Individual Details

Some, including researcher Earl Higginbotham, have confused Martha with her cousin Mary, daughter of Benjamin & Mary Gatewood . Martha's father Francis was guardian of Mary after the death of her father and Mary went to Feliciana Parish with Francis and family. This may have contributed to the confusion. Mary married Charles Carter. Martha, daughter of Francis, married George Carter, brother of Charles, in 1812, and did not go to Lousiana, but remained in Georgia. I find no indication that Francis and Dolly had a daughter named Mary.

Hightower researchers believe that William Hightower Jr. married Mary, daughter of Francis & Dolly, on 3 Oct 1811 in Elbert Co. (Hightower Database on WorldConnect) However I believe that particular Mary was likely the daughter of Caleb, not Francis. William Hightower Jr moved to Alabama where he is found later with a wife named Nancy. A son of Caleb's - William is also found near Wm Hightower Jr in Alabama. It's possible this Mary Higginbotham died as a young woman.

Mary S. Higginbotham, daughter of John Satterwhite Higginbotham also married in Elbert Co GA, to Jacob Brown, on 15 Jul 1813. He did not live long because on 27 Jul 1819, Mary S. Brown married James Tate, still in Elbert Co.

Some databases show a Mary, either as a daughter of Francis or of Caleb, that married a Sandel. This is a confusion with Mary, a grandaughter of Francis & daughter of Francis' son Caleb [not his brother Caleb]. This younger Mary married William Sandel on 16 Dec 1830 in E. Feliciana Parish LA.

I found a Mary Higginbotham in West Feliciana Parish that married John G. Reily on 28 Jul 1823 - but this was the widow of Clayton Higginbotham [brother of Martha & son of Francis] who had died in 1822 leaving her with a young son. There was also a Polly who married James Booker on 1 Feb 1823, in Lousiana. I don't know who she is. Amy, a daughter of Francis, married Isaac Reily. Marriages found in LA Marriages, CD 1, 1994 Edition of GRS.

George Carter, married again after the death of Martha, still in Elbert Co GA.

1820 Census: Elbert Co GA
George Carter: 1m age 26-45, 1f -5, 1f 26-45, 10 slaves

This death date and place shown here as 20 Jul 1833, is probably that of Mary, Martha's cousin who married Charles Carter, moved to Amite Co MS and then to Feliciana Parish LA.

Marriage	15 Jul 1812	Elbert County, Georgia - George Carter
Death	20 Jul 1833	Louisiana

Spouse

George Carter ( - )

Father	Francis Higginbotham (1759 - 1828)
Mother	Dolly Gatewood ( - 1830)
Sibling	Caleb Higginbotham (1787 - 1829)
Sibling	Lucy Higginbotham (1789 - 1862)
Sibling	Lawson Higginbotham (1794 - 1860)
Sibling	Clayton Higginbotham (1798 - 1822)
Sibling	Amy Higginbotham (1800 - 1853)