lived in Tucson AZ}, Mary E. Higgins, Augusta Ann Higgins-Mayo,  Stonewall Jackson "Wally" Higgins.

Back Row: Benjamin "Buck" Higgins,  William Riley "Beadie" Higgins.

The Harmon Higgins Home c. 1890's

Photo from the South Bay Photograph collection CSU Dominguez Hills. 

Harmon Higgins had a sugar beet farm, and was the President of the Dairy Association. They had the largest property in Compton. 

The Higgins farm was near Olive St and Wilmington Blvd. in Compton, California.

 On top porch (l-r): Mrs. William Riley Higgins (Nancy), with four of H.J. & Augusta Mayo children: 

Mabel Mayo, Harmon Jefferson "Jeff" Mayo, James Monroe Mayo, (Thomas is downstairs) and William Riley "Will" Mayo. 

On lower porch (l-r): Mrs. Joseph Higgins (I believe this is Enola Gay, wife of Josiah Daniel Higgins), Dallas A. Higgins, 

Benjamin Buchanan "Buck" Higgins, Thomas Clay Mayo, and his mother, Mrs. Augusta Mayo. 

In buggy (l-r): Stonewall Jackson"Wallie" Higgins, Mr. Knowland (cousin from Missouri).In front of house window (l-r): unknown male in hat. Harmon Higgins Jr., Mrs. Harmon Higgins Jr. (Lucy C. Chamberlin).

Here is the genealogy, and our family connection to our not so distant cousins: