John Palmer Brabazon - Lineage
Luke Higgins married Catherine Brabazon, sister of Sir Anthony Brabazon, Bart. Their son, Hugh Higgins (Capt. R.A.) married in 1827 Ellen Ambrosia Palmer of Palmerstown Co. Mayo.
They had issue.
Luke, John Palmer, Elizabeth Louise, Augusta, Emma, Kate. The family changed its name to Brabazon by Royal Licence in 1852.
MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN PALMER BRABAZON C.B.
The military career of Major-General John Palmer Brabazon is of exceptional interest, inasmuch as it furnishes an instance in which an officer left the army after obtaining Captain's rank, and rejoined it as a subaltern at the age of thirty-one. It certainly speaks well for General Brabazon, that, notwithstanding the serious disadvantages under which he laboured when he determined to return to military duty, he has gone steadily forward, until he occupies today a prominent position in South Africa. Born on February 12th, 1843, it was on February 4th, 1863, that Gentleman Cadet Brabazon, was gazetted to a Cornetcy in the 16th Lancers (about the time of the death of his elder brother Captain Luke Brabazon in China). Six months afterwards, the young "Scarlet Lancer" was promoted to the rank of Ensign and Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards, and on July 10th, 1869, he was further advanced to the rank of Lieutenant and Captain. On February 26th, 1870, he exchanged to the 69th Regiment, and on September 24th, 1870, retired from the service by the sale of his commission. (Churchill says that he returned to Ireland at this time to take care of his estates).
This was the time of the 2nd Famine and many estates were in dire circumstances due to lack of rents being paid. This time the burden was shouldered by landlord and tenant alike, as opposed to the Great Famine. I think it was also about then that Bwab ensured that the railway went through Swinford, by deliberately destroying the worth of the shares of the Northern Railway Company. (He bought blocks of shares and virtually gave them away). When Sir Garnet Wolseley was nominated at the end of 1873 to proceed to the West Coast of Africa to conduct the Expedition to Kumassi, Captain Brabazon applied to accompany him, making known his readiness to embark in any capacity. He was permitted to go as a Special Service Volunteer, with the rank of Captain, being attached on arrival to the column under Captain (now Lieutenant-General) Butler, in Western Akim, and afterwards to the Transport Service.

So well was he reported upon, that in addition to the War Medal, he received the offer of a commission as Lieutenant in the 10th Hussars, being appointed on June 13th, 1874. Joining his regiment in India, he served with it in the Afghan War of 1878-79, and was afterwards employed as Officiating Brigade Major and Staff Officer of Cavalry, with the Kuram Field Force, being present at the capture of the Peiwar Kotal, in the operations of the Khost Valley, in the engagement at Charasiah on October 6th, 1879, and in the operations round Kabul in December, 1879, including the investment of Sherpur. Having come under the notice of Sir Frederick Roberts, he was selected to act as Cavalry Brigade Major in the march from Kabul to Kandahar, and was present at the battle before the latter place on September 1st, 1880. For his services he was repeatedly mentioned in Dispatches, was promoted to Brevet Majority, and received the War Medal with clasp, and bronze decoration.
In 1884 the 10th Hussars were ordered to land at Suakim on their way home from India, for Sir Gerald Graham's Soudan Expedition, then being organised. Brevet Major Brabazon was with them, took an active part in the actions of El Teb and Tamai, and in recognition of his services, was promoted - May 21st, 1884 - to a Brevet Lieutenant-Colonelcy, and decorated with the Egyptian Medal with Clasp, and Khedives Star. When in the following year the Camel Corps was formed for the Nile Expedition, Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Brabazon was the officer chosen to take out the 10th Hussars contingent. In this way he was able to play a prominent part in the operations of the Desert Column, and to be present in the disastrous engagement at Abu Klea, on February 16th and 17th, 1885, when the lamented Major-General Sir Herbert Stewart received his death wound, and the Gallant Colonel Fred Burnaby was killed. His reward for this campaign was a Clasp only.
On August 10th, 1889, he was promoted to his substantive majority in the 10th Hussars, and steps were at once taken to acknowledge his professional merits, he being on August 28th appointed an Aide-de-Camp to the Queen, with the rank of Colonel in the Army. He was promoted on February 12th, 1891, to a half-pay Lieutenant-Colonelcy, and on May 13th following, was gazetted to the command of the 4th Hussars, which position he retained for five years, an extra year being given him in consequence of the splendid condition into which the regiment had been brought as a fighting unit under his hands. Then came a period of inaction; but on January 28th, 1899, he was posted to Canterbury as Colonel on the Staff to command the Cavalry there and at Shorncliffe. On the formation of the Field Force for South Africa, he was chosen to command a Cavalry Brigade, and promoted to the temporary rank of Major-General as from October 9th, 1899, and exercised the duties of that command of the Imperial Yeomanry, on account of his remarkable organising powers, and personal acquaintance with many of the best known officers of the Force. That command he has continued to hold up to now [which must be about 1900] with the greatest advantage to all concerned. It only remains to be said, that General Brabazon was made a Companion of the Bath on June 3rd, 1893