His mother and father moved from Georgia to Texas shortly after he was born, specifically to Lampasas County.
Higgins began taking part in cattle drives north into Kansas while a teenager working on his father's ranch.
He was too young to serve during the American Civil War and remained in Lampasas County working as a cowboy for most of his youth.
During that time, he took part in numerous skirmishes with hostile Indians and in the hanging of several cattle rustlers.
On January 22, 1877, Merritt Horrell began to goad Higgins while in the Wiley and Toland's Gem Saloon.
The three remaining brothers spread word around town that they intended to retaliate against Higgins, as well as his brother-in-law Bob Mitchell and friend Bill Wren.
The two surrendered to Texas Ranger John Stark, best known for his capture of gunman Billy Thompson the year before.
When it was over, Bill Wren had been wounded, Frank Mitchell had been killed, and Horrell faction members Buck Waltrup and Carson Graham were dead.
All three Horrell brothers were arrested, and Texas Ranger Major John B. Jones acted as a mediator between the two sides to calm matters.
Less than one year later, Mart and Tom Horrell were arrested in Meridian, Texas, for armed robbery and murder.
However, he became engaged in a gunfight with one of the Mexican men with whom he was buying the horses after the two squabbled over the previously agreed price.
Friends of the dead man, numbering around twenty men, pursued Higgins and his hired hands.
In 1900, Higgins became involved in an ongoing dispute with fellow range detective and former sheriff Bill Standifer, which resulted in both men being fired from their jobs in 1903.
This matter inflamed a general dislike the two already had for each other and resulted in Higgins telling Standifer that if they met again it would be with guns.
John Higgins died of a heart attack on December 18, 1913, and is buried in Spur, Texas.