John Higgins

John Wesley Higgins

Born: June 1 1758 In: America, Virginia, Faquier Died: Apr 11 1838 (at age 79) In: USA, Tennessee, Cannon County

John Higgins Last Will & Testament

In the name of God Amen I John Higgins of the County of Cannon and State of Tenessee Being now sick and weak of Body But of Sound mind and disposing memory for much I thank God And calling to mind? the _____ of Human life and being desired to dispense of all Such wordly Substance as it hath pleasured God to Bless me with. I give and Bequeath the same in manner following that is to say-

1st I Desire that Immediately after my decease so much of my perishable property be sold and out of the money therefrom my just debts be paid and also funeral Expenses.

2nd After the payment of my debts and funeral Expenses I Give and bequeath to my wife Mary Higgins one negro woman named Claria and one negro boy named Ben also the place ___ Whereon I now live also one Brown Horse three years old and one grey mare also two cows & calves and one small Beef her choice also as much of the Household and Kitchen furniture as she may think necysary for own use also as many farming utentials as she may think necysary for her own use. Also two sows and pigs her choices and two ___ her choice also twelve head of sheep her choices also the whole stock of Bees and her Saddle and Briddle and Blanket. Besides I give and Bequeath to my wife Mary Higgins one hundred and fifty dollars in ____ now on hanad all of the aforesaid to be Enjoyed by her for and during the term of her natural life. I also desire that after her decease that the afore named negro woman Claria be set at Liberty and in case the said negro woman should be found not in acapacity to support herself I desire that the said Negro woman be Equally supported amongst my children and after the decease of my wife Mary Higgins I desire that all the property left by her be Immediately sold and Equally divided among my children ___ after named and to be enjoyed by them and their heirs forever.

3rd I Give and Bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Milligan one negro girl named Susan I also Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Nancy Tittle one Negro Girl named Mariah I also Give and bequeath to my Daughter Mary Tittle one negro girl named Lucy to be enjoyed by them & their heirs forever and my Desire i sthat the said Girls be valued and if in case the amount to more than their proportionable or Equal part that they may aforenamed Daughters shall ____ Back so far as to bring all to an equal capacity (that is to say an Equal part of my Estate) and my desire is that Jehue McMinn, George Bogle and Anthony Owens should value the aforesaid negro Girls on a twleve month credit. And my desire also is that my three negro boys (namely)Groge,Jim & Jack Immediately after my Desease be sold on a twelve month credit to the Highest and to be purchased by my heirs and I do also desire that the residue of my property Imdediately after my decease be sold that is to say all my Land with the Exceptions of what have been heretofore reserved with all my other property with the exception of what have been hereafter reserved and the proceeds in money arising ______ to be equally divided among my children herein after named together with all my notes& bonds & cash on hand so much cash exceptions as have been heretofore reserved that is to say Elizabeth Milligan,Sally Moorey, Westly Higgins,William Higgins,Alexander Higgins, Elijah Higgins,Margaret Armstrong,John Higgins,Nancy Tittle,James Higgins, Polly Tittle the same to be enjoyed by them and their heirs for ever. I also desire that after my decease Jehu McMin and George Bogle should lay off one years provisions for my wife Mary & family. My will and desire also is that no controversy arise about a negro Boy named Shearman who died in the posession of my son James. Seeing the property of said boy was vested in myself therefore my son James shall be accountable for said boy.And Lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my friend Jehu McMin and George Bogle Executors of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all others or former Wills or testaments by me heretofore made. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 1st day of April in the year of our lord one thousand Eight hundred & thirty Eight.

