James J. Higginson

James Jackson Higginson was born in Boston [sic: New York City] in 1836 and was graduated from Harvard in 1857. He studied law in Berlin, Germany. He was enlisted in the First Massachusetts Cavalry and was Captain and Brevet-Major. With his regiment he saw much hard service; he was captured and spent nine months in Libby Prison.

He came to New York in 1867 and engaged in business until 1892 when he retired. He was a member of many clubs and for the last two years was President of the Harvard Club. Harvard University and the Club as its representative in New York was one of his chief interests. He was deeply concerned in all its affairs and particularly cordial and genial with its graduates and friends. Somewhat diffident in his manner, he sometimes made the impression of constraint, but this was only on the surface, and beneath there glowed a fire of generous affection. He was full of delightful prejudices and a good hater, and his passion was for aiding people who needed but did not deserve help. He was a most modest man, never talking about himself. He was a lover of music and literature. His character is made known in the fact that no other President of the Harvard Club has been so beloved as he.

George William Knox
1911 Century Association Yearbook