Hignell family - Bitton Families Genealogy

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Marsha,
This is a line that has been challenging to explore. I have one connection, via a MEERE marriage, by license. 1788 Jun 24 Joseph HIGNELL of Elberton parish, Glos, farmer 40 years & upwards, a bachelor & Elizabeth MEERE of Dirham, Glos spinster, 30 years & upwards.

Nothing further is known of Joseph's family. Elizabeth , bap 1757, Westerleigh, was the d/o William/Mary MEERE. Only brother, William, settled in Bitton; spinster sisters Mary & Hester died a few months apart in 1825.

Eight christenings have been found for Joseph HIGNELL, mother Elizabeth at Independent Chapel, Thornbury, Glos. Baptism register 1789-1812, however they have not been followed/verified:
1789 Aug 25 William [bn.1789 Jul 18] s/o Joseph/Elizabeth HIGNELL
1790 Dec 20 Benjamin [bn.1790 Nov 24] s/o Joseph/Elizabeth HIGNELL
1792 Jul 10 George [bn.1792 Jun 11] s/o Joseph/Elizabeth HIGNELL
1795 Feb 15 Mary [bn.1795 Jan 18] d/o Joseph/Elizabeth HIGNELL
1796 Oct 04 John [bn.1796 Sep 06] s/o Joseph/Elizabeth HIGNELL
1798 Apr 17 Esther [bn.1798 Mar 26] d/o Joseph/Elizabeth HIGNELL of Elberton, Glos
1800 Jun 30 Joseph [bn.1799 Dec 26] s/o Joseph/Elizabeth HIGNELL of Elberton, Glos.

Elizabeth was named in sister Hester's 1825 will as: ". . . Elizabeth the wife of Joseph HIGNELL of the parish of Stapleton in the county of Gloucester . . ." She would have been abt 68 at the time. This is the last specific citing for her.

An Elizabeth in her 90s on the 1851 census seemed a promising lead, but per her 1854 will that Elizabeth was a spinster, who (along with another sister) died at The Worthy, Almondsbury, in 1854, aged 96.

A death index entry has been found, but not yet ordered:
HIGNELL, Elizabeth 1842 December Clifton Gloucestershire 11 216

Some HIGNELLs have been spotted in Bitton, but I have no idea if they are connected or not. An E. K. HIGNELL was an informant at the 1901 Keynsham Workhouse death of Giles MEERE. She was noted as 'Matron,' so I don't know if she was a relation or if a coincidence.