Charles Higbee, Eighth Rector of Christ Church in Pelham Manor, 1871-1893
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Charles Higbee graduated from the Princeton College School of Divinity in 1860. See Directory of The Graduates and Former Students of Princeton College, 1896, p. 20 (Princeton, NJ: The Princeton Press - C. S. Robinson & Co University Printers, 1896).
Charles F. Higbee married Sara Augusta Mitchell, a daughter of Roland G. Mitchell, on Tuesday, November 21, 1871 in Bay Farm, Long Island, New York. The couple had at least three daughters including Cornelia Post Higbee (born May 22, 1874 in Pelham, NY), Mary Higbee (born Jul. 16, 1876 in Pelham, NY, died Sep. 20, 1961 in Massachusetts), and Caroline Howell Higbee (born Apr. 8, 1878 in Pelham, NY).
Reverend Higbee's world travels were somewhat unusual. Periodically he would leave his wife and daughters at home as he took off for distant points. He would remain gone for many months at a time and, occasionally, would go for extended periods of time without communicating with his family because his global travels took him far from most means of communication of the day. His family would worry, but he always returned with tales of his travels.
In 1893, Rev. Charles F. Higbee resigned as Rector of the Parish of Christ Church. He was, however, designated as Rector Emeritus.
For many years Reverend Higbee and his family resided in Pelham. Indeed, all three of his daughters were born in Pelham. The 1880 U.S. Census shows Reverend Higbee living with his wife, Augusta, and their three daughters in Pelham together with two "servants": Emma E. Foster and Anna Berghart. Late in Reverend Higbee's life shortly after he resigned as Rector of the Parish of Christ Church, he and his family built a new home on Weyman Avenue near Pelham Road in New Rochelle, not far from the Pelham Manor border.
In 1896, after his resignation, Rev. Higbee suffered an accident while practicing diving and his ability to remain underwater for long periods of time. He became profoundly deaf.
Given his disability, Rev. Higbee's family hoped that his globe-trotting would cease. In October, 1899, however, Rev. Higbee announced that he planned to undertake an ambitious hunting and fishing trip southward to Texas and then to Mexico. As it turned out, it would be his last such trip.
Charles F. Higbee departed on his trip before the end of October, 1899. As usual, his family received a few letters from him at the outset. The last letter they received from him showed that he was in Mexico about January 15, 1900.
Four months passed without any communication from Higbee. Given his prior practices, neither his wife nor his three daughters were particularly alarmed. It was only when Higbee's wife became ill and required special care that the family decided to try to reach Rev. Higbee. Their efforts failed. They could find no trace of him. According to several accounts, "weeks of worry then commenced."
Finally the family communicated with the United States Secretary of State seeking assistance in locating Higbee. The Office of the Secretary of State sought assistance from the U.S. Consul General in Mexico City. The Consul General's response was prompt and devastating. The Department of State informed the family by dispatch as follows:
"The Rev. Charles Higbee, of New Rochelle, N. Y., has been missing since January last. The Department of State received yesterday from the Consul General of the United States at Mexico City a telegram reporting the death in the Grand Hotel there of Charles Higbee on January 27. The Consul in his message states he has mailed particulars."
Below is the text of a number of articles that shed light on the lives of Reverend Charles F. Higbee, his wife, and their daughters. Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.
"REV. HIGBEE REPORTED DEAD
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Consul General in Mexico Informs State Department at Washington.
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EXPIRED ON JANUARY 27, 1900.
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On Wednesday the Department of State at Washington received a dispatch from the Consul General of the United States in Mexico City reporting the death of the Rev. Charles Higbee in the Grand Hotel there on January 27. The Consul in his message states that he has mailed particulars.
Rev. Charles Higbee's residence is on Weyman avenue near Pelham Road. He leaves a widow and three daughters, the Misses Cornelia, Mary and Carolyn Higbee.
Mr. Higbee was the second son of the late Charles Higbee of Trenton, N. J. His brothers are William Higbee, of 36 W. 35th street, New York, and Col. George Higbee of Burlington, In.
Rev. Charles Higbee was rector of Christ Church, Pelham, for twenty-two years. He retired about ten years ago and since that time he has traveled in all parts of the globe. He was known as a great lover of sports and was a superb swimmer. It is believed that while diving his hearing became injured and four years ago he became entirely deaf.
Last October Mr. Higbee went to Mexico on a hunting and fishing trip. He always travelled alone and sometimes he was away for many months in distant states and foreign countries. His family on many occasions heard nothing from him for long periods. They received their last letter from him in January. Thinking that he was in the mountains far away from the mails the family were little alarmed over the long absence of news from him.
