John Chippendall Montesquieu Bellew (né Higgin; 3 August 1823 – 19 June 1874) was an English author, preacher, and public reader. John Higgin was born at Lancaster on 3 August 1823. He was the only child of an infantry officer, Captain Robert Higgin, of the 12th Regiment. His mother, Anne Maria Bellew, a Roman Catholic, who towards the close of 1822, had married Captain Higgin, was the daughter of John Bellew, of Castle Bellew, County Galway, and cousin of Lord Bellew. She was co-heiress under the will of her uncle, Major-general Bellew, heir-at-law of the O'Briens, earls of Thomond.