Staggs Family History

My ancestors in the United States

William Higgins (1739-1820)

BIRTH: 1 Sep 1739, Medfield, Massachusetts, USA
DEATH: 1820, Easton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
FATHER: William Higgins (1719-1786)
MOTHER: Deborah (?-?)
SPOUSE: Mercy Niles (1744-1810)

William Higgins was born on September 1, 1739, in Medfield, Massachusetts, the son of Deborah and William. He married Mercy Niles on December 29, 1763, in Easton, Massachusetts. They had 13 children in 24 years. He died in 1820 in Easton, Massachusetts, having lived a long life of 81 years.

His story

William Higgins was a Revolutionary War veteran, farmer, and patriarch of a large New England family whose descendants helped shape early American frontier communities. His life spanned the colonial era, the Revolution, and the early republic, and his legacy reaches into Massachusetts, Vermont, and Ohio.

“William Higgins, the son of William Higgins and Deborah his wife, was born September 1st- 1739.” – Medford birth record

William Higgins served in the American Revolutionary War. He enlisted on December 17, 1776 as a private in Captain Webber’s Company, which was part of the Massachusetts militia. This places him among the many citizen-soldiers who responded to the call for independence, serving in local units that supported the Continental Army. While details of his campaigns are limited, his enlistment date suggests he may have participated in regional defense efforts during the critical early years of the war.

William Higgins represents the archetype of the Revolutionary-era New England farmer: deeply rooted in community, committed to independence, and instrumental in populating the frontier through his descendants.

Legacy of William Higgins

Parents

Father: William Higgins (1719-1786)

Mother: Deborah (?-?)

Married

Married Mercy Niles (1744-1810) on December 29, 1763 in Easton, Massachusetts, USA

Children

William Higgins Jr (1764-1833)
Ebenezer Higgins (1766-?)
Timothy Higgins (1769-1850) married Ruth Hayford (1768-1854)

Documents

Birth Records
- Massachusetts, U.S., Vital Records, 1640-1849 > Name: William Higins; Gender: Male; Record Type: Birth; Birth Date: 1 Sep 1739; Birth Place: Medfield, Massachusetts, USA; Father: William Higins; Mother: Deborah Higins
- Massachusetts, Town Records, 1626-2001 > Norfolk > Medfield > Birth Record
Marriage records
- Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 > Name: William Hagens; Record Type: Marriage; Marriage Date: 29 Dec 1763; Marriage Place: Easton, Massachusetts, USA; Spouse: Marcey Niles
Death records
- None

Relation of William Higgins to Steven Barry Staggs: 6th great-grandfather

Page last updated November 18, 2025