Individual Details

Moved to Feliciana Parish LA before 1810.
American State Papers, Public Lands, Vol 3, p.64
James and his brother Jacob were both on a list of Actual Settlers on Land in that part of Louisana, which lies East of the Mississippi River and Island of New Orleans, and West of Pearl River, who have no claims thereto, derived from the French, British, or Spanish Governments. James stated he had settled there in 1810; Jacob gave the date of 1811.

James married Mary Brown about 1799 in Elbert Co GA. She was born 1 Aug 1778 in Abbeville District, SC; died 18 Jul 1857 in Mississippi. She married 2nd, 26 Aug 1827, to Mark Powers.

1820 Census: Sandy Creek, Feliciana Parish LA
James Higginbotham. 2m under 10, 1m 10-16, 1m 16-18, 1m 16-26, 1m 26-45, 1m over age 45 [James may have just turned 45]. 2f under 10, 2f 10-16, 1f 16-26, 1f 26-45.

James's wife was Mary Brown. She gave testimony as Mary Higginbotham, resident of Lafayette Co, MS, in Yalobusha Co MS on Jul 5 1847, that she had been present when Edmond Rousey & Elizabeth Hilley were married in Elbert Co GA and William Higginbotham performed the ceremony. He married other couples including herself - to James Higginbotham his nephew. The marriage of Edmond & Elizabeth took place about July or August of 1793. Mary and James were married in January of 1797.
On that same day Benjamin Higginbottom, also of Lafayette Co said he had lived within a mile of the place where Elizabeth Hilley & Edmond Rousey were married in Elbert Co GA. He knew his brother's widow [Mary Brown Higginbotham] was well acquainted with them. He was 63 years old and was 9 or 10 when the Rouseys were married.
The above testimony is proof that Jacob Higginbotham, father of James & Benjamin did marry his cousin Anne Higginbotham, as her brother William was the only William Higginbotham living in Elbert Co and performing marriages in the 1790's. Jacob did also have a brother William, but he lived in Amherst Co VA.

Birth	13 Feb 1775	Amherst County, Virginia
Marriage	Jan 1797	Elbert County, Georgia - Mary Brown
Death	10 Oct 1825	East Feliciana Parish, Louisana

Spouse	Mary Brown (1778 - 1857)
Child	Rebecca Jane Higginbotham ( - )
Child	Eleanor Higginbotham (1800 - 1864)

Father	Jacob Higginbotham (1751 - 1836)
Mother	Anne Higginbotham ( - )
Sibling	Hannah Higginbotham (1773 - )
Sibling	Jacob Higginbotham Jr. (1776 - )
Sibling	John Higginbotham (1778 - )
Sibling	Elisabeth Higginbotham (1780 - )
Sibling	Jane Higginbotham (1782 - 1859)
Sibling	Joseph Higginbotham (1784 - 1824)
Sibling	Benjamin Higginbotham (1784 - )
Sibling	Caleb Higginbotham (1787 - )
Sibling	Anna Higginbotham (1788 - )
Sibling	William Higginbotham (1790 - )
Sibling	Riley Higginbotham (1793 - )
Sibling	Frances Higginbotham (1796 - )