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From: "Cathy Joynt Labath" <>
Subject: [IA-IRISH] Bio of John W. Higgins
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2002 09:30:52 -0600

Surnames: Higgins, Gaynor, Hartigan, Devin, Ball

History of Crawford County, Iowa...by F. W. Meyers. 2 vols. Chicago: S. J.
Clarke Pub. Co., 1911.

A productive farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Willow township
yields gratifying returns for the labor of John W. Higgins. He was born on
the place where he now lives, January 5, 1884, a son of John and Mary
(Gaynor) Higgins. The father was born in Ireland and came to the United
States at the age of eighteen. He spent nine years in Chicago and then,
having decided to devote his attention to agricultural pursuits, located in
Crawford county, Iowa, upon a tract of eighty acres on section 26, Willow
township. He improved his farm and then disposed of it, purchasing one
hundred and sixty acres on section 18, where he lived for twenty-eight
years. He cultivated the soil, planted trees and made the farm one of the
most attractive properties in the locality. In 1908 he removed to Ute, Iowa,
where he now lives retired. The mother of our subject was also born in
Ireland and was married to Mr. Higgins at Chicago. She now enjoys with him
the fruits of many years of labor. There were seven children in the family,
six of whom are now living, namely: Mary, who is at home; Margaret, the wife
of Dan Hartigan, who lives near Ute; Johannah, who married Patrick Devin and
is now living on part of the home farm; Anna and Lizzie, both of whom are at
home; and John W., of this review.
Educated in the district schools of Willow township John W. Higgins
early displayed a power of application to his studies which gave good
evidence of his mental ability and his desire to make the most of
opportunities in life. He continued at home until twenty years of age and
then went to Chicago, where he became connected with the wholesale
department of Carson, Pirie, Scott & Company. However, he yielded to an
irresistible desire to return to agricultural pursuits and accordingly came
to Crawford county and began farming on his own account on sections 27 and
28, willow township. After two years he went to Stanley county, South Dakota
and settled upon a homestead but did not prove up on it, lacking from
October until the following March. Returning to Crawford county, where
conditions are much more favorable than he found them in South Dakota, he
farmed the Shipley place for one year and then removed to his father's farm,
where he has since resided. He is now the owner of one hundred and twenty
acres of good land, which he has cultivated with marked success.
On the 12th of February, 1907, Mr. Higgins was united in marriage to
Miss Pearl Ball, a native of Monona county, Iowa, and they have two
children, Daniel and Laverne. Although Mr. Higgins is only twenty-seven
years of age he has made an excellent start in business and ranks as one of
the enterprising and progressive farmers of his township. His success is
mainly due to his interest in his work and an honorable ambition to
accomplish what he undertakes regardless of the time or labor involved. His
political allegiance is given to the democratic party, in whose principles
he is a firm believer. He is a strong advocate of education and has served
as a member of the school board. Fraternally he is identified with the camp
of Modern Woodmen of America at Ute, and he and his estimable wife are
members of the Catholic church in whose faith they were reared.

Cathy Joynt Labath
The Irish in Iowa
http://www.celticcousins.net/irishiniowa/index.htm

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• [IA-IRISH] Bio of John W. Higgins by "Cathy Joynt Labath" <>