Preceded by Timothy L. Woodruff Party Republican Party Political party Republican | Religion Episcopalian Resigned December 31, 1906 Name Frank Higgins | |
 | ||
Lieutenant M. Linn Bruce (1905–1906)
John Raines (acting) (1906) Preceded by Benjamin Barker Odell, Jr. Full Name Frank Wayland Higgins Born August 18, 1856
Rushford, New York, U.S. ( 1856-08-18 ) Role Former Member of the New York State Senate Died February 12, 1907, Olean, New York, United States Previous offices Governor of New York (1905–1906), New York State Senator (1894–1902) | ||
Succeeded by Charles Evans Hughes | ||
Frank Wayland Higgins (August 18, 1856 – February 12, 1907) was an American politician who served as the 35th Governor of New York.
Biography
Higgins was born in Rushford, New York on August 18, 1856, the son of Orrin Thrall and Lucia Cornelia Higgins. Given the first name "Francis" at birth", he called himself "Frank" from an early age. Higgins' father was a successful merchant who owned a chain of grocery stores in Olean, New York and held mining and timber tracts in Michigan, Wisconsin, Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota. Frank Higgins attended Rushford Academy and then Riverview Academy, a military school in Peekskill, New York, from which he graduated in 1873. He then attended a commercial college in Binghamton, New York.
After completing his education Higgins worked as a sales agent for an oil company in Detroit and Chicago, and then became a partner in the Stanton, Michigan mercantile firm of Wood, Thayer, and Company. In 1879 Higgins returned to New York and became a partner in his father's business.
He was a delegate to the 1888 Republican National Convention. In 1894 Higgins was elected to the New York Senate, and he served for eight years, sitting in the 117th, 118th (both 32nd D.), 119th, 120th, 121st, 122nd, 123rd, 124th and 125th New York State Legislatures (all seven 50th D.).
In 1902 Higgins was the successful Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, and he served one term, 1903-04.
Higgins was the successful Republican nominee for governor in 1904, and he served one term, 1905-06.
Higgins was in ill health when he left office, and he died of heart disease in Olean on February 12, 1907, just six weeks after leaving office. Higgins was buried at Mount View Cemetery in Olean.