Revolutionary War

April 1775, Lexington and Concord.

July 4, 1776…The Declaration of Independence.

Saratoga. Brandywine. Valley Forge. Yorktown. I grew up knowing I had ancestors that fought in the American Revolution but did not understand or fully appreciate what our founding fathers and the patriots that fought went though to gain freedom for our country. As I get older and read more about the history of our country, I have such a strong knowledge that everything I have today and be traced back to the revolution. My ancestors fought for my freedom and liberty, starting with the revolution and continuing into modern era, with my father serving in the Vietnam Conflict.

Major Robert Higgins, prisoner of war, 8th Virginia (1st Lt and Capt) as well as the 2nd Virginia (Brevet Major) and William Wishard (Wishart), Pennsylvania volunteer (Source- Pennsylvania Archives, 3rd Series, Volume 14, Page 524), were both patriots who fought in the revolution and are my direct ancestors.

Robert Higgins was granted land north of the Ohio River after the war and settled Higginsport, OH. Much of my family still lives in the Cincinnati area today. It has been passed down through our family that when Marquis de Lafayette was a guest of our Nation in 1824, he stopped and visited with Higgins as they fought together in the war. Another “fun fact” is Jesse R. Grant, Ulysses S. Grant’s father, witnessed Robert Higgins will.

John J. Higgins (1800-1857), Robert Higgins son. This is a photo of the original photograph which is still in our family. It’s probably around 170 years old.