HIGGINS
Colonel John M. Higgins, well known Portsmouth man and
a native of this county, died Monday night at his home in Portsmouth
after an illness of several years. colonel Higgins was born November
20, 1842, at Pine Grove Furnace, this county, and located in
Portsmouth in 1851. He was for a quarter of a century advertising
manager of the old Daily Blade and was quite prominent in Scioto
county politics. He was a veteran of the Civil War and was wounded at
the battle of Perryville. He is survived by a wife and one son, Hugh
H. Higgins, traffic manager of the Portsmouth Street Railway and Light
Company. The funeral services will be held this afternoon at 3 o’clock
at the family residence, 627 Seventh street, Portsmouth.
Morning Irontonian, 18 February 1920, Wednesday, Page
3.
RELIC OF CIVIL WAR
R. J. Higgins of Coal Grove, recently came into
possession of the sword of Capt. Wm. Smith, who was shot in a battle
in the Shenandoah valley, four miles from Winchester. At the time
Capt. Smith was shot Mr. Higgins, who was color bearer of his company,
had his cap knocked off by the sword of Capt. Smith as he fell. The
ball entered the head just above the ear. As it was known to be a
mortal wound, Levi Jacks was detailed to take Capt. Smith home. He
died at Parkersburg enroute to his home and his body was sent on to
his home at Aid Ohio. He was about 35 years of age at the time of his
death. The sword came into the possession of James Jenkins, a
brother-in-law of Capt. Smith, who turned it over to Mr. Higgins
because of his intimate associations with him just prior to his death.
Capt. Smith was a son of Arch Smith, a resident of Aid
Township, Lawrence county, Ohio. It will be remembered that Capt.
Uriah Payne and Capt. Smith recruited Company H, of the Ninth W. Va.
Infantry in 1861 and was stationed at Guyandotte, W. Va. and was
captured in October 1861. Capt. Smith had gone home the day before the
battle and was not captured and as Capt. Payne was captured, Capt.
Smith, then a Lieutenant, the command of the company fell to him and
was commanded by him until his death. The company numbered about
thirty-five men the morning Capt. Smith was killed. Rube Shattuck and
Ed. Brown were also killed. In forty years, the number has gone down
from fifty-three to a very few. The names of the ones living are
Sergeant R. J. Higgins, Sergeant Amos Lambert, Joseph Fitzer, E.
Woods, William Hankins, John Willis, L. Massie, Gains Massie, M. A.
Smith, brother of Capt. Smith, Abner Anderson, David Gossett, George
Faultner James Darling and James Craig.
Ironton Register, 11 October 1906, Thursday.
