Higginson, Stephen, 1743-1828

Stephen Higginson (November 28, 1743—November 28, 1828) was an American merchant and shipmaster from Boston, Massachusetts.

Born in Salem in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, Higginson attended the common schools before engaging in mercantile pursuits; from 1765 to 1775, he was an active and successful shipmaster. Higginson served in the Massachusetts legislature in 1782 and was a delegate for Massachusetts to the Continental Congress in 1783. He took an active part in suppressing Shays' Rebellion, was the author of the Laco letters in 1789, and served the United States government as naval officer at the port of Boston from 1797 to 1808, most notably as navy agent from May 11 to June 22, 1798. Although he was a privateer during the American Revolutionary War he became a "blue light", extreme-Federalist during the War of 1812 and was one of the members of the Essex Junto.

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