Higginson, Stephen, 1743-1828

Variant names

Hide Profile

Stephen Higginson (November 28, 1743—November 28, 1828) was an American merchant and shipmaster from Boston, Massachusetts.

Born in Salem in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, Higginson attended the common schools before engaging in mercantile pursuits; from 1765 to 1775, he was an active and successful shipmaster. Higginson served in the Massachusetts legislature in 1782 and was a delegate for Massachusetts to the Continental Congress in 1783. He took an active part in suppressing Shays' Rebellion, was the author of the Laco letters in 1789, and served the United States government as naval officer at the port of Boston from 1797 to 1808, most notably as navy agent from May 11 to June 22, 1798. Although he was a privateer during the American Revolutionary War he became a "blue light", extreme-Federalist during the War of 1812 and was one of the members of the Essex Junto.

Higginson died in Boston and was interred in the city's Central Burying Ground.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Autograph File, H Houghton Library
referencedIn Kean, Jefferson Randolph, 1860-1950. Papers of Jefferson Randolph Kean, 1765-1938. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1863-1879 Smithsonian Institution Archives
referencedIn Wolcott, Oliver, 1760-1833. Papers of Oliver Wolcott, 1759-1837. Library of Congress
referencedIn Bird, Francis William, 1809-1894. Papers, 1826-1924; bulk: 1847-1889 Houghton Library
creatorOf Higginson, Stephen. Stephen Higginson receipt, 1735 Nov. 20. Historic Northampton Museum & Education Center
creatorOf Tudor, William, 1779-1830. Papers, 1786-1826. Boston Athenaeum
creatorOf Higginson, Stephen, 1743-1828. Business letter from Stephen Higginson to Messers LeRoy & Bayard, 1791 Apr. 16. New London County Historical Society
creatorOf Osgood, Samuel, 1748-1813. Samuel Osgood papers, 1775-1812. New-York Historical Society
referencedIn Higginson, Thomas Wentworth, 1823-1911. Additional papers, 1779-1910 Houghton Library
referencedIn Palfrey family papers, 1713-1915 Houghton Library
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Walker, James, 1794-1874. Correspondence, 1815-1859 Andover-Harvard Theological Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Jackson, P. T. (Patrick Tracy), 1780-1847. Patrick Tracy Jackson papers, 1766-1869. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Papers, 1817-1867. Houghton Library
creatorOf Higginson, Stephen, 1743-1828. Stephen Higginson letters, [typescripts], 1798-1801. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn [Map of the area later bounded by 75th and 80th Streets, Columbus Avenue and the Hudson River, Manhattan, New York (N.Y.)]. New-York Historical Society Library
creatorOf Higginson, Stephen, 1743-1828. Stephen Higginson papers, 1783-1792. Library of Congress
creatorOf Robin Hood (Ship). ADS : Cadiz [Spain], r 1782 Oct. 7. Boston Public Library, Central Library in Copley Square
referencedIn Houghton Library printed book provenance file, E-K. Houghton Library
creatorOf Higginson family. Papers II, 1795-1908, bulk: 1795-1877. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Phillips, Wendell, 1811-1884. Papers, 1555-1882 (bulk: 1833-1881) Houghton Library
referencedIn Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874. Correspondence, 1829-1874 Houghton Library
referencedIn Lynch and Stoughton. Records, 1783-1794. Churchill County Museum
referencedIn Chauncey family. Chauncey family papers, 1675-1928 (inclusive). Yale University Library
referencedIn Hodges, Captain. Shipping Letter to Jackson & Higginson, 1784. Peabody Essex Museum
referencedIn Thomas Wentworth Higginson correspondence Houghton Library
creatorOf Higginson family. Papers, 1631-1902, bulk: 1670-1878. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
referencedIn Additional letters from various correspondents, 1824-1882. Houghton Library
referencedIn Palfrey family papers, 1713-1915 Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith Bigelow, Andrew, 1795-1877 person
correspondedWith Bird, F. W. (Francis William), 1809-1894 person
associatedWith Chauncey family. family
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Hawley, Rebeccah. person
associatedWith Higginson family. family
ancestorOf Higginson, Thomas Wentworth, 1823-1911 person
associatedWith Hodges, Captain. person
associatedWith Houghton Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Jackson, P. T. (Patrick Tracy), 1780-1847. person
associatedWith Kean, Jefferson Randolph, 1860-1950. person
associatedWith Le Roy & Bayard. corporateBody
associatedWith Lynch and Stoughton. corporateBody
memberOf Massachusetts. General Court. House of Representatives corporateBody
associatedWith Nichols, George, 1809-1882 person
correspondedWith Nickerson, P. M. person
associatedWith Osgood, Samuel, 1748-1813. person
correspondedWith Palfrey family. family
correspondedWith Phillips, Wendell, 1811-1884 person
correspondedWith Phillips, Wendell, 1811-1884 person
associatedWith Pomeroy, Ebenezer. person
associatedWith Robin Hood (Ship) corporateBody
associatedWith Root & Pratt. corporateBody
correspondedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
correspondedWith Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874 person
associatedWith Tudor, William, 1779-1830. person
memberOf United States. Continental Congress corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Navy corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Navy Dept. corporateBody
associatedWith Walker, James, 1794-1874 person
associatedWith Wolcott, Oliver, 1760-1783. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Boston MA US
Salem MA US
Subject
Ships
Ships
Finance, Public
Merchants
Merchants
Navy-yards and naval stations
Shipbuilding
Shipping
Tea
Occupation
Army officers
Businessmen
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Merchants
Shipmasters
State Representative
Activity

Person

Birth 1743-11-28

Death 1828-11-22

Male

Britons,

Americans

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wx894r

Ark ID: w6wx894r

SNAC ID: 87542655