Malinda Higginbotham
Little Malinda Higginbotham's now nearly 134 year rapidly deteriorating marble obelisk which was in great decline shines again, as it should. Unfortunately some of her epitaph is impossible to decifer and they somehow ran out of room and left out a letter in her written name. Her story is short and sad, but tonight's honoree's descendant history is highly impressive.
"Two hundred and two days"
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•• We will be (s)haring a variety of correlating photographs and documents for this evenings honoree and her family in the comments section below.
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"Malinda" A. Higginbotham was born in Hernando County, Florida more than 134 years ago on December 25th, Christmas day 1888 to her Father, Joseph Benton Higginbotham and Mother, Ella J. Jennings.
•• Interesting events that occurred around the World during Malinda's birth year of 1888 included.
• On January 12th, 1888 the Schoolhouse Blizzard hits Dakota Territory, the states of Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas, leaving 235 dead, many of them children on their way home from school.
• On February 27th, 1888 in West Orange, New Jersey, Thomas Edison meets with Eadweard Muybridge, who proposes a scheme for sound film.
• On March 25th, 1888bSusan B. Anthony chairs the founding meeting of the International Conference of Women in Washington DC.
• On August 1st, 1888 Carl Benz is issued with the world's first driving licence by the Grand Duchy of Baden.
• On August 31st, 1888 the mutilated body of London prostitute Mary Ann Nichols is found; she is considered the first victim of Jack the Ripper.
• On November 6th, 1888 in the U.S. Presidential election, Democratic Party incumbent Grover Cleveland wins the popular vote, but loses the Electoral College vote to Republican challenger Benjamin Harrison, therefore losing the election.
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•• Malinda's Paternal Great Grandfather, Joseph Alexander Higginbotham (1792 - 1875) married Mary Ann (Polly) Pinkham in Georgia around the year 1811. They raised their 12 children on his 300 acre Spanish land grant situated on Spell Swamp, a branch of the St. Marys River in Duval County, Florida. After Florida became a territory, Joseph was a member of the Florida legislature at least twice.
•• Malinda's 2x Paternal Great Grandfather, Burroughs Burris Higginbotham (1759 - 1816) served under the command of Colonel James Neil during the American Revolution. For his Patriotic service he received land grants of 287 1/2 Acres in Washington County, Georgia, 550 acres in Richmond County, Georgia, and 700 acres on St. Marys River, in East Florida.
•• Malinda's 3x Paternal Great Grandfather, Captain Aaron Higginbotham (1720 - 1785) was appointed as a Militia officer for Amherst County, Virginia on August 7th, 1769.
•• Malinda's 4x Paternal Great Grandfather, Captain John Joseph Higginbotham (1695 - 1742) became a Captain in the British service @ Barbados.
•• Malinda's 7x Paternal Great Grandfather, Lieutenant Colonel John Higginbotham (1599 - 1673) sailed aboard the HMS "Bonaventure" from London to Virginia in 1634. He took the oath of allegiance to the British Crown, became a soldier and was appointed Lieutenant Colonel in 1666.
Note: The Bonaventure was "blown up in action" on March 4th, 1653 at the Battle of Leghorn during the First Anglo-Dutch War
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Malinda was the youngest of 5 children and the only Daughter welcomed into the World by her parents. Her elder siblings included James, Francis, Roby Hugh, and Benton.
Higginbotham Patriarch, Joseph Benton supported his family as a lifelong farmer.
Like far too many of our 19th century honoree's, especially by modern day standards, the Higginbotham's experienced extensive, repeated, unthinkable tragedy. Malinda's Brother James, having recently turned three years old died on September 18th, 1881. Her Brother, Francis would lose his life on May 24th, 1884. He was only 2 and 1/2. For reasons we know not, older Brother, Benton at just 14 months, passed away on January 10th, 1888.
Unimaginably, on March 25th, 1889, the precise day in which tonight's tiny subject reached her 3 month milestone, her beloved Mother, Ella would take her last breath. She was thirty.
On Monday July 15th 1889 an unbearably hot and humid Summer day in Brooksville, Florida, little Malinda closed her eyes for the last time. Her existence lasted for just two hundred and two short days.
•• Tonight's honoree's Father, Joseph Benton (42) wed for a second time in January of 1893 when he married Bertie County, North Carolina native, 18 year old Ida Josephine Lane. Between 1894 and 1911, the couple would go on to have 8 childten of their own.
Malinda A. Higginbotham... Beloved Daughter, Sister, forgotten no more