John Higgins (his mark)

Wit: Nelson Owen, Thomas Standley

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Cannon Co.,TN Minute Bk,Vol A 1836-1841

May Term 1838,p. 289

A paper writing purporting to be the last will and Testament of John Higgins

decd. was this day produced in open court for probate and was proven inpart

by Nelson Owen one of the subscribing witnesses thereto, And upon theafdavat

of John McMin and James Higgins who being also sworn depose and say (p290)

that they were present when the Will was signed by the Testator and thatthey

heard him acknowledge the same to be his last will and Testament and it

appearing to the satisfaction of the court that the said paper writing isin

fact the last will and Testament of the said John Higgins decd. It is

therefore admitted to record And on motion It is ordered by the courtthat

George Boyle and John McMin be qalified as Executors of said will whichbeing

done the said Boyle and McMin Entered into Bond in the sum of Eightthousand

dollars together with their securities Joseph H. Boyle and Hiram T.Tittle

conditioned and payable as the Law directs, Whereupon lettersTestamentory

were Granted them upon said Estate.

Elijah Higgins Deed 50 acres to John Higgins

The execution of a deed of conveyance from Elijah Higgins to John Higginsfor

fifty acres of land Lying in Cannon County bearing date the 23rd day ofMay

was this day duly proven in open courts by thhe oaths of Hiram Tittle and

James Milligan suscribing witnesses thereto And on motion It is orderedby

the court that the same be certified for Registration.

(p.291)

Elijah Armstrong Deed 25 acres to John Higgins

The execution of a deed of conveyance from Elijah Armstrong to JohnHiggins

for twenty five acres of land in Cannon County bearing date the 18th dayof

October 1830 was this day proven in part by the oath of James Milliganone

of the suscribing witnesses thereto the other witness not appearing to

qualify.

p. 293, Monday, 4th of June 1838

George Boyle (may be Bogle) one of the excutors of the estate of JohnHiggins

decd. this day made a report of the account of sales of the real andpersonal

property belonging to said Estate and was duly qualified to the same inopen

court And on motion It is ordered by the court that the same be Admittedto

record.

