Anthony Clark Higgins (October 1, 1840 – June 26, 1912) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in

New Castle County, Delaware New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex). As of the 2020 census, the population was 570,719, making it the most populous county in Delaware, with nearly 60% of th ...

. He was a veteran of the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

and a member of the Republican Party, who served as

United States Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

from

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

Early life and family

Higgins was born in Red Lion Hundred in New Castle County, Delaware. He attended Newark Academy and Delaware College, and graduated from

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

in 1861, where he was a member of

Skull and Bones Skull and Bones, also known as The Order, Order 322 or The Brotherhood of Death, is an undergraduate senior secret student society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The oldest senior class society at the university, Skull and Bone ...

. After studying law at the Harvard Law School, he was admitted to the bar in 1864 and began practice in Wilmington, Delaware. He also served for a time in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

in 1864.

Professional and public career

Higgins was appointed deputy Attorney General in 1864 and was the United States attorney for Delaware from 1869 until 1876. He was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for election to the 49th Congress in 1884, but was elected to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1889, until March 3, 1895, when he unsuccessfully sought reelection. During his tenure he was Chairman of the Committee to Examine Branches of the Civil Service in the 51st and 52nd Congress, and a member of the Committee on Manufactures in the 52nd Congress. Subsequently, he resumed the practice of law in Wilmington, including service as one of the attorneys for the respondent in the impeachment proceedings of United States District Court Judge

Charles Swayne Charles Swayne (August 10, 1842 – July 5, 1907) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida who prevailed over an impeachment effort. Education and career Born in Guyencourt, ...

of Florida in 1904/05.

Death and legacy

Higgins died while at New York, New York, and is buried at the St. Georges Cemetery, near St. Georges in New Castle County.

Almanac

Elections are held the first week of November. The General Assembly chose the U.S. Senators, who took office March 4 for a six-year term.

Notes

References

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External links

Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
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Delaware Historical Society The Delaware Historical Society began in 1864 as an effort to preserve documents from the Civil War. Since then, it has expanded into a statewide historical institution with several buildings, including Old Town Hall and the Delaware History Muse ...

website
505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161 *

University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 ma ...

Library website
181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965 {{DEFAULTSORT:Higgins, Anthony 1840 births 1912 deaths People from Wilmington, Delaware Yale College alumni Harvard Law School alumni Delaware Republicans United States Attorneys for the District of Delaware Republican Party United States senators from Delaware Burials in New Castle County, Delaware 19th-century American politicians People from New Castle, Delaware Psi Upsilon