Early Days in Lyman #33

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

Nathan M. Higgins was born in Huntington, Massachusetts, October, 1845. He was one of a family of twelve children, three of whom died in early childhood. His father died when he was ten years old. His mother passed away five years later. Three years after his mother's death he went west and settled at Ft. Wayne, Indiana. He worked in a store there for two years and then went to St. Louis, Missouri. In the fall of 1866 he went to Elmwood, Illinois, and worked for his brother, Prentice until the fall of 1869 when he came to Ford County to inspect the prairie lands. He bought the southeast quarter of section 34 in the Town of Brenton. There were no improvements. He moved to this farm in the spring of 1870 where he lived until his death in 1907.
Mr. Higgins was a model of industry. He was one of the most energetic persons in the community in which he lived. His work was as regular as clock work. I have worked with him in the same field and until the very latest years of his life I never felt able to meet him in contest of work.
In 1872 he married Miss Mary Jane Mosher, daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Mosher of Elmwood, who later were neighbors of his in Ford County. I made the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Higgins nearly sixty years ago. The same esteem that I had for them in the early days remained through out all this time. They were ideals of industry to me when I was a boy. I wished to have the energy that they had so that all would trust me as we did them. From them I learned to shun the idea of being late at work or quitting too soon in the evening. My neighbors helped much in forming my ideals.
It was my lot to solicit our community for money and produce for the church and for those unfortunates because of fire and hail. I never went empty handed from the Higgins home.
Mr. and Mrs. Higgins had four sons and two daughters. Three of the boys were pupils of mine. I do not know whether they prized my friendship as I did theirs or not. Like Mickey in the story, "on the Potter's Wheel", "Me faught they did."
One thing in the Higgins children I have always admired is their love for their mother. At present Mrs. Higgins is not in good health but we hope she will soon be well again.
Mary Elizabeth is the wife of William Gardner and lives at Fisher. Charles and Alexander live at home with their mother. Roy and Effie live in Chicago. Milo has a family and lives on the former Mosher farm one mile south of the Higgins homestead.
Alexander and Elizabeth (McLaughlin) Mosher were natives of New York where they lived at Fonda, near the Erie Canal until 1855 when they moved to Illinois settling at Elmwood. In 1877 they came to Ford County. They purchased the former home of Artemus A. Haling one of the early settlers from Connecticut who became tired of life on the wild prairie and went back to the Town of Lyman. They Mosher farm was a part of the A. M. Haling purchase in 1866.
Mr. Mosher suffered from asthma which interfered with his working but he was always jovial and always had a joke to hand to those he met. He was a good manager and with the help of his family soon had the farm on a good producing basis. He died in 1893. The family consisted of two sons and four daughters, namely Mary Jane Higgins, of Brenton Township, Margaret Moore of Alma, Michigan, both are now widows. Elizabeth who married Theophilis Glenn, both are deceased. Their son, E. M. Glenn married Della Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Smith and twin sister of Mr. J. A. Colteaux. Dr. and Mrs. Glenn and family live at Wichita, Kansas.
Lewis Mosher, the oldest son in 1912. (confusing, I think some info is missing here) She still resides in Roberts. they had five children. Three reside here and two live in Chicago. They are Mrs. W. H. Yackee, Mrs. R. E. Bradbury, and Frank L. Mosher here and Mrs. Casper Willy and Harry Mosher in Chicago.
John Mosher married Lena Fencken of Roberts. He also died in 1912. His widow lives in Chicago. Their one daughter, Gladys is an accomplished musician and lives in New York. John Mosher was in business in Roberts for many years. He was also a township official, being road commissioner. Also was an official in the Congregational church.
Hattie Mosher married Jacob Houk. They lived in Roberts. Both died many years ago leaving five children. These were Ernest, Guy, Hattie, Leone and Jessie. Guy and Jessie are deceased. Ernest married Minnie Munson. They live in Piper City where he is in the furniture and undertaking business. Hattie married Eugene Davis. They live two miles north of Roberts. Leone married Ellis E. Cook and they live two miles west of Roberts.
 
--Roberts Herald. 20 November 1935. Bela Foster.