Theophilus Higgs, a prominent farmer of Hardeman County, is a native of Halifax County, N.C., born June 29, 1822, the youngest of eight children and the only one now living, born to Theophilus and Mary P. (Brantly) Higgs. The father who was a farmer by occupation, was of French descent born in about the year 1786, in Northampton County, N.C., and died when our subject was about three years old, in Halifax County, N.C. The mother was of Irish origin born in Halifax County, April 2, 1789, and died in Hardeman County, Tenn., September 13, 1869. They were married in Halifax County, and the father was an honored and esteemed man and a Democrat in politics. Our subject secured a good academical education and having selected farming as his occupation in life, at an early age began tilling the soil. In 1848, he came with his mother and two sisters to Tennessee and settled in Hardeman County and has ever since made it his home. In 1849, he purchased the farm where he now lives, and since then has been one of the active and enterprising farmers of the county. Before the Rebellion, he was very successful and had secured a handsome competency. The results of the war left him somewhat impoverished but he has since, by industry and economy, been fairly successful and now owns 400 acres of land under a good state of cultivation. January 31, 1856, Mr. Higgs married Miss Margaret Cheairs, a native of North Carolina, born June 5, 1835. To this union have been born seven children — five sons and two daughters — one son and one daughter deceased. In political views, he is rather inclined to the Independent party, but is somewhat in sympathy with the Democrats. Mr. Higgs is not a member of any church but a firm believer in Christianity. Mrs. Higgs is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Source: “The Goodspeed Publishing Co., History of Tennessee, 1886”