This week owing to the illness of Mrs. Higbee, who is under the care of a nurse, the Secretary of State was requested to make an inquiry through the Consuls, and on Wednesday the report of his death was received.
Mr. Higbee was a man of most exemplary character. He was 55 [sic] years of age. His wife was a Miss Augusta Mitchell, a member of an old New York family."
Source: REV. HIGBEE REPORTED DEAD -- Consul General in Mexico Informs State Department at Washington -- EXPIRED ON JANUARY 27, 1900, New Rochelle Pioneer, Jun. 2, 1900, Vol. 42, No. 11, p. 1, col. 3.
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He Died Away From Home Among Strangers.
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The Rev. Dr. Charles F. Higbee, a retired Episcopal clergyman, who was for many years . . . rector of the Pelham Priory [sic], Pelham Manor, has been travelling in Mexico for his health. When Dr. Higbee first went away his wife and family, who live in this city, heard from him often, but lately they have received no letters, and are becoming alarmed. Dr. Higbee is more than sixty years old, and they fear that he has become ill in some remote place and is unable to communicate with them. At his hoe on Monday it was said that if word were not received from him in a few days some one of the family would go to Mexico to look for him.
As far as was consistent with the cloth, the Rev. Charles Higbee was an enthusiastic sportsman. He was a good shot with the rifle, a superb swimmer and he knew how to cast a fly and never start a ripple. He handled a good stick at golf. He could surprise the young men at cricket, and tennis, and held high rank as a baseball enthusiast. Notwithstanding that he was well along in years he could dive with the best of them and stay under water five or six minutes. It is believed that it was while practicing this diving that he permanently injured his hearing. He was entirely deaf, and had been so for years.
He had an uncontrollable desire to travel. He often went away from home to hunt or fish in distant States or even in foreign countries. He travelled alone and sometimes was away for many months. His family in New Rochelle on several occasions heard nothing from him for long periods. Then he would come home and his friends would learn that he had been in the far North beyond the mails, or perhaps in South America, away from the travelled routes. The rector often said he had seen every part of the globe except South Africa.
When the minister lost his hearing friends hoped he would quit globe trotting, but last October he suddenly announced that he was going for a trip through Texas and Mexico. A few letters were received from him, the last being in Mexico about January 15. He was a great lover of nature, and it was supposed he was hunting or fishing in Mexico. When for many weeks no news came the family concluded he was in the heart of the mountains somewhere and could not communicate with friends at home. Until over four months went by the daughters were little alarmed.
Finally Mrs. Higbee was taken so ill that she was placed in the care of a trained nurse. An effort was then made to communicate with the absent rector, but no trace of him could be obtained. The weeks of worry then commenced. At last the Secretary of State was requested to make inquiry through the consuls and the following despatch from Washington, D. C., was received:
'The Rev. Charles Higbee, of New Rochelle, N. Y., has been missing since January last. The Department of State received yesterday from the Consul General of the United States at Mexico City a telegram reporting the death in the Grand Hotel there of Charles Higbee on January 27. The Consul in his message states he has mailed particulars.'"
Source: THE DEATH OF REV. CHARLES HIGBEE ANNOUNCED -- He Died Away From Home Among Strangers, The New Rochelle Press, Jun. 2, 1900, Vol. XXV, No. 52, p. 1, col. 2.
"REV. HIGBIE [sic] DEAD IN MEXICO.
"--The memorial service held in Christ Church, Pelham, Sunday afternoon last for the late Rev. Charles Higbee, rector emeritus of that church, whose death occurred in Mexico last January, was largely attended. The services were conducted by the Rev. A. H. Tenney, rector of Christ Church, and his remarks on the character of the deceased were most appropritate."
Source: BRIEF AND NEWSY, New Rochelle Pioneer, Jul. 7, 1900, p. 5, cols. 1-3.
"PERSONALS . . .
The engagement has been announced of Robert L. Minturn and Mis Mary M. Higbee, of this city. Miss Higbee is the second daughter of the late Rev. Charles Higbee, for many years rector of the old Pelham Priory [sic]. The date of the wedding has not been fixed, but owing to the death of Miss Higbee's father in Mexico it will probably be a quiet one."
Source: PERSONALS, The New Rochelle Press, Nov. 10, 1900, p. 5, col. 3.
Labels: 1871, 1893, 1896, 1900, Augusta Mitchell Higbee, Carolyn Howell Higbee, Charles Higbee, Christ Church, Church, Churches, Cornelia Post Higbee, Mary Higbee