Thomas Morton Higgs^{[1, 2]}

1837 - 1875  (37 years)

• Name	Thomas Morton Higgs
  Birth	11 Jul 1837	Athens, Limestone, Alabama, United States
  Gender	Male
  Census	12 Sep 1860	Iuka, Tishomingo, Mississippi, United States   [3]
  	Thomas and family are enumerated with the family of John Waldrup. It appears that since both Waldrup and Higgs are listed as shoemakers, Thomas must have been either a partner or an apprentice to Waldrup.
  Occupation	12 Sep 1860	Iuka, Tishomingo, Mississippi, United States   [3]
  	shoemaker
  Possessions	12 Sep 1860	Iuka, Tishomingo, Mississippi, United States
  	personal property $1200
  Military	27 May 1861	Corinth, Tishomingo, Mississippi, United States
  	inducted into the Confederate Army
  	inducted into the Confederate Army Thomas M. Higgs served in the Confederate Army, Company E of the 17th Mississippi Infantry. He held the rank of 4th Seargent and served under Capt. M.D. Moreland. He enlisted at the age of 23 in Corinth, MS on 27 May 1861 for a period of 12 months. He had traveled a distance of 14 miles to muster into the Army. His discharge papers record him as a shoemaker, born in Limestone Co., AL, and residing in Burnesville, MS. He was discharged from the army on 10 Jan 1862 after being admitted to the hospital. The reason for his early discharge was "general disability due to pneumonia and erysiphelas", recorded on 20 Feb 1862. Other notes record his disability as pneumonia and rhematism, etc. He was 5'10" tall, of fair complexion, and with gray eyes and dark hair. Easily confused with T.M. Higgs are a T.N. Higgs / P.N. Higgs who served with Roddey's 4th Regt. Alabama Cavalry. But since all of these records post-date T.M. Higg discharge for disability, it is unlikely to be the same person.
  Military	10 Jan 1862
  	discharged from the Confederate Army
  	discharged from the Confederate Army
  Census	6 Jul 1870	Ozan Township, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States   [4]
  Occupation	6 Jul 1870	Ozan Township, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States   [4]
  	mechanic
  Misc	25 Sep 1874	Washington, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States   [5]
  	sued estate of S. B. Hempstead for $20
  _AMTID	162485317539:1030:191555462
  _FSFTID	GMFS-SGW
  _UID	44E137E5BCA44C429EA46B2F728C13B2CE55
  Death	4 Feb 1875	Washington, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States
  Burial	Washington, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States
  Person ID	I3539	Scott Dickson
  Last Modified	16 Jan 2023

  
  

  Family	Mary J. Sartain,   b. 27 Jun 1834, Decatur, Morgan, Alabama, United States d. 29 Oct 1887, Texarkana, Miller, Arkansas, United States (Age 53 years)
  Marriage	25 Dec 1857	Athens, Limestone, Alabama, United States   [6, 7]
  	Thomas M. Higgs and Mary J. Sartain were married at the home of William H. Oglesby in Athens, AL by Jn. Turrentine, J.P. on Christmas Day, 1857.
  Children	+ 1. John William Higgs,   b. 7 Apr 1859, Magnolia, Columbia, Arkansas, United States d. 2 Mar 1918, Idabel, McCurtain, Oklahoma, United States (Age 58 years) + 2. Ira Thomas Higgs,   b. 9 Oct 1865, Tuscumbia, Colbert, Alabama, United States d. 19 Mar 1914, Fort Smith, Sebastian, Arkansas, United States (Age 48 years)
  Family ID	F263	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	31 Dec 2023

