Branching out on my family tree

Thomas Patrick Higgins

     On September 6, 1885 in Auglaize County, Ohio Thomas Patrick Higgins was born to Michael and Mary Higgins. His grandfather, Michael Higgins Sr., immigrated to America from Ireland and arrived in New York City on August 25, 1849. This was during the Great Famine of Ireland when more than a million Irish people died and another million fled and immigrated from Ireland.

Michael Meyers

     On September 15, 1885 Mihaly Mayersky was born in Bresburg, Hungary, but considered himself Austrian, as he was born on the border between the two countries. Little is known about his life in eastern Europe, but Mihaly, who later changed his name to Michael Meyers, came to America on a ship called the Chemnitz and arrived in New York City on October 19, 1906.
     Both of these men, born nine days apart, are great-grandfathers of mine: Michael, on my dad's side, and Thomas Patrick, on my biological mother's side. And both men worked hard for their families and found a home in the up and coming manufacturing center of Dayton, Ohio. 
     After arriving in Dayton, Michael secured a manufacturing job, bought a house on Kiser St., and would eventually work for the Mutual Manufacturing Company. Some time in the 1920's he began working as a laborer at the Requarth Lumber Company. He received his American Citizenship in April of 1939 and was eventually promoted at Requarth to lumberyard foreman. He no doubt had a hand in helping convert the factory to support the war efforts during the Second World War.

Requarth Lumber, circa 1925

     Thomas Higgins moved to Dayton shortly before 1910 and was a machinist and tool maker by trade. He worked for a number of local companies including Delco and the Davis Sewing Machine Company of Dayton. Davis initially made treadle sewing machines for Sears and Roebuck but around 1892 they also began making bicycles. Sewing machine manufacturing was eventually phased out and the company began making bicycles exclusively. It was renamed Huffy Corporation. (As an aside, late last year before finding my biological family I purchased an Antique Davis Sewing Machine made in Dayton. Though I could likely never prove it, it's possible Thomas Patrick worked on or made parts for the very machine in my foyer).

Davis Treadle Sewing Machine, circa 1910

     The 1920 Census records show the families of Michael and Thomas living approximately nine minutes from each other separated by only a few city blocks and the Mad River in northeast Dayton near downtown. Michael and his wife Theresa, who married in 1907, had nine children, including five boys and four girls, and they were all raised as devout Catholics. Thomas and his wife, Maude, also both Catholic, reared four boys of their own, though only two would survive to adulthood. There's no family account or historical record to date which indicates Michael or Thomas knew each other. However, St. Joseph Church, erected in 1910, was and remains the closest Catholic church situated between where the two families. It's reasonable to suggest at some point the two men (or their families) may have interacted at some point. 

St. Joseph Church

     Higgins family tradition tells the tale of Thomas being a football player who played in the industrial league of Dayton in the late 1910's. The league, formed by three downtown factories, consisted of teams from The Dayton Metal Products Company, the Domestic Engineering Company, and the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company, better known by their acronym, DELCO. The recreational league played games for local crowds and played many of their games at Triangle Park. Of course, this is where the first recognized NFL game was played between the Dayton Triangles, made up of players from the three factories, and the Columbus Panhandles. There are rumors Thomas may have played at the semi-professional level but historical records are slim and this claim cannot be supported as of yet. However, a picture from a newspaper article showing Thomas wearing his football uniform is known to exist and efforts are being made to track this photo down. 

Calvary Cemetery

     Sometime in late 1922, Thomas was rocking his son John on the front porch of their Watts Ave. home in Dayton. A storm was brewing over Dayton that evening and lightning struck very near the home. Thomas and John were indirectly hit by the jolt of electricity. Already struggling with diabetes, Thomas' health quickly deteriorated over the next several months and he passed away on January 31, 1923. His son John survived the incident but was forever changed by the experience. Thomas was buried in the rolling hills of Calvary Cemetery in Dayton, overlooking the city and the Great Miami River. 

     On November 1, 1943 Michael was rushed to the hospital with severe stomach pain and was diagnosed with a ruptured duodenal ulcer. A few days later while receiving care at Good Samaritan Hospital, peritonitis set in and he eventually died of infection on November 8. He too, was buried in Calvary Cemetery--a mere 500 feet from Thomas Patrick Higgins.
     Since reconnecting with my biological family and researching their ancestry, I am constantly amazed by the similarities and coincidences I encounter between family lines. Beyond the similarities described between my birth mother and adoptive dad's immigrant families, I have discovered other links that go back much further in the history of my adoptive and biological families.

General Washington at Valley Forge

     On both my adoptive mom's side and my birth father's side, their families came to America in 16th and 17th Century, respectively, and men from both families fought for freedom and security in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. According to historic archives, both my sixth great-grandfather Jacob Hoover (on my mom's side), and my sixth great-grandfather John Combs Sr. (on my birth father's side), were members of the Continental Army. In fact, both are believed to have spent the winter of 1777-1778 encamped at the Valley Forge. Jacob in the German Regiment, and John in Scott's Brigade, as part of the 12th Virginia. Prior to the American Revolution, both served in the Colonial Army under General Braddock, and Jacob himself was witness to Braddock's death at the Battle of Monongahella in 1775. At the time, he was under direct command by the General and was a wagoner.
     When I contemplate the historical timelines of my four parental ancestral lines, I am amazed by how closely they parallel--even if separated by 100 or 200 years. While I've never been one to attribute such coincidences to anything more than chance, I can't help but to think these discoveries have been waiting for me to uncover them at the appropriate time. While I may be the one common branch, or knot as it were, the and proud and colorful history of our family tree will be forever linked and gratefully shared with generations to come as it grows richer and fuller through time. It is for those who come after, I dedicate this work.