"If it had not been for the Missouri River at Omaha, there would have been no Higgins Industries of New Orleans turning out ships, planes, engines and guns, and what have you for the Army and Navy." -Andrew Jackson Higgins, 1943
(click photos to enlarge)
Boyhood
Lt. Higgins, ca. 1904, Strahan
Born in 1886, in Columbus, Nebraska, where a memorial now exists, Andrew Jackson Higgins lived up to his namesake, "Old Hickory," displaying some of the same personality traits: aggressive, tenacious, and innovative.
At age twelve he built his first boat in the basement of his mother's house. The Annie O', an ice sailing boat, was built in honor of his mother; however, after completion Higgins discovered the boat was too big to bring out of the basement. During this experience Higgins displayed his traits of innovation and determination: he gathered friends, jacks, and timbers and supported the basement wall. He then removed a section of the basement wall between two windows, brought the boat out, and repaired the brick wall. He completed this task before his mother returned home from her trip to town.
Edward B. Higgins, Jr., 2010
"He [A. J. Higgins] had the ability to generate enthusiasm in others for whatever project he was engaged in." -Edward B. Higgins, Jr., great nephew of A.J. Higgins, 2010
Early Military Engineering Experience
A product of Higgins' innovative mind: a pontoon bridge, Strahan
After leaving high school, Higgins joined the 2nd Nebraska Infantry and was later transferred to an engineer regiment. He received his first amphibious training when he was put in charge of constructing pontoons to support a bridge which allowed troops to cross the Platte River.
"Ramshackle Rag," Arthur Pryor's Band, 1911
