William Tifton Higgins (1836-1913)

 

 

William Tifton Higgins was born 12 December 1836 in Polk County, Missouri. He was the son of John Higgins and Kezia Brown. About 1858, William married Elizabeth Bland. Elizabeth was the daughter of Daniel Bland and Narcissa (Babb) Bland. She was born around 1840.  They had the following children:

• Lavina Higgins (1859-?)

• Isabelle Higgins (1862-1938)

• Moses Sheridan Higgins (1862-1938)

• Rosa Higgins (1871-?)

• Steven Higgins (1873-?)

• Sarah Emily Higgins (1875-1929)

• Samuel Wiley Higgins (1877-?)

 

William T. and his brothers, Joseph, Jacob, Francis Marion, and John all enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War on 2 Aug 1862. His brother, Philemon enlisted on 29 Sep 1882 and they all served in Co. E 7th Prov. Reg. E.M.M. (State Military Records film # 174, Jefferson City, MO). William re-enlisted on 2 Nov 1863 and again 26 Apr 1864. He mustered out 1 Jul 1865 at Springfield, MO. While serving Co. D 15th Regiment MO Cav., William was disabled by disease of heart and lungs and was treated at Lexington Missouri by a Regimental Surgeon. He is listed in the 1890 Veteran's Census as still being disabled by heart and lung disease.

 

After Elizabeth died in 1879, William remarried. On 26 February 1880, he married Sarah Catherine McConnell (b.1848). They had two children together:

• Lucy M Higgins (1881-1920)

• William Sigal Higgins (1885-1956)

After their daughter, Lucy was married it is said that Sarah abondoned William T and took their son, William with her.

 

On 18 October 1899, William was found to be insane. Signatures were a Dr. Craig, his son Moses S. Higgins, and James Glenn ( his daughter Isabelle's husband) . He was sent to the state hospital in Nevada, Missouri and is found there in the 1900 census. In January 1901, James Glenn went before the court and declared William T sane and competent to handle his affairs. William was released from the hospital and returned to live with his daughter, Isabelle and her husband, John Glenn in Hickory County, Missouri.

 

On 26 December 1906, William married for the third time. He married Emma Elizabeth Floyd (1882-1961) in Pittsburg, Hickory County Missouri. William and Emma had two children together:

• Rhoda Higgins (1908-1993)

• Edna Higgins (1910-1997)

 

William Tifton Higgins died on 23 June 1913 in Pittsburg, Hickory County, Missouri and is buried in Antioch Cemetery in Hickory County.