James Allen Higgs

James Allen Higgs was born 1839 in Scotland Neck, Halifax County, NC the 4th of 10 known surviving children (7 boys/3 girls) born to wealthy planter, Jacob Higgs, Jr. and his wife, Adeline Frances Pittman.

He was the paternal grandson of Jacob Higgs Sr. & Sally Bishop and gr-grandson of John Higgs & Judith/Judath Harrell all of Halifax County; and a direct descendant of John & Elinor Higgs who sold their land in Surry Co, VA in 1693 and removed to Bertie County, NC. On his mother's side, he was the maternal grandson of Dempsey Pittman & Abigail Jones of Halifax County.

James' father was a successful planter in Antebellum Halifax County, and before the war was one of the larger slaveholders in the county. By 1860, James and his younger brother, Jacob, were working as clerks for his older brother, George, who had become a merchant in Scotland Neck; but when NC entered the war in April 1861, 22-year old James and 3 of his brothers (George, Jacob, and Joseph) all enlisted. Three of the brothers joined the "Scotland Neck Mounted Riflemen," from Halifax County, originally the NC 41st State Troops, but later part of the NC 3rd Calvary Regiment. James served as a Private in this unit throughout the war, while older brother George, was company Captain. Thankfully, all the brothers survived the war and returned home.

Following the war, James removed to Raleigh where and entered the retail business as a clerk, where he prospered and over time became a merchant himself. On April 4, 1868 the 29-year old veteran married 19-year old Martha "Pattie" Washington Sherwood, daughter of Bailor Richardson Sherwood and Martha Thomas Ellington.

The couple settled into Raleigh and would become parents to 8 known children (4 boys/4 girls), 4 of whom died in infancy or childhood: James Sherwood Higgs (1870-1943), Mattie Adeline Higgs (1873-1964), Sarah "Sadie" McDaniel Higgs (1875-1879), Allen Sherwood Higgs (1878-1912), Jessamine May Higgs (1881-1953), Lloyd Jackson Higgs (c. 1884-1884), Emily Gertrude Higgs (1886-1973), James Allen Higgs Jr. (1888-1971).

James Allen Higgs was widowed in April 1928 when his wife of 60 years passed at age 78. James survived her just about 7 months, passing on December 3, 1928 at the advanced age of 89 years.

Of his children, only 3 were known to have married. Eldest son, James, married Lucy Clark Hawkins and was father to 2 known children. Emily Gertrude married Gilbert Elliot Smith of Arkansas, and removed to New Jersey; but she and her daughter are buried here. Youngest son, James Allen Higgs, Jr, who became an architect, married Mary Clare Marbury of Alabama, and was father to one known son.

Buried here in Oakwood are his brothers, Capt. George A. Higgs (1834-1878) Jacob Higgs, III (1841-1882), and Dempsey Pittman Higgs (1850-1874).

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