THE EARLY HIGDONS
Reprinted with permission from Jo Ann Smith
THE EARLY HIGDONS
Reprinted with permission from Jo Ann Smith
Although "Higdon" cannot be considered a common name (such as Smith, Jones, Johnson, etc.) there are many Higdons throughout the United States. In just about every sizeable telephone directory, one or more Higdons will be listed. When the pursuit of compiling a HIGDON FAMILY HISTORY was first begun, this came as quite a surprise to this writer.
Higdons were living in America at least one hundred years prior to the Revolutionary War. Very likely these early Higdons were of English origin. (Some of the later Higdon settlers may have come from Germanya.) Many events are recorded concerning these early Higdons, and a few are listed below to denote the type records that are available.
A young Englishman named Peter Higdon was one of the first of this name to sail to the "new world". Among the passengers aboard the "James" of London, which sailed from Southampton on 5 April 1635 and arrived in America on June 3, was said Peter Higdon, indentured servant of Anthony Thatcher, tailor. Thatcher and his wife, Mary, had come from Salisbury, County Wilts, England. The ship's master was a William Cooper.1
Sometime in the late seventeenth century, a John Higdon was a witness at the trial of Jacob Young, a native of Holland, who was an interpreter of the aboriginal tongues. In 1659 Young was at New Amstel on the Delaware, and in 1661 he eloped with the wife of the Reverend Laers Carels, a Swedish minister. In 1675 Young was living in New Castle where he was employed as interpreter of the Susquehannock Indians to help with a peace treaty. Then he went to Maryland where he was an interpreter of the Senecas. It was alleged that he sided with the Susquehannocks against the Lord Proprietor and further alleged that he tried to persuade the Onieda Indians to attack Piscattaways. When he was indicted and brought to trial, the prosecution produced several witnesses, one being a youth named John Higdon.2
There was a John Higdon whose will was probated in 1725 in Charles County, Maryland.3 This will was drawn on 11 March 1711 at the time John Higdon was 62 years of age. From this information, we are able to determine that he was born about 1648 or 1649, but whether he was born in England or America is not known by this writer.
Another John Higdon's will was drawn 7 September 1718 and probated 21 October 1718 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, Will Book VI. This will refers to sons Daniel and John. 4 An inventory of John Higdon's estate lists a parcel of books, 6 sh. 6 d.5
Still another John Higdon's will, drawn 28 April 1720 and probated 29 June 1720 in Westmoreland County, mentions son John, brother Daniel Higdon, wife Magdaline, extx.6
The will of Daniel Higdon, drawn 26 October 1739 and probated 27 November 1739 in Westmoreland County, refers to: daughters Mary and Jane, son-in-law John Muse, wife Margaret, Humphrey Pope that married daughter-in-law Sarah, and John McLarran.7
We might wonder if any of the Higdons of Westmoreland County were acquainted with the Washington family of that county. It is easy to believe that this might be the case.
John Washington (1632-1677), an Englishman, was the first of this family to come to America. His son was Lawrence Washington (1659-1698). Augustine Washington, son of Lawrence Washington and father of the first President of the United States, was living at Pope's Creek Farm in Westmoreland County, Virginia when his son George was born on 22 February 1732.
In the MARYLAND CALENDAR OF WILLS are several references to Higdons:
The MARYLAND INDEX TO INVENTORIES (1718-1745) has the following references:
In the WILLS OF CHARLES COUNTY, MARYLAND (1726-1732) is the will of George Goddrich, planter, Charles County, Port Tobacco Parish, dated May 1727; Test. Susannah Higdon.
In the will of John Parnham, Charles County, drawn 21 March 1737 and probated 4 May 1738, we find "...Millasent Higton to enjoy plantation where she now dwells during her life free from rent....Priests assisting at death of Millasaint Higdon Thomas Higton Mrs. Johnson...money in England to be divided...."
In the will of Marmaduke Seems, dated 17 January 1738; Test. William Higton. "...To son Anthony and heirs plantation where Thomas Higdon now lives.."
Above we find Higdons have several connections with the Semms (Seems, Sims, Simes, Simmes) family.
Another family with whom some of these early Higdons had close ties was the Dents of Charles County, Maryland. From CHARLES COUNTY GENTRY, we glean the following information about this family.
John Dent, who was born about 1674 and died in 1733, had four sons: 13
Benjamin Dent's son Gibeon owned a place known as "Higdon's Chance". Benjamin's daughter Johanna Dent married a Higdon.
Benjamin Dent's granddaughter Elizabeth Sophia Dent married Benedict L. Higdon, who was the brother of John F. S. Higdon and John Thomas Higdon.
Disbursements from the estate of Michael Dent were made to Eleazar Dent Higdon and Levi Higdon.
Michael Dent had a great-grandson named Dr. Levi Dent. Levi's widow's will was proved by three persons, one being Francis L. Higdon.
Another reference to the connection between the Higdons and Dents is in Charles County, Maryland, Deed Book I, recording a deed dated 17 April 1693 from William Dent of Charles County, planter, to John Higdon of St. Mary's County, planter, for 2,000 pounds of tobacco. 14
While we have not tied together all the Higdons mentioned above, these references clearly show that there were many Higdons living in America in the 1600's and 1700's. There are probably many more references waiting to be discovered by those interested in pursuing the HIGDON FAMILY HISTORY.
Mrs. H. A. Smith
Raleigh, North Carolina
October 1976