Marty and Karla Grant

!NOTE:Much of what I have on this family is from a letter written by John Higgins (1835) to his 1st cousin William Holland Higgins. The letter was dated 18 Jan 1892, Flag Pond, TN. (Thanks to Kenneth C. Wilde and Laura Schreibman for sharing this with me).

Dear cousin and nephew, it is a great pleasure to me to answer yours of the 26 of Dec and Nov the 8.1891; you said you had written four letters to me. I have received only two, the two came this evening. I am ashamed that I did not answer you other one. I kept thinking I would, but did not. I am hard runned and no time to write much. I am writing in the night now and is very tired. Have been getting wood today, we are having a great amount of snow and cold weather.

Excuse me cousin Billie if you can, we are all in common health tonight, and hope you are well fat and saucy.

Well William Holland, I'am truly glad that you have undertook to get up our genealogy, wish you could be thoroughly sucessful, But I am not able to furnish you all the information you desire, as I would like to do, though I will assist you all I can.

Our grandfather's name was Holland Higgins. He was a mechanic blacksmithing, was one trade coppering another, and I suppose anything he wanted to do, For that was the characteristic of the Higgins.

He probably came from Virginia to the Greasy Cove in Washington Co., east Tenn near the town Erwin in Unicoi Co., now where our grandfather was from there. Great grandmother who was Peggy Ellis before she married died. Grandfather was then bound out to Joe Culberson, and was made to sit on the fence and watch for the Indians they were there then and hostile. Great grandfather sometime after moved to Yancy Co., then Buncombe Co., NC where he lived and died. Grandfather and grandmother was married in Buncombe Co., NC. Her name was Barbara Hensley, daughter of Barbara and Harry Hensley.

Grandmother's mother was an Angel, and her mother was a Washington, a cousin to Gen George Washington. Our grandmother's grandmother and George Washington was cousins. This is why the name is used so much among us. Grandmother had a brother named Washington, she had a son George Washington, you father had a son George, I have a son George Washington.

Grandfather like his father was a blacksmith, carpenter, stone mason, shoemaker, copper, mill rite, farmer, and the greatist hunter that was in this country. He had 2 children by another women before he and grandmother was married. Their names were Lucinda and Elizabeth. He and grandmother had ten children, five boys and five girls. Father whose name is Ellis was the oldest, uncle John, the next I do not know which next, but there was Sallie, Nancy, uncle James and Samuel, Barbara, George Washington and Margaret was the youngest, she was born a short time after grandfather's death.

I can not give many dates. Grandfather was killed by one David Greer, a Turk, Nov the 30,1824,was about forty five years old.

Grandmother departed this life Jun 17,1882 at the age of 93 years old father was born Feb 9,1812 and was living a little while ago and well. Uncle John was 13 months younger, he died the 15th of May 1891.Uncle Sam is stell living. Uncle Wash. was killed in time of the war by an Indian. Aunt Nancy, Sallie and Linda is dead, six dead six living.

Come and see us Billie. J.S.Higgins finish April 19,1892.

!CENSUS:1790;

!CENSUS:1800;

!CENSUS:1810;

!CENSUS:1820;

!NOTE:Buried at Higgins Chapel Cemetery, Unicoi Co, TN;

!CENSUS:1800 Buncombe Co, NC pg 172 w/Henry HENSLEY age 0-9 (1790/1800);

!CENSUS:1810 Buncombe Co, NC pg 254 w/Harry HENSLY age 16-25 (1784/94);

!CENSUS:1820;

!CENSUS:1830;

!CENSUS:1840;

!CENSUS:1850 Washington Co, TN # 1343 Barbary HIGGINS, 59 (1790/91) born NC;

!CENSUS:1820;

!CENSUS:1830;

!CENSUS:1840;

!CENSUS:1850 Washington Co, TN # 1314 James HIGGINS, 33 (1816/17) born NC;