THOMAS HIGGINBOTHAM – The representative and well known gentleman whose name appears at the head of this article has been a resident of Union County for more than a score of years, and he is to-day numbered with the most substantial and influential citizens here, and his home place, a farm two miles northwest from Elgin, displays industry and thrift, coupled with which are his stanch qualities of worth and moral excellence.
On March 17, 1856, in Wayne county, Kentucky, our Subject was born to James and Priscilla (Cullum) Higginbotham, natives also of the Blue Grass State. In 1863 the parents went to Clay county, Illinois, and thence to Sangamon county, the same state, where the father was called from life in the fall of 1864, and his remains lie buried in Springfield, Illinois. In the same year the balance of the family removed to Marion county, Iowa, the older sons occupying themselves with the art of agriculture. In 1867 they removed to Sullivan county, Missouri, and for six years continued their employment in the line of farming, then went to Linn county and there they tilled the soil until the date of their advent to the west in 1881. They first went to Walla Walla, Washington, and after a few months came thence to Union county, in October of the same year. Our subject then purchased his present place, two miles northwest from Elgin. It contained one hundred and sixty acres, and is now the size of three hundred and sixty acres. Mr. George C. Higginbotham, a brother of our subject, and born August 31, 1845, in Wayne county, Kentucky, lives with our subject, and together they operate this fine estate, having labored together more or less all the time since they have been men. The mother lived with them until the time of her death, which occurred June 27, 1899, and her remains are buried at the Elgin cemetery.
Mr. Higginbotham was married on August 10, 1879, in Linn county, Missouri, to Amelia, daughter of Ransom and Virginia (Ward) Gent, Natives of Virginia and farmers of Missouri at this time. Six children have been born to them, Florence, James, Ransom, Priscilla, Thomas and Virginia. Mrs. Higginbotham’s father died in Missouri, but the mother came west with her sons and now lives north from Elgin. Mr. Higginbotham is a member of the K. of P., Orion Lodge, No. 73. He is a broad-minded and loyal citizen, possessed of capabilities that have won his success, and his integrity is quite commensurate with the other qualities of intrinsic worth.
This biographical sketch donated by Larry Rader