Frank W. Higgins
35th Governor of New York
In office January 1, 1905 – December 31, 1906
Lieutenant	M. Linn Bruce John Raines(acting)
Preceded by	Benjamin Barker Odell Jr.
Succeeded by	Charles Evans Hughes
Lieutenant Governor of New York
In office January 1, 1903 – December 31, 1904
Governor	Benjamin Barker Odell Jr.
Preceded by	Timothy L. Woodruff
Succeeded by	Matthew Linn Bruce
Member of theNew York Senate from the 50th district
In office January 1, 1896 – December 31, 1902
Preceded by	New district
Succeeded by	Albert T. Fancher
Member of theNew York Senate from the 32nd district
In office January 1, 1894 – December 31, 1895
Preceded by	James T. Edwards
Succeeded by	George R. Malby
Personal details
Born	Frank Wayland Higgins (1856-08-18)August 18, 1856 Rushford, New York, U.S.
Died	February 12, 1907(1907-02-12) (aged 50) Olean, New York, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Kate Corinne Noble ​ (m. 1877)​
Signature

Frank Wayland Higgins (August 18, 1856 – February 12, 1907) was an American politician who served as the 35thgovernor of New York.

Higgins was born inRushford, New York, on August 18, 1856.^[1][2] He was the son of Orrin Thrall Higgins (1826–1890) and Lucia Cornelia (née Hapgood) Higgins (1831–1868). Given the first name "Francis" at birth, he called himself "Frank" from an early age. His elder sister was Clara Alzina Hapgood Higgins,^[3] who later married Frank Sullivan Smith, one time head of theShawmut Railroad.^[4] His father, a descendant ofStephen Hopkins of theMayflower, was a successful merchant who owned a chain of grocery stores inOlean, New York and held mining and timber tracts inMichigan,Wisconsin,Washington,Oregon, andMinnesota.^[1]

Higgins's grandfather was a pioneer physician of distinction inWestern New York.^[1]

Higgins attended Rushford Academy and then Riverview Academy, a military school inPeekskill, New York, from which he graduated in 1873. He then attended acommercial college inBinghamton, New York.

After completing his education Higgins worked as a sales agent for an oil company inDetroit andChicago, and then became a partner in theStanton, Michigan, mercantile firm of Wood, Thayer, and Company. In 1879, Higgins returned to New York and became a partner in his father's business, Higgins, Blodgett & Co.^[1]

He was a delegate to the1888 Republican National Convention. In 1894, Higgins was elected to theNew York Senate with a plurality of 8,046 votes over his opponent,^[5] and he served for eight years, sitting in the117th,118th (both 32nd D.),119th,120th,121st,122nd,123rd,124th and125th New York State Legislatures (all seven 50th D.). While in the Senate, he served on various committees and was "Chairman of the Finance Committee for a longer period than any other man."^[5]

In 1888, he was a delegate to theRepublican National Convention in Chicago that resulted in the nomination of formerSenatorBenjamin Harrison ofIndiana for President andLevi P. Morton ofNew York, a formerCongressman andMinister to France, forVice President.^[5]

In 1902, Higgins was the successful Republican candidate for lieutenant governor against Democrat Charles N. Bulger (663,689 votes to 653,555 votes),^[5] and he served one term from 1903 to 1904. In what was considered the Republican Roosevelt wave, due to former New York Governor'sTheodore Roosevelt's election to the Presidency,^[6] Higgins was the successfulRepublican nominee for governorin 1904,^[5] and he served one term from January 1905 to December 1906.^[7] He was succeeded by fellow RepublicanCharles Evans Hughes (who later became theU.S. Secretary of State andChief Justice of the United States).^[8][9]

Higgins was in ill health at the end of his term and died just six weeks after leaving office. In his obituary inThe New York Times, it was said:

The illness of ex-Gov. Higgins covers practically the whole of his administration of two years. His health was not robust when he was nominated for Governor in 1904, and it is but chronicling the truth to say that the campaign taxed him greatly. Following his election he was able to rest up, and for a time he felt better than in months. On assuming office, however, the cares of the Governorship wore on him and each month increased the pressure.^[1]

On June 5, 1877, Higgins was married to Kate Corinne Noble (1855–1929), a daughter of Aaron Harrison Noble and Aldura (née Bell) Noble. They married inStanton, Michigan, where Higgins was then in business.^[10] Together, they were the parents of:

• Orrin Thrall Higgins (1879–1912)^[11]
• Josephine Bell Higgins, who married Émile Lucien Hovelaque, the Inspector General of Public Instruction in France, in 1911.^[12][13]
• Frank Harrison Higgins (1886–1937).^[14]
• Clarence Noble Higgins (1890–1890), who died in infancy ofCholera Infantum.

Among Higgins closest friends was Olean MayorNicholas Van Vranken Franchot, who served as theNew York State Superintendent of Public Works during Higgins administration.^[15]

Higgins died of heart disease in Olean on February 12, 1907.^[1] After an Episcopal burial service read at his residence, he was buried at Mount View Cemetery in Olean.^[15]President andMrs. Roosevelt sent flowers, as didGovernor Hughes and many other prominent people.^[15] Higgins estate was valued at $1,250,000, considerably less than the $15,000,000 estimated around his death.^[16] His wife died at the Higgins residence, 128 South Street in Olean, in May 1929.^[10]

Higgins official portrait as Governor of New York was painted byBuffalo, New York, native,Eugene Speicher.^[17]

A biography of Higgins,Frank Wayland Higgins: New York's Forgotten Governor, was authored by William Gabler in 2002.^[2][18]

• Frank W. Higgins atFind a Grave
• Gov. Frank W. Higgins at theNew York State Archives.
• Political papers of Frank Wayland Higgins at theNew York State Archives.

• 1856 births
• 1907 deaths
• Republican Party governors of New York (state)
• Republican Party New York (state) state senators
• Lieutenant governors of New York (state)
• People from Rushford, New York
• 19th-century American Episcopalians
• 19th-century members of the New York State Legislature
• 20th-century members of the New York State Legislature

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