Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-11-05

ATHENS, Tenn, Oct. 3l.-Farmers
coming to town from lower Mouse
Greek valley few days ago, brought
the news that cold One-thumb Tom
higgins is dead-died Oct, IA" In
late years the comparatively few who
knew him here, and then only as "old
Tom higgins, who owns and resides
in little two room cabin near Onion
chapel, attached no particular sig
nificance to his death, except possibly
to wonder a moment that he haa rot
died years ago. His neighbors in the
Mouse creek valley may have inquired
how bis heirs will divide the big, ne
elected tract of bottom and timber
land that he had controlled for three
quarters of century.
The death of Tom higgins was un-
heralded beyond here, and his burial
was as simple as his life for the last
forty years. But man had died to
whom unique chapter has been devo-
ted in history. recorded by a certain
fraternity, with headquarters In one
of the eastern states.
Thomas higgins, an armorer of the
confederacy, was not altogether with
out distinction-save in his own coun-
try. Born in 1891, he was not only
among the Oldest gunmakers in Amer
lea, but until his death was the only
living armorer of the confe1eraoy,
He had made guns for the Forty
ers, and his skill reached its zenith in
time to make him one of the most
useful mechanicians catering to tue
Tennessee volunteers in the early sig
ties.
Until just after the civil war, Pitts
burghs and Philadelphia gun shops
were a. important factors III tbs mill
tary affairs of this country as the Bir-
miugham works are to England, and
the Krupp's to Germany today. Ger
tain connoisseurs in the two Penpsyl-
vauia cities, together with less than
a hundred in New York and Boston,
banded together few years ago, to
study and compile h istory of the
DdUuIdCJuI6 VI hlIl3 en- lhOA al A@
rope ana America since about 1900 TO
the present day. A paper read before
a formal meeting uf his fraternity
about four years ago contained few
vague references to, southern armor-
les. It kindled an Interest in south
ern made fire arms with the re ult
that | was requested to interview
Thomas higgins, of Tennessee. This
| did, and made photograph of him
and uictures of some of his guns that
were published fn history of Ameri-
can firearms Later, both higgins
life skatcn and portrait were repro
duced in several Of the technical
journals, with the result that be WAS
dubbed the oldest srmorer in America
John P. Lower, of Denver believe,
being only second.
Toe old gunmaker is mentioned in
one publication;
''* y Atthe age Of 10 be entered as
apprentice shop owned by one of his
relatives After studying the armor
ers's art for several years he began
making sporting rifles.
In 1845 he could make rife out
and out from the raw bulk iron. The
unusual excellence of his work at
tracted attention throughout section
within radius of hundred miles. |
Many successful contestant at an
old time shooting match owed his luck |
to higgins rife. The higgins rifle
generally "got the beef -
At the out break of the civil war he
contracted to make the rifles for arm
ing the ''East Tennessee Squirrel
Shooters "a cavalry regiment of
"rebel'' volunteers After volunteer
ing in '61 he went Lynchburg under
Col. Vaughn, tof the Third Tennessee
regiment.
Before his comr any saw actual ser
vice he was ordered to Knoxville to
instruct about sixty mechanics in the
making of cavalry rifles out of OLD
fowling pieces. Many a wagon load
of long Kentucky fiintlockl rifles was
collected in the south and sent to
Knoxville, where Mr. higgins and
his assistants converted them into
serviceable short percussion lcck, large
bore carbines for confederate cavalry.
Mr.. higgins. with natural pride,
unconquered by time, states that his
picked assistants were fast workers,
AMI that they labored strenuously for
many months. often working at night
to complete the equipment of some
waiting troop of cavalry, until the
federal army forced them to destroy
the arsenal and retreat
The frontispiece is picture of Mr..
higgins taken among toe ruins of his
shop, recently destroyed by fire in Nc
Miru county. holding favorite sqnir-
rol rGs Originally 2 fintiockl Which