Will County ILGenWeb Biographies..... 
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File contributed for use by:
Dori Leekly & Margie Glenn

Author: History of Will County, Illinois; Chicago: Wm LeBaron Jr & Co, 186 Dearborn Street, 1878.

H. D. HIGINBOTHAM, deceased, formerly of Joliet, whose portrait appears in this work, was 
born in Worcester, Otsego Co., N. Y., Jan. 10, 1806; he was brought up upon a farm, and had 
such advantages of education as were offered at the district school of his neighborhood, 
his father's ancestors were English, and settled in Barbados in the early settlement of the 
American Colonies; his grandfather lived in Rhode Island and married a Miss LIPPIT, of 
Providence; he followed the sea for some time, as captain of a whaler from Newport; Charles 
HIGINBOTHAM, the father of H. D., was born in Rhode Island, and came to Otsego Co., N. Y., 
with his parents, about the year 1800; he married Miss Gertrude Dumont, of Westford, N. Y.; 
from this marriage the subject of this sketch was born, and in 1831, married Miss Rebecca 
WHEELER, of Westford, N. Y.; she was born in Canaan, Columbia Co., N. Y.; soon after their 
marriage they, moved to Oneida, N. Y.; there he engaged in the blacksmith business, and in 
June 1834, moved to Illinois, and settled on Hickory Creek, in the now town of Joliet, and 
purchased a farm of 160 acres. Here he engaged in farming and blacksmithing, and was very 
successful in his business; in 1854, and for some time after, be was engaged in a sawmill 
and planing-mill, at what is now, called the Red Mills of Hickory Creek. Here on Hickory 
Creek all their children were born, except Albert H., the eldest, who was born in New 
Lenox, Madison Co., N. Y., Nov. 5, 1831; Ambrosia R. was born Oct. 1, 1834; Ann Eliza, 
Dec. 2, 1836; Harlow N., Oct. 10, 1838; Gertrude D., July 6, 1842; Mary Ellen, Sept. 27, 
1845, and Charles S., Dec. 24,1848. Of these Albert H. married Elizabeth Ella WHITE, of 
Chicago, and are now living in Joliet; Ambrosia R. married M. O. CAGWIN, of Joliet; Ann 
Eliza married M. G. DEMMOND, of Joliet; Harlow N. married Rachael DAVIDSON, of Joliet; 
he is in the mercantile house of Field, Leiter & Co., Chicago; Gertrude D. married Thomas 
LEDDY, of Joliet, both deceased; Mary Ellen married R. C. DARWIN, of Joliet; she is now 
deceased; Charles S. married Cynthia L. KEMP, of New Lenox, now residing in Kansas. H. D. 
HIGINBOTHAM and family moved to Joliet in the fall of 1854; he built a fine residence on 
Cass St., where he resided until his death; with his energy, and perseverance, he aided 
very much in making the city of Joliet what it is to-day. He held several prominent 
offices under the city government. He died March 13, 1865, leaving a widow and children 
and a large circle of friends to mourn his loss. His widow, Rebecca HIGINBOTHAM, in 1871, 
married C. H. SUTPHEN, a prominent citizen of La Salle Co., IL, and a cousin of the late 
H. D. HIGINBOTHAM; Mr. and Mrs. SUTPHEN now reside at the old HIGINBOTHAM homestead, on 
Cass St., Joliet.