Descendants of John HIGGINS by Spradley Generation No. 1 1. John1 HIGGINS (Source: (1) unpublished manuscript by Rufas A. Dennis, Woodbury,Cannon Co.,TN, "R.A. Dennis Manuscript," Woodbury:Mrs Wenzola (Robinson) Kiger,1940?., (2) National Archives Washington D.C., Rev War Pension File, Nat'l Archives Film M-804,Roll No.1271,file no. W365,Frames 499-567, Complete copy of record in my files. This record contains the birthdates of 8 children and marriage date & location for John & Mary. Record states they had 10 or 11 children but only 8 were listed in the record. From Faquier Co.,Va,served 3 yrs from 1777, Private, Artillery. Widow applied for pension in Cannon Co.,TN 17 Jan 1839., (3) Betty Griffin, Betty Griffin, Raleigh,NC, refers to another researcher as a source: Doyle C. Armstrong, PO Box 1392,Woodviile,TX 75979 Doyle thinks that John Higgins wife was a Cooper., (4) Personal Research of Danny Nichols, Danny Nichols, (Woodbury, TN), "Electronic," Danny owns the Higgins home located on Hurricane Creek Road and now named Willowbrook Farm., (5) WPA Historical Records Project No. 165-44-6999, Cannon County Minute Bk Vol A (1836-1841), (Nashville,TN:The Historical Records Survey Transcription Unit, 1938), p.159, May Term 1838: John Higgins will is produced in court for probate and proven by Nelson Owen, John McMin & James Higgins. George Bogle & John McMin are qualified as Exec. Securities: Joseph H. Bogle & Hiram Y. Tittle., (6) Thomas E. Partlow, Land Deed Genealogy of Cannon County, TN, (Greenville, SC: Southern Historical Press, 2003), p.46, Deed Bk B,p.462-462, John Higgins of Warren County to Samuel Tittle of Smith County 50 acres on the Kenel Fork of the Clear Fork of Smith's Fork beginning in Wilson County. 29 May 1829 p.145, Book H, Pp.87-89, George Bogle, surviving Executor of the estate of John Higgins; James Milligan and wife Elizabeth, William Higgins, Alexander Higgins, Elijah Higgins, John D. Elkins, Hiram Y. Tittle and wife Mary, Wesley Higgins, James Higgins, Joseph Marah and wife Sarah, Elijah Armstrong and wife Margaret, John Higgins, Ad. of Samuel Tittle, Carroll Anderson and wife Mary, John Tittle, Mary Tittle, Adam Tittle, Millie Jane Tittle, and Missouri M. Tittle, the last six of whom being minors petition for the sale of a tract of land. Clerk and Master to William Higgins 125 acres. 27 Oct 1846.) was born Jun 1758 in Faquier Co.,VA, and died 11 Apr 1838 in Cannon Co., TN (Source: John Higgins, Will - John Higgins, (TN:Cannon Co. Will Bk A:pp.10-13), Wife Mary. Sons: Westley;William;Alexander;Elijah;John;James. Daughters: Elizabeth Miligan;Nancy Tittle;Mary Tittle;Salley Morrey;Margaret Armstrong;Polly Tittle (may be same as Mary). Jehu McMinn and George Bogle to value estate,including slaves. Slaves: Claria;Ben;Susan;Mariah;Lucy;George;Jim;Jack;Shearman. signed 1 Apr 1838,proved 7 May 1838 Exec. George Bogle,Jehu McMann, Wit. Nelson Owen,Thomas Standley.). He married Mary ? 22 Dec 1781 in Fauquier Co., VA. She was born Abt. 1767 in VA? (Source: National Archives Washington D.C., Pension application, she stated she was age 72 when she applied for pension in 1839.), and died Jul 1846 in Cannon Co., TN (Source: (1) Tennessee State Library & Archives, Estates, Inventories of Cannon Co.,TN 1848- 1908, Roll #16, (Nashville), Estate settlement records. pp.10-13, pp. 88-89, p. 140., (2) Tennessee State Library & Archives, Cannon County Tennessee County Clerk minutes Vol. B-C May 1838-Feb 1857, Roll #21, p. 279, Hiram Y. Tittle & Nathan Neely appt. admin of Mary Higgins dec'd. $5,000. bond. Sec. Alexander Higgins, John N. Bailey, Asa Smith, John W. Mullins, James Higgins & John D. Elkins..). Children of John HIGGINS and Mary ? are: 2 i. James2 HIGGINS, died Aft. 1841 (Source: Thomas E. Partlow, Land Deed Genealogy of Cannon County, TN, (Greenville, SC: Southern Historical Press, 2003), p.62, Deed Bk C,p.262, James Higgins, one of the heirs of John Higgins, to William Higgins his interest in the estate of his father, John Higgins, and his mother, Mary Higgins at her death. 26 Mar 1841.). He married unknown. + 3 ii. Nancy HIGGINS, died Abt. 1838. + 4 iii. Elizabeth HIGGINS, born 19 Dec 1782 in VA; died 1870 in TN. 5 iv. Sarah "Sally" HIGGINS, born 03 Jan 1784 in VA. She married Joseph MARAH. + 6 v. Wesley HIGGINS, born 20 Mar 1786 in VA. + 7 vi. William HIGGINS, born 19 Mar 1788 in Virginia; died 1865 in Cannon Co.,TN. + 8 vii. Alexander HIGGINS, born 01 Sep 1791 in VA. + 9 viii. Margaret "Peggy" HIGGINS, born 08 Nov 1794 in VA; died Abt. 1865 in Wise or Parker County, TX. + 10 ix. Elijah HIGGINS, born 27 Sep 1797 in Fauquier Co.,VA; died 25 Jun 1866 in Cannon Co.,TN. 11 x. John HIGGINS, born 13 Dec 1799 in VA. + 12 xi. Mary "Polly" HIGGINS, born 01 Jan 1806 in VA; died 11 Jul 1894.