How Long Will You Live?

Written by Jo Ann Smith

Many Higdons born in western North Carolina have long lives. Four Higdon relatives, all born in Macon County, North Carolina, died in 2001, and all were over 90 years old. All were descendants of Leonard Higdon/Eve Hoffman. These were:

Born                  Died                    Where                 Who                                                   Child of

__ __ 1904?       10 May 2001      North Carolina     Furman Corbin, 96                              John Jasper Corbin/Eve Higdon

28 May 1905     14 Sep 2001       Arizona                Katherine(Kate) Higdon Hoyt, 96        William Logan Higdon/Emma McDowell

19 Jan 1909       14 Nov 2001      Massachusetts      Paul Buchanan Higdon, 92                 Thomas Bragg Higdon/Lula Shepherd

17 Dec 1904      25 Dec 2001     Georgia                Nola Higdon Smith, 97                        John Samuel Higdon/Nola Cabe


Many other descendants of Leonard Higdon/Eve Hoffman have lived into their 90's. One of their descendants - Ethel Higdon - lived to be 101.

Ethel Higdon

Ethel Higdon

NOTE: Many of you who have been attending the Higdon Family Association meetings for some time will remember our charming cousin Ethel Higdon, who was a regular attendee of these meetings for a number of years. And two of her daughters - Helen Higdon Allison and Eva Higdon Wood have continued this tradition of being active HFA members. Both Helen and Eva were at the Tulsa, Oklahoma, meeting in October 2001.

Ethel Higdon (10 August 1890-22 January 1992) was the daughter of Joseph Hoffman Higdon/Margaret Matilda Berry. (I believe all their children were born in Macon County NC.) On 26 Dec 1917, she married Dennis C. Higdon. Both Ethel and Dennis were descendants of Leonard Higdon/Eve Hoffman. Their son William Hoffman Higdon (1816-1903) was Ethel's grandfather, and their son Americus Higdon (1835-1864) was Dennis' grandfather.

Lived into their 90's

Some other Higdons born in western North Carolina who have lived into their 90's:

  • Fanny Gribble Stillwell (17 Feb 1881 - 13 June 1980), dau. of James W. Gribble/Elender (Sis) Higdon.
  • Americus A.(Mack) Higdon (30 Nov 1877 - 5 June 1972), son of Joseph H. Higdon/Margaret Berry.
  • Lillie Higdon Crawford (11 Feb 1882 - 26 Apr 1975), dau. of Samuel Higdon/Harriet Berry.
  • Eva(Eve) Higdon Keener (25 Sep 1884 - 2 Sep 1976), dau. of Joseph H. Higdon/Margaret Berry.
  • Pearl Kinsland Smith (15 June 1906 - 28 Apr 1998), dau. of John L. Kinsland/Margaret (Peggy) Higdon.
  • Cordelia Bryson Briggs (22 Dec 1873 - 30 Aug 1965), dau. of James K. Bryson/Margaret Higdon.
  • Mamie Higdon Murray (30 Dec 1890 - 21 May 1982), dau. of Samuel Higdon/Harriet Berry.
  • Lewis Lefferts Higdon (22 Mar 1907 - _ Jan 1998), son of Thomas Bragg Higdon/Lula Shepherd.
  • Ruth Higdon Holcomb (15 Nov 1908 - 23 Feb 1999), dau. of James Leonard Higdon/Lovada Strain.

Lived into their 80's

Some Higdons born in western North Carolina who have lived into their 80's:

  • Ida Elmira Bryson Moore (25 Aug 1884 - 10 Sep 1973),dau of James K. Bryson/Margaret Higdon.
  • Thomas Bragg Higdon (5 Nov 1881 - 30 June 1970), son of Joseph H. Higdon/Margaret Berry.
  • Bertha Higdon McDowell (4 Aug 1888 - _ Aug. 1975), dau. of William H. Higdon/Lydia Jane Moore.
  • Ellen Higdon Smith (15 Jul 1900 - 4 Mar 1988), dau. of Thomas Bragg Higdon/Martha Frances Rich.
  • "Jennie" Bryson Henry (23 June 1872 - 10 June 1959), dau. of James K. Bryson/Margaret Higdon.
  • Margaret Higdon Bryson (10 May 1847 - 16 Feb 1934, dau. of William H. Higdon/Jane Buchanan.
  • Margaret Higdon Ramsey (18 Mar 1896 - 13 Apr 1982), dau. of William Logan Higdon/Emma McDowell.
  • Joseph Andrew Bryson (25 Aug 1884 - 3 May 1970), son of James K. Bryson/Margaret Higdon.
  • Franklin N. Holbrook (28 Dec 1888 - 3 May 1974), son of W.Alexander Holbrook/Elizabeth (Bet) Higdon.
  • Charles Foster Higdon (10 Dec 1894 - 22 Jan 1979), son of Thomas Bragg Higdon/Martha Frances Rich.
  • Margaret Ammons Williams (9 May 1866 - 3 May 1950), dau. of John R. Ammons/Martha Jane Higdon.
  • Margaret Holbrook Henderen (4 June 1880 - 25 May 1964), dau.of W.Alexander Holbrook/Elizabeth Higdon.
  • Samuel Larkin Holbrook (30 Nov 1885 - 30 Apr 1969), son of W.Alexander Holbrook/Elizabeth (Bet) Higdon.
  • Major Higdon (17 Feb 1890 - 26 Nov 1973), son of Thomas Bragg Higdon/Martha Frances Rich.
  • Laura Higdon Fulton (7 Apr 1868 - 25 Jan 1950), dau. of Joseph H. Higdon/Margaret Berry.
  • Frederick H. Higdon (24 Dec 1890 - 30 Jan 1973), son of William Logan Higdon/Emma McDowell.
  • Joseph Parker Higdon (7 Mar 1888 - 23 June 1970), son of Samuel Higdon/Harriet Berry.
  • Mary Alice Higdon Gibson (9 Nov 1886 - _ Nov 1967), dau. of William W. Higdon/Lydia Jane Moore.
  • Thomas Bragg Higdon (4 June 1855 - 3 Feb 1937), son of William H. Higdon/Jane Buchanan.
  • William Holbrook (22 Oct 1876 - 15 Dec 1957), son of W. Alexander Holbrook/Elizabeth (Bet) Higdon.

There are many more people I could list, I am sure, but this will give you some idea of the longevity of Higdons. Folks, Higdons have good genes. I’m proud of mine, aren't you?


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