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Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Hardeman County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Theophilus Higgs, a prominent farmer of Hardeman County, is a native of Halifax County, N. C., born June 29, 1822, the youngest of eight children and the only one now living, born to Theophilus and Mary P. (Brantly) Higgs. The father who was a farmer by occupation was of French descent born in about the year 1786, in Northampton County, N. C., and died when our subject was about three years old, in Halifax County, N. C. The mother was of Irish origin born in Halifax County, April 2, 1789, and died in Hardeman County, Tenn., September 13, 1869. They were married in Halifax County, and the father was an honored and esteemed man and a Democrat in politics. Our subject secured a good academical education and having selected farming as his occupation in life, at an early age began tilling the soil. In 1848 he came with his mother and two sisters to Tennessee and settled in Hardeman County and has ever since made it his home. In 1849 he purchased the farm where he now lives, and since then has been one of the active and enterprising farmers of the county. Before the Rebellion he was very successful and had secured a handsome competency. The results of the war left him somewhat impoverished but he has since, by industry and economy, been fairly successful and now owns 400 acres of land under a good state of cultivation. January 31, 1856, Mr. Higgs married Miss Margaret Cheairs, a native of North Carolina, born June 5, 1835. To this union have been born seven children—five sons and two daughters—one son and one daughter deceased. In political views he is rather inclined to the Independent party, but is somewhat in sympathy with the Democrats. Mr. Higgs is not a member of any church but a firm believer in Christianity. Mrs. Higgs is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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This family biography is one of 101 biographies included in the book,  The History of Hardeman County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Hardeman County was included within The History of Fayette and Hardeman Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Fayette and Hardeman Counties, Tennessee

View additional Hardeman County, Tennessee family biographies here: Hardeman County, Tennessee

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