The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-06-13
WAS A FAMOUS RUNNER
James HisgInbottum who Is Now
Resident OF 'Pownal.

James Higglnbottum who ls Now
Resident Of 'Pownal.
James Higginbottum. the noted
walker and runner now OF Pownal. a
veteran OF the Civil war and who dur
ing the past winter sent In an applicat
ion to Washington, ID. c., for pen
sion has received notification from
the pension department. there that his
application was received and accepted
aud that he might expect to hear from
them In the near future.
Mr. Higglnbottum has never receiy-
ed pension heretofore but under the
new pension law OF 1906 he Is entitled
10 pension ON account OF his age
which Is 62. An income at that age
will be great help to him.
Nearly every one about this section
knows this man quite well or knows
Of him. lie was born at Kildare. Ire
land. In the year 1874. His fathers
name was James and his mothers
name was Betsy Burns Higginbottum.
They both came from County Wick
low, Ireland. His grandfather on the
fathers side came from England. His
was only nm infant and settled In WI
Jamestown where they both lived and
died.
His father was n farmer and garden.
or and was "A very respectable and In.
dustrious man. He made many
friends In town. He died IN 1851.
James was then only 10 years OF age.
lie was considered nice boy assist.
ing his mother In every way that he
could. When the war broke out he
was not contented 10 stay nc home and
enlisted when only i6 years old. He
served throughout the war under Gen
Butler whom he holds IN the greatest
esteem. lie says the general always
called him his boy" When he first
enlisted he chose his captain as his
guardian and the captain would send
his money home 10 his mother who
had a great anxiety for her soldier
boy.
lie was very fortunate as he.neyer
was wounded but as he says. he had
some very close calls lie declares
that bullets have sped near enough ~
that he could feel the wind. lie was
considered a brave soldier. When
any OF the officers In the camp had o
message 10 send In haste they would
get Jim" as they all called him. "a
carry H. as he had the speed OF q
horse
lie was on the ironclad with Gener
al Butler nj the time the rebel captain
or spy put a hole through her side
She was afterwards sunk. but Not un
al after assistance came and unloaded
her The general had the hole STUFF
fed with blankets and kept her from
sinking until assistance arrived. Hig
ginbottum left his gun ON board the
boat and took care OF himself NJ the
generals orders. who said the boz
could get another gun easier than h.
could get another boy like him.
After the war he came home 90 his
mother and looked after her welfar,
as long AZ she lived by doing odd Jobs
about the college for the professors
After his mother died he made nj,
home with the late G. r. Taft wis
was postmaster for many years. Sine,
the death OF Mr Tafit he had mad,
his home most OF the time with &. II
Barber OF Pownal
lie was considered nj one time IN,
best walker and fastest runner In tn
world.
AZ one time he ran from the Pitts
field depot to the Mansion house nov
the Greylock hotel IN Willlamstown
In two hours and forty minutes. run
ming IN front Of horse. This was OF
n wager. lie came In ahead Of thl
horse seemingly not ~ much fatigue,
as the animal. lie only made on'
stop on the way That was NJ
spring where there was a cup and h
stopped and drank n little water ~
ran from the Mansion house In Nortl
Adams "a the Greylock hotel beatinl
sheriff Quinn's horse. The trip Wal
made In % minutes. This race VA
for n wager which he won also.
Driving during the autumn for soy
eral years he used 10 run races M nca
~ every fair or cattle show and wa
never beaten. a. fair held M Grca
harrington some % years ago be RAJ
against the champion Of England call
I'd The Shooting Star" and the cham
pion 0f America. and won the purse o
500. This race made him the chan
pi0n runner Of the world Ills It'll
has never been taken from him.
lie had a brother John. older. Twin
In the old country that was n rune
Of rcnown. having won many races
Ills last race was with uinnlnI
horse for one.fourth. OF n mile both 4
start together NJ n stand still. ~
came IN n head Of the horse but aftc
passing him under the wire. John stcT
ped on small round stone that tire,
him breaking his hip. lie died frou
the effects Of the race. This race va
nj Kildare. ireland. lie has two sI'
terH now living. Mrs AbbIc Butler. @
this town. and Mrs Mary Ryan. VII
lives with her son at Pownal