JOHN HIGGINS, also a pioneer of Langola, is a native of St. Lawrence county. New York, and was born on the 1st of March, 1836. At an early age he went to Lewis county. New York, where he was raised among strangers, and was in the lumber woods six years. During the Mexican war, he served two years as Captain's boy, after which he returned to his native State and was engaged in lumbering until 1854, when he came to Minnesota and pre-empted a farm in Langola township, to which he has since added, until he now owns four hundred and seventy-five acres, seventy-five of which are under cultivation. Owing to the vicious and thieving propensities of the Sioux in his neighborhood, he let his farm remain without cultivation for several years, and engaged in teaming from St. Paul to the Indian agency near Crow Wing, for Major Harriman. In 1858, he assisted Anson Northrup in the transfer of the steamboat "North Star" from the Upper Mississippi to the Red River. Returning to Langola he was again engaged in teaming, until 1865, when he settled on the farm which he had located eleven years before. During the Indian outbreak in 1862, he was on duty at Fort Ripley, and also went with Sibley's expedition across the plains. Mr. Higgins has held the office of Supervisor, two terms, and School Director, six years. He was married in July, 1854, to Mary A. Crawford, of Scotland. They have two children; John C, and Jennie.

History of the Upper Mississippi Valley (1881) p. 359 [Langola]