U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Higginbotham, Coleman Cabell (1848-1919) ------------------------------------------------------------------- The History of Upshur County West Virginia From its Earliest Exploration and Settlement to the Present Time by W. B. Cutright Buckhannon, W. Va., July 1, 1907 Pages 476-477 HON. COLEMAN CABELL HIGGINBOTHAM was born in the section of country in which he now lives, his parents being William T. and Mary Frances (Coleman) Higginbotham, who were born in Eastern Virginia, as was also his paternal grandfather, John Higginbotham, who was of English lineage, and his maternal grandfather, Reuben Coleman, was a Virginian and of English and Scotch decent, and during the war of 1812, in which he took a prominent part, he held the rank of Major. Coleman C. Higginbotham began the study of law in Buckhannon and later went to Bowling Green, Missouri, where he continued his legal investigations, and was there admitted to the bar, and at once began practising his profession. He returned to Buckhannon, and conducted a general practice of law. He married Miss Mary Ida Day, daughter of Dr. R. H. B. Day, a native of Isle of Wight County, Va., and Martha (Woods) Day, daughter of Captain George Woods of Albermarle County, Va. They have five children. William T. Higginbotham in 1848 came from Eastern Virginia to Lewis County, W. Va., and settled six miles west of Buckhannon. He raised three children: John, Coleman and Lucy. Lucy married Mr. G. W. Spalding and lives in Upshur County. W. T. Higginbotham died November 25, 1892, and his wife July 31, 1871. They were married at "Soldiers Joy" in Nelson County, Virginia, that noted old homestead, which was once owned by his grandfather, Col. Samuel Jordan Cabell of Revolutionary fame. When the Civil War came on John Carleton Higginbotham was eighteen years of age, and he raised a company here, known as the "Upshur Greys," and was at once elected its captain. They were located at Phillipi, W. Va., at the time of Porterfield's retreat, and his was the only company that carried off its baggage. He was under fire at the skirmish at Middle Fork Bridge and was later in the battle of Rich Mountain and Allegheny Mountain. In the spring of 1862 he was promoted to Major of the 25th Virginia Infantry, and was in the battles of McDowell and of Cedar Creek. At the battle of Manasses he was wounded three times. For gallantry on the field, he was made Lieutenant Colonel of his regiment in 1862, and in January 1863, was promoted to Colonel, being then twenty years of age. At the battle of Gettysburg he was wounded while commanding his regiment, and in the spring campaign of 1864 his regiment fired the first gun in the battle of the Wilderness. He was in the series of battles of this campaign until May 10, 1864, when this brave Confederate officer, who had been promoted to Brigadier General, was killed at the age of twenty-one years, at the battle of Spottsylvania Court House. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Register of Marriages, Upshur County, WV (Page 33, Line 52) Coleman C. Higginbotham (age 26), born in Lewis Co. Va, Occup: Lawyer son of Wm. T. & Mary F. Higginbotham Mary I. Day (age 17, born in Upshur Co. Va.) daughter of R. H. B. & M. J. Day were married Sept 15, 1875 by A. A. McDonough, Pres. of P.E. Church ------------------------------------------------------------------- From Death Certificate, Upshur County, WV #68 FULL-NAME: C. C. Higginbotham BIRTH-DATE: December 18, 1848 BIRTH-PLACE: Upshur Co. DEATH-DATE: December 30, 1919 at 71 years of age DEATH-PLACE: Upshur County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: Widower OCCUPATION: Attorney at Law FATHER: W. J. Higginbotham (born in Va.) MOTHER: Mary Frances Coleman (born in Va.) ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Upshur County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/upshur/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------