Benjamin Higgins & Maria Laraway

Birth Record Benjamin Higgins

Benjamin Higgins, my 5th great grandfather and father of Jonas Higgins, was born July 18, 1786 in Chesterfield, NH.  This town was originally part of Massachusetts and called, "Township number one".  His father had been one of the signers of a  June, 1776 declaration opposing the British hostilities against the United States.

At an early age Benjamin moved to Canada.  In 1790 at the first US census, when he would have been about 14 years old, the family still lived in Chesterfield but by 1800 it appears they had left NH, and in 1808 at the age of 22 he married, Maria, girl from NY in Quebec.  They appeared to have lived in Canada the rest of their lives.  Maria Laraway, his wife, was born in Guilderland, Albany county, New York on Nov 26, 1787.

They had three children; Joseph, Jonas, and Elizabeth all born in Dunham, Quebec, Canada.  By 1861 Benjamin and Maria lived in Hochelaga, Montreal, Canada.  Joseph and his wife lived with them in 1861.

I have no information on his profession but he lists Unitarian as the family's religious affiliation.

Benjamin died between 1861 and 1871.  Maria survived until after 1871.