His ancestor, Keido SHICHIZAEMON, served the Makino family, the lord of the Nagaoka Domain, in 1684 for a certain reason and changed his surname to Takano to become a middle rank retainer (Umamawarishu [the lord's mounted guard]).
先祖・七左衛門啓道が、故あって慶安元年（1648年）に長岡藩主牧野家に仕え、高野姓に改称して微禄の中級藩士（馬廻り衆）となった。