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 11 Jul 1837 - Athens, Limestone, Alabama, United States Marriage - 25 Dec 1857 - Athens, Limestone, Alabama, United States Census - 12 Sep 1860 - Iuka, Tishomingo, Mississippi, United States Occupation - shoemaker - 12 Sep 1860 - Iuka, Tishomingo, Mississippi, United States Possessions - personal property $1200 - 12 Sep 1860 - Iuka, Tishomingo, Mississippi, United States Military - inducted into the Confederate Army - 27 May 1861 - Corinth, Tishomingo, Mississippi, United States Census - 6 Jul 1870 - Ozan Township, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States Occupation - mechanic - 6 Jul 1870 - Ozan Township, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States Misc - sued estate of S. B. Hempstead for $20 - 25 Sep 1874 - Washington, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States Death - 4 Feb 1875 - Washington, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States Burial - - Washington, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Looking at the 1850 census (which is very hard to read - familysearch.org is clearer than Ancestry), it appears that there are a number of Sartin neighbors near the home of the Oglesbys in 1850. In 1850, the home is lead by M.H. Oglesby and William is a 23 year old son in the home. Perhaps he is the head by 1857. Additionally, there are a number of harness makers and shoemakers in the close vicinity. There is a Simeon Higgs in Lawrence County, TN, immediately north, who had a will probated in Feb 1845, but does not name Thomas Morton Higgs. It does name a James H. Higgs. In Limestone, from the 1820s-1830s, at least, there is a James Higgs active. He might be sheriff. Read all of Athens in 1850, Limestone pages 1-30. In the 1870 Census of Hempstead Co., AR, the Higgs family is enumerated with the family of Dr. M.C. Boyce. In the obituary for Thomas' son Will, there is a mention that the remains will be sent to Boyce, TX. While this was not the case, there may be a Boyce connection. The local chapter of the NSDAR in Waxahatchie, TX is named for a Boyce. Another interesting research tidbit: in "The Heritage of Madison Co.,AL", a Sallie E. Higgs Parks is discussed. She is married to William Elisha Parks. Her father was Robert Higgs, born in Florida on 8 Nov 1845, the son of Charles (b. 1805) and Sarah (b. 1806) Higgs. His mother was Louisa Berry, born 6 Sep 1843 to John (b. 1808) and Eliza(b. 1809) Berry. Robert is buried in McGee, MS, but according to this article, Charles Higgs and many of Sallie's other family members are buried in Athens, Limestone Co., AL. Cannot find a reliable record in the US Census 1850 for Thomas Higgs Cannot find a matching record in the Alabama 1855 or 1866 census. Many counties in northern AL are missing. Limestone County - checked all old records in the Limestone County Archives - Dec. 2015 - Deeds, wills, probate, everything available. No Sartains listed at all except the Higgs / Sartain marriage record. Morgan County, Alabama - Checked old records - Commissioner's Court, deeds, wills, estates, probate records, old land records, orphans court records, newspaper histories of the county from John Knox - No Sartains or Higgs at all. What about Alabama tax lists? Poll & property taxes would at least say who was there during the intra-census years. These appear to be only available via the probate court and are not filmed or published that I can find, if they actually exist at all. Some of the other Higgs families around Limestone county came out of Jefferson and Knox counties in Tennessee. Likewise, there were Higgs families in east Tennessee. It seems somewhat possible that Mary and Thomas married during the migration south and then headed west to Arkansas. There are some other Higgs families in southern Arkansas that they may connect with.

  
  

• Sources

  [S157] Thomas M. Higgs 4th Sgt., Co E. 17th Mississippi I. [S158] The Heritage of Madison County, Alabama. [S551] 1860 US Federal Census, Tishomingo Co., MS, Iuka; page 380; dwelling 2541, family 2541; Thomas Higgs. [S717] 1870 US Federal Census, Hempstead Co, AR, Ozan Township; page 91; dwelling 672, family 672; T. M. Higgs. [S1653] Arkansas, Hempstead, Probate records, 1841-1894, 29 June 2020; Probate records, v. J-K 1871-1883, p. 375, T.M. Higgs vs S.B. Hempstead estate. [S159] Thomas M. Higgs Mary J. Sartain Marriage Return 25. [S701] New Orleans, Louisiana, Marriage Records Index, 1831-1964, 11 August 2012; Thomas M. Higgs to Mary Sartain, 25 Dec 1857.