Obituaries: Higgins, Daniel Patrick December 23, 1897 *********************************************** Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives Kerry Index Copyright ************************************************ File contributed by: Kathleen Lisai khlvt@yahoo.com July 12, 2012, 10:59 am OBITUARIES: HIGGINS, DANIEL PATRICK DECEMBER 23, 1897 In the death of Daniel Higgins, Bellows Falls loses one of her oldest and most respected citizens. Mr. Higgins passed away quietly at his home on Kerry Avenue Thursday afternoon about 5:30 o'clock. He was born in the county of Kerry in Ireland March 23, 1826. About 1848 he came to this country with his wife, Mary O'Leary, and his parents and lived in Millers Falls, Mass., for about one year. He came to Bellows Falls in 1849 and has lived here ever since. He worked for some time on the Vermont Valley railroad and after its completion worked in the railshop belonging to the same road, under Silas Pierce, master mechanic. Though born in the old country, Mr. Higgins was a patriot in every sense of the word, and during the great war of the rebellion was one of the thousand who went to Vermont to defend the Stars and Stripes. In August 1862 he enlisted in Co. G., 11th Vermont regiment under Grant. At Cold Harbor on June 2, 1863, he had the misfortune to lose his left foot making ham a cripple for the remainder of his life. After the close of the war the deceased returned to Bellows Falls and as soon as he was able to work was given charge of the blasting on the site of the Fall Mountain Paper plant. In this business he was engaged several years, and when he retired from active work was chosen night police in Bellows Falls for a period of two years. After retiring from the police force, owing to age and impaired health, he did not engage in any active occuation. He is survived by his wife Mary; three children, a son Daniel P. Higgins, superintendent of the Emerson Paper Company; two daughters, Catherine and Ellen Higgins of Bellows Falls; and two sisters, Mr. Ellen Manning of Brattleboro, and Mrs. Johanna Lyngreen of San Francisco. Mr. Higgins has always been an upright, hardworking man and as a citizen was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He was one of the original trustees of what is now known as the old Catholic cemetery, his contemporaries being Daniel Kiniry and Thomas O'Brien, who alone survives. For the past 23 years he has been a grand juror in Windham county, and was one of the most influential and highly respected members of the Stoughton Post of the G.A.R. where he had more than once refused official position because of his physical disability. In the death of Mr. Higgins, Bellows Falls mourns the removal of another of the old landmarks. The funeral will be from St. Charles' church at 8:30 o'clock tomorrow morning with burial in the old Catholic cemetery. (Note: Daniel Higgins was the son of James and Catherine (Kennedy) Higgins. He was married to Mary O'Leary in Castlegregory on Feb 21, 1846). Source: Bellows Falls Times (Vermont)