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in: Higginson (surname), Born in 1616, Died in 1708,
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John Higginson (1616-1708)

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Biography

Rev John Higginson I was born 6 August 1616 in Claybrooke, Leicestershire, England to Francis Higginson (1586-1630) and Anne Herbert (1583-1640) and died 9 December 1708 Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts of unspecified causes. He married Sarah Whitfield (1620-1675) 1644 in Guilford, Hartford County, Connecticut. He married Mary Blakeman (1632-1709) 1677 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts.

Rev. John Higginson, son of Rev. Francis Higginson, born August 6,1616, at Claybrook, Co. Leicester; came with his father, in the "Talbot," 1629, to Salem; freeman, Massachusetts, May 25, 1636; chaplain at the Fort at Saybrook, 1637-8. Porter says he was one of the first settlers of Hartford, "although he appears not to have had a house-lot." He was a schoolmaster in Hartford, and may have occasionally "stepped into the pulpit." Mrs. Higginson sold land to Thomas Olcott, before Jan. 1639-40;

John Higginson (born Claybrooke, Leicester, England, 6 August 1616; died Salem, Massachusetts, 9 December 1708) was a clergyman. He came to America with his father, Francis Higginson. After his father's death, he assisted in the support of his mother, Anne Herbert Higginson, and brothers by teaching in Hartford. With Giles Firmin he was employed by the magistrates and ministers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony to take down in shorthand the proceedings of the synod of 1637. He was chaplain of the fort at Saybrook Colony for about four years. In 1641, he went to Guilford, Connecticut as assistant to Henry Whitfeld or Whitfield (1597-1687), whose daughter Sarah (1620-1775) he married.[1] In 1643, he was one of the "seven pillars" of the church there.



Hartford Founders Monument

Hartford01

Hartford Founder's Monument at Old Church Graveyard

Hartford Founders Monument is a memorial located at the Old Center Church Graveyard (see picture at right).

In 1633, the purtian preacher, Thomas Hooker (1586-1647) revolted against the authority of the English Church, and was forced to sail to America on the ship Griffin with many of his followers. Finding that place to crowded they moved to the Connecticut River Valley, settling down north of the Dutch Territory in 1636. Here in 1638 they wrote the first constitution in America to create the new Colony of Connecticut and it's central city, Hartford CT.


Our Saviour's Dying Legacy 1686

Rev Higginson wrote a short little book: "Our Dying Saviour's Legacy of Peace to His Disciples in a troublesome World" (Boston, 1686):

At a meeting of the Massachusetts Historical Society, held in Boston, on Thursday, May 14, 1896, his descendant, Colonel Thomas W. Higginson has given to the Library this rare volume of work, with the following introduction:

It is of special interest at the present time, as it adds another title to the List of Early American Imprints belonging to the Society, which appears in the Proceedings (second series, IX. 410-540). This little book has more historical value than usually attaches to such productions, as the preface contains some biographical matter which far outweighs in import- ance the doctrinal views so common in early theological works. Mr. Higginson, the author, came over from England in 1629 with his father, who died during the next year. Though a mere lad at the time, the care and maintenance of his mother and seven other children fell largely upon him, the eldest of the family ; and he soon developed those traits of character for which he afterward became distinguished. For some years he lived in the Colony of Connecticut, but in the summer of 1660 was ordained over the same church at Salem which his father had planted ; and here he remained for nearly half a century. He published several occasional discourses ; and among them is the Election Sermon of 1663, the first one printed in that long series of annual addresses. While he was a relentless opponent of the Quakers, he [subsequently regretted his zeal, and] took no part in the terrible tragedy of 1692 at Salem, where he was then settled. "

Church minister for Salem, Massachusetts

John Higginson sailed for England with his family in 1659, but the vessel put into Salem harbor on account of the weather, and he accepted an invitation to preach there for a year, finally settling as regular pastor of the church that his father had planted. He was ordained in August 1660, and continued there till his death. He was an active opponent of the Quakers, but subsequently regretted his zeal, and took no part in the witchcraft prosecutions of 1692. He was one of the most popular divines in New England, and at his death had been seventy-two years in the ministry.

300px-SalemWitchcraftTrial

1876 illustration of the courtroom; the central figure is usually identified as being Mary Walcott

The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused, nineteen of whom were found guilty and executed by hanging (fourteen women and five men). One other man, Giles Corey, was pressed to death for refusing to plead, and at least five people died in jail. It was the deadliest witch hunt in the history of the United States.



Marriage and Family

1st Marriage: Sarah Whitfield

he was at Guilford, Connecticut in 1641; colleague with Rev. Henry Whitefield, whose daughter, Sarah, he married. He returned in 1659 to Salem, and remained there until his death, December 9, 1708.

  1. John Higginson (1646-1719)
  2. Sarah Higginson (1651-1776)
  3. Nathaniel Higginson (1652-1708)
  4. Anna Higginson (1656-1738)
  5. Thomas Higginson (1658-)
  6. Francis Higginson (1660-1685)
  7. Henry Higginson (1661-1685)


2nd Marriage: Mary Blakeman

He married (2) about 1677, Mary, widow of Joshua Atwater, and daughter of Rev. Adam Blakeman, of Stratford. No Children.



Children


Offspring of Rev John Higginson I and Sarah Whitfield (1620-1675)
Name Birth Death Joined with
John Higginson (1646-1719) 1646 Guilford, Hartford County, Connecticut 23 March 1719 Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts Sarah Savage (1653-1713)
Sarah Higginson (1651-1776)
Nathanil Higginson (1652-1708)
Anna Higginson (1656-1738)
Thomas Higginson (1658-)
Francis Higginson (1660-1685)
Henry Higginson (1661-1685)



Siblings


Offspring of Francis Higginson (1586-1630) and Anne Herbert (1583-1640)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Samuel Higginson (1607-1612)
Theophilus Higginson (1616-1654)
John Higginson (1616-1708) 6 August 1616 Claybrooke, Leicestershire, England 9 December 1708 Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts Sarah Whitfield (1620-1675)
Mary Blakeman (1632-1709)
Francis Higginson (1618-1673)
Timothy Higginson (1620-1653)
Samuel Higginson (1622-)
Mary Higginson (1624-1629)
Anna Higginson (1626-1687)
Charles Higginson (1682-1677)
Neophytus Higgison (1630-1650)


Descendants

Publications

He published various sermons:

  1. the most well-known of which is his "Election Sermon" of 1663, "The Cause of God and His People in New-England," see ClassicApologetics.com.
  2. He was the author of the "Attestation" to Cotton Mather's Magnalia, which was prefixed to the first book of that work.


References


Residences

Footnotes (including sources)

MainTour

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