Andrew  J.  Higgins

The  Shelby  Democrat
 February 20, 1879
VOL.  1; No.  37
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from the article, SMILING  SHELBYVILLE!
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Andrew J.  Higgins
Is one of the fixtures of our city, and may be regarded as one of the old settlers.  He was born on the 28th of December, 1830, in Brookfield, Franklin county, Indiana, and came to Shelby county in 1835.  When he came to Shelbyville he was not very well off in this world's goods, having only twenty-five cents upon which to build a fortune; but he was possessed of shrewdness and tact, generally a good substitute for riches.  When he came to this city he had the magnificent sum of twenty-five cents, and invested that in a copy of  Talbott's Arithmetic, and went in debt for thirty cents, the balance due on the book.  His days in school were but few, having attended only two years, and during that time sawed wood for the father of our fellow-townsman, Henry Doble, Esq.  In 1846 he engaged in the jewelry business, which vocation he has ever followed.  In 1867 Mr.  Higgins was elected Justice of the Peace for Addison township, and such was the satisfaction he gave that the people have not permitted him to lay aside the judicial ermine, but have forced him to still wear that garment.  As a Justice of the Peace he has been a success, as he has made one of the best the county ever had.  He is now the owner of eight houses in this city, and enjoys himself as well as does the crowned king upon his throne.
Contributed by Jeanne Surber

         Next biography in the " Smiling Shelbyville" newspaper article,  C. M. Puntenney.

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            Andrew J. Higgins was born near Brookville, Franklin County, Indiana, December 28th, 1830. His father, Henry Higgins, of Irish descent, was born in Kentucky, came to Shelby County in 1835, and died in this city in 1872.  Malinda (Jackson) Higgins, the mother of our subject, was born in Ohio, January 1st, 1813, and now resides in Shelbyville.  Andrew J. is the eldest of a family of eight children.  He received a common school education sufficient to enable him to teach school, which he began at the age of seventeen years and followed at intervals with marked success for a period of nine years.  In 1847, he embarked in the jewelry business, which he carried on with financial profit until 1877, when he retired and entered the business arena as real estate dealer, and being a man of excellent judgment, has made some very profitable investments.  In 1852, he was united in marriage with  Miss Frances Shadley, by whom he is the father of eleven children,  Mary J.,  Elizabeth A.,  James B.,  Margaret E.,  Francis M.,  Geo. T.,  Mattie E.,  Ursula,  Charlie A.,  and  Samuel T., and  William, now dead.
History of Shelby County, Indiana, Brant & Fuller, 1887, "Shelbyville Sketches,"  page 493-94.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming
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